What do you think?
Rate this book
Mad Scientists' Club #3
The Big Kerplop!: The Original Adventure of the Mad Scientists' Club
Seven boys organize the Mad Scientists' Club to investigate a mysterious object dropped by an Air Force bomber into Strawberry Lake.
238 pages, Hardcover
First published March 28, 1976
28 people are currently reading
186 people want to read
About the author
Bertrand R. Brinley
20 books37 followersBertrand R. Brinley was born in Hudson, New York in 1917. He had a peripatetic childhood, living in Hudson, Lansdowne, Pennsylvania; West Newbury, Massachusetts; Evanston, Illinois; and Hollywood, California, to name just a few of the places. When he lived in Hollywood in the Twenties, he pitched pennies with Jackie Cooper, who became a child star, and sold newspapers to Charlie Chase, the silent comedy star, at the corner of Western Avenue and Hollywood Boulevard.
He attended high school in West Newbury in the same building in which I went to first grade, many years later. My father lived at what the family called "the Farm." It was indeed a farm; but, it was also home on and off for a variety of intellectuals during the Depression and a young man who was later to achieve great literary fame, John Cheever. We often visited the farm when we lived in West Newbury, and I remember the large library in one room.
West Newbury contributed a good many place names and several of the characters to the Mad Scientists' Club stories. My father graduated in 1935 and went West again to Stanford University, where he studied History, English, and Speech and Drama. During his years at Stanford, he worked at the Peninsula Creamery in Palo Alto, which is still in operation.
He was recruited by Harry Bridges' waterfront union to fight in Spain for the republican side in the civil war (Bridges' union was a Communist front organization). He and a colleague went along with the deal because they wanted a free trip to Europe: they planned to jump ship in Biarritz and tour through France. Alas, his father got wind of the caper and had my father's passport pulled. I remember my father telling me about a visit from a union recruiter one day while he was working at the Creamery who wanted to know if he was still going to join up.
It was in Palo Alto that my father met my mother at the Palo Alto Community Playhouse. He was the assistant director. Here is an excerpt from his resume: "Assisted in direction of major productions...directed workshop productions, handled publicity and season ticket campaigns...Appeared in major roles in ..ten productions. Typical productions: Winterset, Pygmalion, High Tor, The Importance of Being Earnest.. Stage Door, You Can't Take it With You, Our Town, Ah, Wilderness."
After they were married, they moved to Southern California, where he worked for the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation as a systems analyst. Never far from the theater, he co-founded the Lockheed Players, producing and directing The Importance of Being Earnest, Lady Blackmere's Fan, and Springtime for Henry.
In 1944 he entered the Army, which became his career and made his family international travelers. The service first took us to Germany and Austria, and later to Japan and Panama. Another excerpt from his resume gives a flavor of a long-lost time in our history: "...Assigned as Special Services Officer, Third U.S. Army in Munich and Heidelberg...Escorted USO shows. Directed Troop Entertainment Program for U.S. Occupied Zone, Germany...Organized road circuit of twenty-one show units and ninety-five dance bands..Arranged talent exchange with Bal Tabarin and Folies Bergeres in Paris, and the Palladium in London...Wrote and directed seven musical productions for troop entertainment...utilizing both soldier and professional talent, twenty-girl ballet, and concert orchestra."
Among his assignments were running The Stardust Club -- a nightclub for soldiers in Heidelberg, managing a resort hotel for Allied officers in Kitzbuhl, Austria, and serving as an aide to the commanding general of the Third Army in Vienna. In the latter assignment we lived in the Vienna Woods in a house that was built with straw instead of lathe to hold the coat of exterior stucco. It was our house of straw.
After returning to the States, he worked in public relations for the Salvation Army while we lived in West Newbury. He re-entered the Army during the K
He attended high school in West Newbury in the same building in which I went to first grade, many years later. My father lived at what the family called "the Farm." It was indeed a farm; but, it was also home on and off for a variety of intellectuals during the Depression and a young man who was later to achieve great literary fame, John Cheever. We often visited the farm when we lived in West Newbury, and I remember the large library in one room.
West Newbury contributed a good many place names and several of the characters to the Mad Scientists' Club stories. My father graduated in 1935 and went West again to Stanford University, where he studied History, English, and Speech and Drama. During his years at Stanford, he worked at the Peninsula Creamery in Palo Alto, which is still in operation.
He was recruited by Harry Bridges' waterfront union to fight in Spain for the republican side in the civil war (Bridges' union was a Communist front organization). He and a colleague went along with the deal because they wanted a free trip to Europe: they planned to jump ship in Biarritz and tour through France. Alas, his father got wind of the caper and had my father's passport pulled. I remember my father telling me about a visit from a union recruiter one day while he was working at the Creamery who wanted to know if he was still going to join up.
It was in Palo Alto that my father met my mother at the Palo Alto Community Playhouse. He was the assistant director. Here is an excerpt from his resume: "Assisted in direction of major productions...directed workshop productions, handled publicity and season ticket campaigns...Appeared in major roles in ..ten productions. Typical productions: Winterset, Pygmalion, High Tor, The Importance of Being Earnest.. Stage Door, You Can't Take it With You, Our Town, Ah, Wilderness."
After they were married, they moved to Southern California, where he worked for the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation as a systems analyst. Never far from the theater, he co-founded the Lockheed Players, producing and directing The Importance of Being Earnest, Lady Blackmere's Fan, and Springtime for Henry.
In 1944 he entered the Army, which became his career and made his family international travelers. The service first took us to Germany and Austria, and later to Japan and Panama. Another excerpt from his resume gives a flavor of a long-lost time in our history: "...Assigned as Special Services Officer, Third U.S. Army in Munich and Heidelberg...Escorted USO shows. Directed Troop Entertainment Program for U.S. Occupied Zone, Germany...Organized road circuit of twenty-one show units and ninety-five dance bands..Arranged talent exchange with Bal Tabarin and Folies Bergeres in Paris, and the Palladium in London...Wrote and directed seven musical productions for troop entertainment...utilizing both soldier and professional talent, twenty-girl ballet, and concert orchestra."
Among his assignments were running The Stardust Club -- a nightclub for soldiers in Heidelberg, managing a resort hotel for Allied officers in Kitzbuhl, Austria, and serving as an aide to the commanding general of the Third Army in Vienna. In the latter assignment we lived in the Vienna Woods in a house that was built with straw instead of lathe to hold the coat of exterior stucco. It was our house of straw.
After returning to the States, he worked in public relations for the Salvation Army while we lived in West Newbury. He re-entered the Army during the K
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
September 21, 2011
If your kid is the curious, science-minded type who gets into trouble because of it, like I was (am), you need to get them (and yourself) all of Bertrand Brinley's long out-of-print, but now reprinted hard-cover editions (published by Purple House Press) of all the "Mad Scientists' Club" books, and Brinley's two other books as well.
I discovered them on my own at school when I was 7 years old, and they're the best type of kid's book (I took a "Children's Lit" course in college) - when I bought the reprints (thanks, Chip!) I enjoyed them as much as I did from 7 years old through high school.
The best Children's Lit books are ones that work for all ages, where a 6-7 year old "early-reader" like myself, or I'd guess 11-13 year old "normal" kid will love the stories - they're somewhat like a Hardy Boys book but much more fun, with real science behind crazy adventures. By high school I enjoyed the Real but Goofy Science, and today I enjoy the writing style, excellent story telling without the "formula" of the Hardy Boys and "adult" things I get now but not when I was young. So they're a fun read for all ages.
I've given copies of them to fellow geek / enginerd pals, who then read/give them to their kids. It's too bad more weren't written, since these are true classics, but Brinley died right when they finally started selling.
I'd rank these as the "Where the Wild Things Are" for kids 5-6th grade and up. And if your kids don't like them, and you like goofy adventures about science-based pranks gone wrong, and madcap results, you'll love these books yourself. The illustrations are spot-on perfect in a unique style, much like the original "Alice in Wonderland" or "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" stuff. It's a very 1950's style and shows "nerdy, outsider" kids as being very hip and fun.
Half-Kidding Warning: I did the "fake UFO" siting prank, and blew up a tree, and faked a "Loch Ness Monster" in a nearby lake, like in the books... so you might want to keep an eye on any kid who really takes to the stories. I still like to do the "UFO" thing even as an adult, but blowing stuff up was pretty stupid... but being "stupid" is part of being a kid I believe, and why I'm still a pyromanic and prankster, but with ethics and safety in mind being a reluctant adult.
Don't let that joking warning put you off - if your kids decide to learn how to make a remote-controlled submergeable "monster", they'll probably take to science courses in high school and then go on to do wonderous things in their life / career. And likely have a good sense of humor about it all.
Timeless classics all. Recommended!
I discovered them on my own at school when I was 7 years old, and they're the best type of kid's book (I took a "Children's Lit" course in college) - when I bought the reprints (thanks, Chip!) I enjoyed them as much as I did from 7 years old through high school.
The best Children's Lit books are ones that work for all ages, where a 6-7 year old "early-reader" like myself, or I'd guess 11-13 year old "normal" kid will love the stories - they're somewhat like a Hardy Boys book but much more fun, with real science behind crazy adventures. By high school I enjoyed the Real but Goofy Science, and today I enjoy the writing style, excellent story telling without the "formula" of the Hardy Boys and "adult" things I get now but not when I was young. So they're a fun read for all ages.
I've given copies of them to fellow geek / enginerd pals, who then read/give them to their kids. It's too bad more weren't written, since these are true classics, but Brinley died right when they finally started selling.
I'd rank these as the "Where the Wild Things Are" for kids 5-6th grade and up. And if your kids don't like them, and you like goofy adventures about science-based pranks gone wrong, and madcap results, you'll love these books yourself. The illustrations are spot-on perfect in a unique style, much like the original "Alice in Wonderland" or "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" stuff. It's a very 1950's style and shows "nerdy, outsider" kids as being very hip and fun.
Half-Kidding Warning: I did the "fake UFO" siting prank, and blew up a tree, and faked a "Loch Ness Monster" in a nearby lake, like in the books... so you might want to keep an eye on any kid who really takes to the stories. I still like to do the "UFO" thing even as an adult, but blowing stuff up was pretty stupid... but being "stupid" is part of being a kid I believe, and why I'm still a pyromanic and prankster, but with ethics and safety in mind being a reluctant adult.
Don't let that joking warning put you off - if your kids decide to learn how to make a remote-controlled submergeable "monster", they'll probably take to science courses in high school and then go on to do wonderous things in their life / career. And likely have a good sense of humor about it all.
Timeless classics all. Recommended!
July 25, 2025
This is how it started (not really)
The Big Kerplop! is nominally book 3 in Bertrand R. Brinley's Mad Scientists' Club series, but in fact, as indicated by the subtitle "The Original Adventure of the Mad Scientists' Club," it is chronologically the first book. The series is known mostly because of The Mad Scientists' Club, a book of stories about a group of boys in the fictional town of Mammoth Falls who use scientific and technical wizardry to solve problems and, also too, accomplish mischief. Scholastic reprinted it in paperback in 1965, and it became known to schoolkids, of whom I was one.
There were always some puzzles about The Mad Scientists' Club. What was the "conduct unbecoming a scientist" that got Harmon Muldoon kicked out of the club? And how did Colonel March become a friend of the club, and what was it he had done to earn their gratitude? These questions are answered in The Big Kerplop!. In an Introduction Bertrand Brinley's son Sheridan explains that Brinley, Sr began writing The Big Kerplop! in 1969, well after The Mad Scientists' Club's first publication in 1961 and even the Scholastic edition in 1965. Thus The Big Kerplop! is a prequel, and not the real origin story of The Mad Scientists' Club. The Big Kerplop! was finally published in 1974 by a publisher in financial difficulties, who only produced 1000 copies. This explains why I had never seen or heard of it until Purple House Press rescued the series from oblivion in 2010-2011.
The Big Kerplop! is not as good as The Mad Scientists' Club. The story is that a large object jettisoned from an Air Force bomber falls into Strawberry Lake while the boys who will eventually become the Mad Scientists' Club are fishing. The Air Force searches for it, but fails to find it. Henry Mulligan, the Club's scientific genius, locates and helps to retrieve the object.
The story suffers, in my opinion, from a serious flaw -- in order to make Henry look good, everyone else involved is an idiot. It passes belief that the Air Force Engineers hunting for the object could not have thought of the ideas that Henry did. I really dislike it when a plot depends on supposedly competent and smart people doing stupid things. (Star Trek used to do this FAR too often.) It's a cheap trick.
Blog review.
The Big Kerplop! is nominally book 3 in Bertrand R. Brinley's Mad Scientists' Club series, but in fact, as indicated by the subtitle "The Original Adventure of the Mad Scientists' Club," it is chronologically the first book. The series is known mostly because of The Mad Scientists' Club, a book of stories about a group of boys in the fictional town of Mammoth Falls who use scientific and technical wizardry to solve problems and, also too, accomplish mischief. Scholastic reprinted it in paperback in 1965, and it became known to schoolkids, of whom I was one.
There were always some puzzles about The Mad Scientists' Club. What was the "conduct unbecoming a scientist" that got Harmon Muldoon kicked out of the club? And how did Colonel March become a friend of the club, and what was it he had done to earn their gratitude? These questions are answered in The Big Kerplop!. In an Introduction Bertrand Brinley's son Sheridan explains that Brinley, Sr began writing The Big Kerplop! in 1969, well after The Mad Scientists' Club's first publication in 1961 and even the Scholastic edition in 1965. Thus The Big Kerplop! is a prequel, and not the real origin story of The Mad Scientists' Club. The Big Kerplop! was finally published in 1974 by a publisher in financial difficulties, who only produced 1000 copies. This explains why I had never seen or heard of it until Purple House Press rescued the series from oblivion in 2010-2011.
The Big Kerplop! is not as good as The Mad Scientists' Club. The story is that a large object jettisoned from an Air Force bomber falls into Strawberry Lake while the boys who will eventually become the Mad Scientists' Club are fishing. The Air Force searches for it, but fails to find it. Henry Mulligan, the Club's scientific genius, locates and helps to retrieve the object.
The story suffers, in my opinion, from a serious flaw -- in order to make Henry look good, everyone else involved is an idiot. It passes belief that the Air Force Engineers hunting for the object could not have thought of the ideas that Henry did. I really dislike it when a plot depends on supposedly competent and smart people doing stupid things. (Star Trek used to do this FAR too often.) It's a cheap trick.
Blog review.
January 8, 2019
As a kid my friends and I were the mad scientist club of the neighborhood. My high school class voted me most likely to work in a secret government lab someday. This is a great book for a young reader that loves science. Very recommended
July 7, 2021
gloriously whimsical, hysterical, and sweet. reminds me of The Andy Griffith Show for the cast of quirky, well-rounded characters. love all the one-liners and quips (even tho it's quite cheesy lol).
all in all, a delightful read. i've missed the Mad Scientists and Mammoth Falls.
all in all, a delightful read. i've missed the Mad Scientists and Mammoth Falls.
June 12, 2010
I found this a fun read and I think my preteen will too.
October 6, 2012
everything I remember loving about the mad scientists club as a boy is also to be found here
August 5, 2016
I own the first 2 volumes of the Mad Scientists' Club which I had read to my son. We wanted to find out what other adventures they had. And boy, did they have some!
February 10, 2015
The origin story of the Mad Scientists - and also excellent fun.
January 21, 2023
I've been a Mad Scientists' Club fan from the first time I read Bertrand Brinley's original collection of short stories back in middle school. I read and reread those tales many times. For me, they never get old or dated. So, I was elated to discover, a few years ago, that Brinley wrote two novels in addition to his short stories. The Big Kerplop! is the origin story of the Mad Scientists' Club. And thus it was with much anticipation that I finally pulled this novel down from my shelf, deciding that I'd start the year off by revisiting my childhood reading roots.
The story does not disappoint. Charlie Finckledinck narrates the tale of how the Air Force lost a bomb in Strawberry Lake. This event, the biggest thing that ever happened to the sleepy town of Mammoth Falls, brings together Jeff Crocker, Henry Mulligan, Homer Snodgrass, Mortimer Dalrymple, Freddy Muldoon and Dinky Poore who, along with Charlie, form the Mad Scientists' Club to cook up their schemes of how to help Colonel March and the Air Force find the bomb and recover it safely.
Hijinks, fortuitous events and plenty of comedy ensue as the Mad Scientists' work against the clock to save the town and Colonel March's job. For me, the story was rollicking fun. I wouldn't go so far as to say it was better than the short story collections, but it was a close second. The reason I enjoy all the Mad Scientists stories has to do more with character development than plot. I think this is the strength of this novel as well the short stories. The town is populated with distinct, enjoyable and believable characters who are consistent in dialogue and actions. That pulled me in when I was a kid and remains the reason why I enjoy reading these books today. It's always a good thing to revisit your roots once in a while to keep you grounded.
And that's all I have to say about that.
The story does not disappoint. Charlie Finckledinck narrates the tale of how the Air Force lost a bomb in Strawberry Lake. This event, the biggest thing that ever happened to the sleepy town of Mammoth Falls, brings together Jeff Crocker, Henry Mulligan, Homer Snodgrass, Mortimer Dalrymple, Freddy Muldoon and Dinky Poore who, along with Charlie, form the Mad Scientists' Club to cook up their schemes of how to help Colonel March and the Air Force find the bomb and recover it safely.
Hijinks, fortuitous events and plenty of comedy ensue as the Mad Scientists' work against the clock to save the town and Colonel March's job. For me, the story was rollicking fun. I wouldn't go so far as to say it was better than the short story collections, but it was a close second. The reason I enjoy all the Mad Scientists stories has to do more with character development than plot. I think this is the strength of this novel as well the short stories. The town is populated with distinct, enjoyable and believable characters who are consistent in dialogue and actions. That pulled me in when I was a kid and remains the reason why I enjoy reading these books today. It's always a good thing to revisit your roots once in a while to keep you grounded.
And that's all I have to say about that.
December 6, 2025
Third adventure of the Mad Scientists Club
After re-reading the original Mad Scientists Club book that I remembered from my childhood, I discovered there were four books in the series and set out to read them all. The first two books are collections of short stories. The third book, however, is a short novel in which Charlie, the narrator of the stories, recounts the events that resulted in the founding the club and the group's first adventure.
The narrator makes it clear he's writing this account after the events of the first two books even though the story takes place before them, so I think it still makes sense to read this book after the first two.
Several of the soon-to-be Mad Scientists are fishing on Strawberry Lake on a foggy morning. At the same time, the nearby Westport Field Air Force Base is conducting a strategic B-52 bomber training exercise. An accident aboard one of the bombers causes the loss of an atomic bomb, which plummets into Strawberry Lake near our boys.
The accidents leads an exciting week of events that make nationwide news, indirectly leads to the formation of the Mad Scientists' Club of Mammoth Falls, and introduces a lot of the characters who we know from the previous Mad Scientists stories.
The initial group is our narrator, Charlie (whose last name is finally revealed), and his buddy Jeff. They've invited Harmon to join them on the morning fishing trip. One-by-one we meet the other future members of the club, including Henry, who is the real genius of the group (though each of the boys has some special talent or skill of his own).
As with the other books, I think this would be a fun read by anyone nostalgic for growing up in the good old days when kids could roam free, be creative, and get into all kinds of trouble.
After re-reading the original Mad Scientists Club book that I remembered from my childhood, I discovered there were four books in the series and set out to read them all. The first two books are collections of short stories. The third book, however, is a short novel in which Charlie, the narrator of the stories, recounts the events that resulted in the founding the club and the group's first adventure.
The narrator makes it clear he's writing this account after the events of the first two books even though the story takes place before them, so I think it still makes sense to read this book after the first two.
Several of the soon-to-be Mad Scientists are fishing on Strawberry Lake on a foggy morning. At the same time, the nearby Westport Field Air Force Base is conducting a strategic B-52 bomber training exercise. An accident aboard one of the bombers causes the loss of an atomic bomb, which plummets into Strawberry Lake near our boys.
The accidents leads an exciting week of events that make nationwide news, indirectly leads to the formation of the Mad Scientists' Club of Mammoth Falls, and introduces a lot of the characters who we know from the previous Mad Scientists stories.
The initial group is our narrator, Charlie (whose last name is finally revealed), and his buddy Jeff. They've invited Harmon to join them on the morning fishing trip. One-by-one we meet the other future members of the club, including Henry, who is the real genius of the group (though each of the boys has some special talent or skill of his own).
As with the other books, I think this would be a fun read by anyone nostalgic for growing up in the good old days when kids could roam free, be creative, and get into all kinds of trouble.
October 17, 2017
**spoiler alert** The Big Kerplop, by Bertrand R. Brinley, is a captivating story that I would readily recommend to anyone who enjoys realistic fiction. It is the third book in the Mad Scientist’s Club series, but The Big Kerplop is the first story to take place chronologically. It gives valuable backstory on the original books, explaining how the Mad Scientists club came to be. The story begins with three adolescent boys named Jeff, Charlie, and Harmon fishing in a lake on a foggy morning, when suddenly an unknown object lands in the lake. Eventually it is revealed that the object was an atomic weapon. The boys then go on a thrilling adventure to attempt to locate and recover the bomb. The book is a fast-paced story full of witty and clever characters that have to solve numerous different problems that are thrown at them. I would give this book a 4.5/5 overall, as it has an intriguing plot with interesting characters, but at times it becomes hard to follow.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 23, 2022
My favorite book as a child was “The Mad Scientist Club by Bertrand Brinley. I have been waiting for The Big Kerplop to become available in electronic form for a few years, and it came up a week ago.
Is it strange to read a kid’s book at age 52? Who cares! Right away, The Big Kerplop brought back memories of my childhood, and I imagined myself to be a founding member of the Mad Scientist Club. The plot begins with the club forming to solve a problem. The Air force lost a nuclear bomb in the town’s lake, and of course, the members located the bomb and assisted with its recovery. It was a grand adventure that answered some questions about The Mad Scientist Club.
However, I work in the defense industry and know that the Air Force would never interact with a bunch of kids. However, this is a kid’s story, and it “could be possible.” While the content is dated, it was a fun read, and I think a child who liked the Hardy Boys books would enjoy this book.
Is it strange to read a kid’s book at age 52? Who cares! Right away, The Big Kerplop brought back memories of my childhood, and I imagined myself to be a founding member of the Mad Scientist Club. The plot begins with the club forming to solve a problem. The Air force lost a nuclear bomb in the town’s lake, and of course, the members located the bomb and assisted with its recovery. It was a grand adventure that answered some questions about The Mad Scientist Club.
However, I work in the defense industry and know that the Air Force would never interact with a bunch of kids. However, this is a kid’s story, and it “could be possible.” While the content is dated, it was a fun read, and I think a child who liked the Hardy Boys books would enjoy this book.
June 14, 2019
Those who've read Mr. Brinley's original book, 'The Mad Scientists' Club' will love this one as well.
This book is a prequel, showing how the club formed, why Harmon Muldoon was kicked out, and how they became good friends with Colonel Marsh. The plot revolves around an Air Force bomber than lost an H-Bomb in Strawberry Lake. They can't find it and the town and the nation are in a tizzy.
I love the book for the 50s style flavor. The scene is a small town with teenage boys being teenage boys in the 50s--boys with a love of adventure and a lot of smarts.
I grew up in the 60s and I remember the flavor of the country at that time and much of the teen joking echoed in my memory.
This book is a prequel, showing how the club formed, why Harmon Muldoon was kicked out, and how they became good friends with Colonel Marsh. The plot revolves around an Air Force bomber than lost an H-Bomb in Strawberry Lake. They can't find it and the town and the nation are in a tizzy.
I love the book for the 50s style flavor. The scene is a small town with teenage boys being teenage boys in the 50s--boys with a love of adventure and a lot of smarts.
I grew up in the 60s and I remember the flavor of the country at that time and much of the teen joking echoed in my memory.
December 21, 2019
Although this is the third book in the Mad Scientists' Club series, it actually goes back in time to the origins of the club. It also differs from the first two books in being a single longer story, rather than a collection of short episodic adventures. I wasn't sure how it would compare, but I actually enjoyed it as much or more than the first two books (which is saying a lot!). It worked well, and it was fun to get in on the background behind some of the things we previously encountered in the (chronologically) "later" adventures. Great fun for boys and girls, young and old.
September 17, 2021
The boys thoroughly enjoyed this longer narrative of a mad scientists club adventure. It was fun having a whole book to develop the problem and solution layers instead of the short story format of the earlier books.
October 14, 2023
The Mad Scientists' Club books were among my favorites as a kid. The characters were always lively and relatable, the adventures goofy and fun, and the science accurate and understandable. This special series of reprints brought them back to me in a nice way.
January 31, 2025
This a prequel to the short story collections of the Mad Scientists Club. It is not a collection of short stories like its predecessors, but a full-length novel. All of the characters come together to find an atomic bomb the Air Force lost in the local lake.
January 2, 2026
A very satisfying adventure that explains how the Mammoth Falls Mad Scientist Club came into existence when the United States Air Force accidentally drops an unarmed nuclear warhead into Strawberry Lake and can't find it.
February 14, 2020
NICE BOOK.
April 9, 2021
A reread from my youth. I found it as funny and entertaining as I did more than 40 years ago!
November 6, 2022
A pretty good adventure but a little long. It would work still today.
It's also a decent origin story for the club. But I would recommend the other books first.
It's also a decent origin story for the club. But I would recommend the other books first.
September 22, 2025
Great Origin Story
The story revolves around a lost atomic bomb and results in the founding of the Mad Scientists’ Club. Interesting character development and clever work by Henry.
The story revolves around a lost atomic bomb and results in the founding of the Mad Scientists’ Club. Interesting character development and clever work by Henry.
January 25, 2017
i liked it
June 6, 2021
Honestly, this probably is more like 4 stars, but where it's good, it's very, very good, so I'm going with 5. The longer format of a novel makes for a more involved story, but it also allows a lot of space to showcase the weaker aspects of Brinley's writing. There are several scenes that are simply interactions between adults that go on too long. I'm reading this for the club, not the adults! And the professor character at the end was too outrageous to fit with the rest of the cast of characters. Apparently he's an homage to a comedian's bit about a professor, so maybe if I were more familiar with the original I'd appreciate the parody more, but since I'm not it just came off as wildly incongruous with the rest of the book's tone for me.
March 26, 2008
I really like the Mad scientists' club adventures of the first book. Unlike those, this adventure is a full-length book that takes us to the beginning of the club, answering many of our questions - how the club began, how Harmon was a part of the club and then kicked out, how their relationship with Colonel March began, and Charlie's full name. The book did drag on in places, especially with too much adult involvement, but did have some funny parts. If you haven't read it, read the Mad Scientists' Club instead.
September 30, 2014
I liked it. They were fishing one day and they heard this big sound and it turned out to be a bomb. It took until the end of the book to get it out. Nobody was allowed on the lake and they snuck out on the lake to dive for the bomb. Then they found the bomb. But nobody would believe them. So it took til they had a weather balloon and it showed exactly where the spot of the weather balloon was.
December 14, 2012
Just reread one of my favorite book while growing up. If you like the Goonies then the Mad Scientists' Club books are a must read. A collection of semi-short stories about a group of kids in the late 60's 70's who have realistic adventures.
September 27, 2022
A nuclear bomb from a nearby base is lost somewhere in a foggy lake, but, during the exercises, a gang of boys heard it hit the water. What happens next is terrific! A very exciting and entertaining tale, well told.
September 7, 2009
This book was sooooooo long! I think I like the first two books better because they had a bunch of little stories not just one long story. But it was good in the end.
July 29, 2010
Prefer the short stories of the Mad Scientists. the book is pretty much exactly like them, just longer and more drawn out. What's entertaining in 10-30 pages gets old quickly in 180...
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews