What do you think?
Rate this book
Alfred Hitchcock's Solve-Them-Yourself Mysteries
Five stories provide young detectives with clues to solving bizarre mysteries involving talking skeletons, evaporating men and cantankerous millionaries
252 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1963
9 people are currently reading
257 people want to read
About the author
Alfred Hitchcock
1,145 books774 followersSir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock KBE (1899-1980) was an iconic and highly influential film director and producer, who pioneered many techniques in the suspense and thriller genres.
Following a very substantial career in his native Britain in both silent films and talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood and became an American citizen with dual nationality in 1956, thus he also remained a British subject.
Hitchcock directed more than fifty feature films in a career which spanned six decades, from the silent film era, through the invention of sound films, and far into the era of colour films. For a complete list of his films, see Alfred Hitchcock filmography.
Hitchcock was among the most consistently recognizable directors to the general public, and was one of the most successful film directors during his lifetime. He continues to be one of the best known and most popular filmmakers of all time.
Following a very substantial career in his native Britain in both silent films and talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood and became an American citizen with dual nationality in 1956, thus he also remained a British subject.
Hitchcock directed more than fifty feature films in a career which spanned six decades, from the silent film era, through the invention of sound films, and far into the era of colour films. For a complete list of his films, see Alfred Hitchcock filmography.
Hitchcock was among the most consistently recognizable directors to the general public, and was one of the most successful film directors during his lifetime. He continues to be one of the best known and most popular filmmakers of all time.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
August 22, 2020
I got this book from my dad's colleague when I was a child. He had it since his boyhood and since it came into my hands, I have kept it safe. It must be at least fifty years old but in great condition. Looks like I need to preserve this book because Alfred Hitchcock's anthologies are no longer available so easily (or affordably). I really don't understand why because this is brilliant!
Alfred Hitchcock's Solve-Them-Yourself Mysteries consists of four mysteries, interspersed with a liberal number of clues to help the reader solve the puzzle. Hitchcock, much like his movies or shows, makes a short appearance occasionally to underline and help the deducing process along. I loved the atmosphere of the books, which are set in the 60s, but also the method of presentation. I have been looking for more such books for simply years now!
The Mystery of the Five Sinister Thefts : Jerry works in his uncle's circus, which is now facing a crisis. Not only was a valuable diamond stolen in the place they last parked in, but there have been a spate of robberies within the circus as well. And now, a snake has disappeared! I enjoyed this one a lot because I am a sucker for circus stories. But the plot was ingenious too and the circus characters were fun. - 5 stars
The Mystery of the Three Blind Mice : When Adam's father is called upon to solve a case of stamp theft, they little realised they are going to be soon investigating attempted murder. The rich billionaire who is shot shouts out 'I suspect miiiccee ...', which could be Muyskins, step-son, or sister-in-law. Or is it someone else? Another wonderful mystery, but I found the solution a little far-fetched. However, the characters were delightful and I especially enjoyed Adam's puzzle-solving scenes. - 4 stars
The Mystery of the Man Who Evaporated : Jeff is a fan of murder mysteries and he is delighted when he realises renowned mystery writer, Harley Newcomb, is living in the town. He and his English teacher meet Newcomb at a party where he tells him his latest plot ... and then real life follows fiction. With Newcomb completely disappeared, Jeff is left to piece the jigsaw together. There is one main clue here that everyone should spot. This story was the best of the four and I really enjoyed Jeff's unravelling of this really baffling mystery. - 5 stars
The Mystery of the Four Quarters : This has always been the one that didn't quite do it for me. When Nick and Bettye Layton are enticed into the old Blackwell Mansion, they are soon trapped by a fat man and a giant. What do they want? And how should the twins get free? I must say that the plot was quite good and both Nick and Bettye use their brains to be rescued. But the wonderful atmosphere of the other stories is a little lacking. However, not bad at all! - 4 stars
Alfred Hitchcock's Solve-Them-Yourself Mysteries consists of four mysteries, interspersed with a liberal number of clues to help the reader solve the puzzle. Hitchcock, much like his movies or shows, makes a short appearance occasionally to underline and help the deducing process along. I loved the atmosphere of the books, which are set in the 60s, but also the method of presentation. I have been looking for more such books for simply years now!
The Mystery of the Five Sinister Thefts : Jerry works in his uncle's circus, which is now facing a crisis. Not only was a valuable diamond stolen in the place they last parked in, but there have been a spate of robberies within the circus as well. And now, a snake has disappeared! I enjoyed this one a lot because I am a sucker for circus stories. But the plot was ingenious too and the circus characters were fun. - 5 stars
The Mystery of the Three Blind Mice : When Adam's father is called upon to solve a case of stamp theft, they little realised they are going to be soon investigating attempted murder. The rich billionaire who is shot shouts out 'I suspect miiiccee ...', which could be Muyskins, step-son, or sister-in-law. Or is it someone else? Another wonderful mystery, but I found the solution a little far-fetched. However, the characters were delightful and I especially enjoyed Adam's puzzle-solving scenes. - 4 stars
The Mystery of the Man Who Evaporated : Jeff is a fan of murder mysteries and he is delighted when he realises renowned mystery writer, Harley Newcomb, is living in the town. He and his English teacher meet Newcomb at a party where he tells him his latest plot ... and then real life follows fiction. With Newcomb completely disappeared, Jeff is left to piece the jigsaw together. There is one main clue here that everyone should spot. This story was the best of the four and I really enjoyed Jeff's unravelling of this really baffling mystery. - 5 stars
The Mystery of the Four Quarters : This has always been the one that didn't quite do it for me. When Nick and Bettye Layton are enticed into the old Blackwell Mansion, they are soon trapped by a fat man and a giant. What do they want? And how should the twins get free? I must say that the plot was quite good and both Nick and Bettye use their brains to be rescued. But the wonderful atmosphere of the other stories is a little lacking. However, not bad at all! - 4 stars
October 27, 2020
I only know Alfred Hitchcock as a horror film director. I would like to know if he wrote “Alfred Hitchcock’s Solve-Them-Yourself Mysteries”, 1963, or merely lent his name, like for the series I love of this time period by Robert A. Arthur: “Alfred Hitchcock & The Three Investigators”. We hope Alfred authored his humorous little cameos throughout these collections. He had a gracious demeanour and well-mannered vocabulary that made him a well-loved presenter, in contrast to ghastly topics.
Alfred’s funny cameo interludes are my favourite part of this book, urging readers to take notice of clues. I only deemed a few characters likeable, rooting for scarcely anyone and only liking one story. My explanation to follow is broad and spoils nothing.
“The Mystery Of The Five Sinister Thefts” was about circus caricatures that there is no time to acquaint, except an elderly snake. I warn you that to my dismay, she died; even though this is fiction for kids. I would have applauded her receiving a happy rescue ending!
“The Mystery Of The Seven Wrong Clocks” had compelling atmosphere and you try visualizing the trajectory of clocks but the solution involved semaphore flag code. A non-military Canadian girl of 2020 does not know it.
“The Mystery Of The Three Blind Mice” is nothing but a play on sounds. You might guess which suspect an injured person was naming. The code for the combination lock was very attainable; if not the outrageous angle of bullets.
“The Mystery Of The Man Who Evaporated” seemed neat but the motive was stupid.
“The Mystery Of The Four Quarters” overdid genre gimmicks: a kidnapping, an eerie house, MacGyver escape tactics, and coded notes. The problem was, they were needless. The kids would be located any number of ways, without coded phrasing that was a stretch.
Alfred’s funny cameo interludes are my favourite part of this book, urging readers to take notice of clues. I only deemed a few characters likeable, rooting for scarcely anyone and only liking one story. My explanation to follow is broad and spoils nothing.
“The Mystery Of The Five Sinister Thefts” was about circus caricatures that there is no time to acquaint, except an elderly snake. I warn you that to my dismay, she died; even though this is fiction for kids. I would have applauded her receiving a happy rescue ending!
“The Mystery Of The Seven Wrong Clocks” had compelling atmosphere and you try visualizing the trajectory of clocks but the solution involved semaphore flag code. A non-military Canadian girl of 2020 does not know it.
“The Mystery Of The Three Blind Mice” is nothing but a play on sounds. You might guess which suspect an injured person was naming. The code for the combination lock was very attainable; if not the outrageous angle of bullets.
“The Mystery Of The Man Who Evaporated” seemed neat but the motive was stupid.
“The Mystery Of The Four Quarters” overdid genre gimmicks: a kidnapping, an eerie house, MacGyver escape tactics, and coded notes. The problem was, they were needless. The kids would be located any number of ways, without coded phrasing that was a stretch.
April 25, 2021
This book was very entertaining!
June 7, 2013
I've owned this book for a number of years but hesitated in reading it because it's a bit old (the 1986 is an edition date, but the writing is from 1963) and I figured that the clues would involve technologies that were popular back then, but not common/relevant 50 years later. While this proved true, I still found the cases enjoyable. For example, one case involves a clockmaker who was attacked while winding all the clocks in his shop. As this book is aimed for the preteen audience, I'm not sure how many of today's kids know what winding a clock is, and if they do, it may only be in the context of winding a travel alarm. Unless you luck into noticing one specific clue in this case, it cannot be solved without the knowledge of semaphore, and I would guess even fewer kids know about that than they do winding clocks. Of the 5 cases, I felt the solutions got more abstract as the book progressed, with the initial one set at a circus and the clock one being easy to solve, but the final one involving 2 kidnapped children used manipulations of words such that even at 29, I still couldn't tell how a solution was reached based only with the clues. Therefore, an OK read, and the cases are short and fun, but a bit dated with odd clues that may or may not help you solve them.
June 20, 2022
This book had 5 mysteries in it, it was written for the reader to solve them each before you got to the end of the story. I understand why young adults would enjoy these stories especially the ones who liked being a detective. I have enjoyed reading this book, the stories are better then cozy mysteries of today.
December 2, 2024
It's clear to me that I'm a pretty lousy detective, on account of me being off mark for 4 out of the 5 mysteries, but I had a bunch of fun trying. My roommate has asked to borrow this, and since she's a true-crime junkie and far sharper with these kinds of piece-the-solution mysteries (you don't know insaneo-style until you've seen her in an escape room), I expect her to do way better than me.
February 26, 2021
I pulled this one off my old shelf from bygone days for a quick re-read.
It still holds up as a well-written anthology of mystery short stories, and with clues provided in ample volume and clarity for readers (in the 8 - 12 age range) to catch and apply.
A good read for the age bracket.
It still holds up as a well-written anthology of mystery short stories, and with clues provided in ample volume and clarity for readers (in the 8 - 12 age range) to catch and apply.
A good read for the age bracket.
March 22, 2022
Feelin like I'm in the Mystery Machine or maybe the Boxcar Children. Def not the Hardy Boys.
January 1, 2023
I can't recommend this book enough as an intro to mysteries for young readers. It is a fun book for adults too.
January 22, 2023
This was a fun read. I enjoyed putting the clues together to solve the mystery, I was spot on for a couple but only heading in the right direction for others. Would be a great read for preteens.
April 9, 2023
Always a re-read
October 16, 2023
Read this with my kids, and they enjoyed playing detective and trying to solve the mysteries before the end of each story.
December 3, 2012
I have the paperback version of this book, and read it a few times as a kid. I re-read the original hardback recently, and unfortunately I didn't really solve the cases myself; the solutions to most of the mysteries sprang back to mind instead.
When I read this as a youngster, I didn't realize that the book was geared towards children, that a young person (or young people) factor heavily into each mystery and help provide key information if not solve the case themselves. I suppose that's a good message for kids, to believe that their brain power can help solve adult problems, but it leaves a little to be desired on the story front. Instead of providing real crime stories or mysteries like Hitchcock produced in films or on his tv show, the stories are more like brain-teasers where the bad guys get caught and people rarely get killed, and you can sometimes figure out the solution based on the number of letters in a word.
Read this book as a 10-year-old, and you'll feel like a genius if you can figure things out. Read it as an adult, and you'll feel like an idiot when you can't.
When I read this as a youngster, I didn't realize that the book was geared towards children, that a young person (or young people) factor heavily into each mystery and help provide key information if not solve the case themselves. I suppose that's a good message for kids, to believe that their brain power can help solve adult problems, but it leaves a little to be desired on the story front. Instead of providing real crime stories or mysteries like Hitchcock produced in films or on his tv show, the stories are more like brain-teasers where the bad guys get caught and people rarely get killed, and you can sometimes figure out the solution based on the number of letters in a word.
Read this book as a 10-year-old, and you'll feel like a genius if you can figure things out. Read it as an adult, and you'll feel like an idiot when you can't.
September 17, 2007
I have the 1963 edition of this book which I enjoyed this when I was 10. I’d gone through all the Bobbsey Twins mysteries and had read many Nancy Drew mystery books and was still reading those. Except for those two series, this was the first book in the mystery genre that I’d read. I remember I liked the challenge of trying to solve the 5 relatively short mystery stories, but I don’t remember how well I did at it.
December 1, 2010
This book really makes you think!!! It's a book packed with Whodonnits, and it's really hard to figure out!
I liked this book for that, but I also disliked this book for that, because I got frustrated when I couldn't figure one out!
I liked this book for that, but I also disliked this book for that, because I got frustrated when I couldn't figure one out!
January 21, 2013
Though written for younger readers, these stories are impossible to solve. Mainly due to the fact that the reader is not given enough information to make an educated decision. So don't try to solve them, you can't. Just enjoy the stories.
February 12, 2019
I've been a fan of Hitchcock for years. This was a favorite of mine when I was younger & it's nice to be able to re-read it again. The Mystery of the Seven Wrong Clocks was always the one I liked most.
June 24, 2009
These stories were so great! I loved how you were encouraged to figure out the clues and predict the ending. Fascination in a book.
September 19, 2012
My sister got this book as a gift in the 1970's and we both loved it. We were 11 or 12 years old (I think) at the time. The mysteries were fun to read and age appropriate for young readers.
May 6, 2013
really enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to everyone! although, it does make me feel a bit dumb because I really can't solve the mysteries without reading the conclusion:)
January 25, 2013
The interjections by Hitchcock make the whole book, but the imagery makes it so that it is almost watching made for tv movies instead of reading. Nicely done.
March 16, 2014
It was a fun little read.
March 20, 2015
A re-read of a favorite book from my youth!
July 15, 2019
They were fun but really outdated. I wanted to read them to my kids but they couldn’t get past the language. I love his arrogance and the chatty way he interrupts the stories.
April 5, 2018
When I was a kid, I spent a lot of time at the library. I spent a lot of time reading. One of my favorite genres was young adult mysteries. Occasionally, I would get a book as a gift or I was able to purchase on while at the mall. One of my absolute favorite books was
Alfred Hitchcock's Solve-Them-Yourself Mysteries
. I recently remembered this book and thought it would be fun to see what drew me to it. Read more
. I recently remembered this book and thought it would be fun to see what drew me to it. Read more Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews