Disappearing Acts: A Herculeah Jones Mystery

Herculeah Jones Mysteries #5

by Betsy Byars

When Herculeah's best friend Meat finds a dead body in a comedy club, he doesn't know what to do, especially when the body disappears from under his nose. Meanwhile, Herculeah is off following clues in a mystery of her own -- a mystery that could very well change Meat's life forever.

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Childrens

128 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 1998

About the author

Betsy Byars was an American author of children's books. She wrote over sixty books for young people. Her first novel was published in 1962. Her novel Summer of the Swans won the 1971 Newbery Medal. She also received a National Book Award for Young People's Literature for The Night Swimmers and an Edgar Award for Wanted ... Mud Blossom!!

Daughters Betsy Duffey and Laurie Myers are also writers.

Reviews

[Mr · Rating 4 out of 5]

133- Herculeah has a friend, Meat. Meat goes to comedy club call "Funny Bonz" and when he goes to the bathroom, he sees a trail of girl things, like lipstick, a wallet, brush. His elbow knocks a stall-door and a dead body fell. He thought it was a joke because it was April 1st, but he saw the face pressed againest the bathroom floor. So, he knew it was a real dead person. He tells Herculeah, but she has mystries of her own, so Meat does this mystery and find out it was a man who died and his girlfriend killed him because he makes jokes about how fat she is. After a long week, Meat meets someone he hadn't met in a looong time, and gets really happy in the end.
Chloefaith A. Casilag

[Книжни Криле · Rating 5 out of 5]

Вече ви запознахме с Еркюлея Джоунс, младото момиче-детектив от книгите на Бетси Байърс. Благодарение на издателство „Монт” поредицата с нейните мистерии продължава и Еркюлея демонстрира завидни умения в разнищването на криминални случаи, които я превръщат в първа конкурентка на нейната колежка Нанси Дрю! Прочетете ревюто на "Книжни Криле":

https://knijnikrile.wordpress.com/201...

[Anthony G · Rating 4 out of 5]

My book is Disappearing Acts, it is part of the Herculeah Jones Mystery series, written by author Betsy Byars. It follows two characters named Meat and Herculeah, as they try to solve a mystery of a murder. Meat finds the body and a wallet belonging to Marcie Mullet in the bathroom of a comedy club named Funny Bonz. Meat uses the wallet to discover who was the murderer, the murderer was Marcie Mullet who killed her boyfriend for fat shaming her and gossiping about her.
The author makes the story have humor for a murder mystery, they fill it with jokes mainly meant for kids under the age of 13. The light and mysterious feel makes a unique feel to the book. Like when Marcie Mullet was talking about her motive she told Meat that her boyfriend the victim, was making fat jokes to her and his friends.The author clearly tries to make the story light-hearted with Meat trying to make friends with Marcie, taking place in a comedy club, and all the jokes. The book is filled with red-herrings, like the victim having a ponytail when Meat found the body he assumed Marcie was the victim.
The book would be meant for kids under the age of 13 or 14. It is okay for little kids because all the jokes, and for 10 year old kids and up it has a good mystery for a book that would appeal to the age 6-13. The book was very easy to understand and make connections. I like the book because it was a light story with a dark theme, it makes it feel different then other books.

[Dow Jones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally! They mention the mystery from the third book! Well, only once but still!

This book was totally Meat-centric and I'm actually really happy for him. He was the center of the attention in starting to try out comedy, he finds a body, he solves the murder, and all Herculeah did was buy a camera. But this camera developed Meat into a new man (pun totally intended). He finally finds out what happened to his dad. Quite frankly, I'm really surprised with how much Byars could use in regards to the WWF back then. But it was at the height of it's area around the book's release I think.

I love that Meat's dad is Macho Man. It means that Meat can finally have the role model he was always dreaming of and longing for. I'm happy for him.

I look forward to continuing my journey on with these final two books in the series. It only took me an hour and 10 minutes for this one. Woo!

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Herculeah has this strange phenomena...when something bad is going to happen, her hairs frizzes out like she put her hand on one of those electric balls. When her friend Meat decides he is going to be a stand up comic, he takes a class to learn to be funny. Only, he finds a dead woman's body in the men's bathroom. A good story, an easy read.

[Andrea Dearborn · Rating 4 out of 5]

No exception to the Betsy Byars books before it. So fun!

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 3 out of 5]

My thoughts on the entire Herculeah Jones series can be found here in my review of the first book, The Dark Stairs. This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.

[Lembola · Rating 2 out of 5]

Written by Betsy Byars,"Disappearing Acts" is a fantasy novel about a young guy called Meat, who finds a dead body in the bathroom during comedy class. The only problem is its April 1st. April Fools Day, and nobody wants to believe him. Meat eventually convinces the teacher to check the body, after a while the teacher returns saying that there is no dead body in the bathroom. Meat investigates to find that the body has disappeared, but sees a wallet with identity cards and some photographs. The story goes on to tell us about Meats investigation when he visits the address which he found from the wallet and found that the person was not at the address. The mystery continuous and Meat bumps into the girl who he thought was dead when walking on the street.

This is a great mystery that keeps the readers attention at all times, one cannot put the book until the end. Having said that, I feel this is more suitable for younger audience.

I would recommend this for younger kids who like a good mystery and enjoy a quick read.

[Jeni Enjaian · Rating 3 out of 5]

A review from my old blog (of the whole series)...

I enjoyed these books. I wouldn't say that these were the best mystery books I have ever read although I have to admit that I haven't read Nancy Drew books or other mystery books written for that age in a long time.

Personally I felt that the subject matter was a little serious for the age group that the books were aimed for but Byars avoided telling any gruesome details and managed to tell a fairly good mystery although a bit convoluted and obvious.

I did find out something interesting. Byars mentioned in passing a local grocery store and I thought, "wait, I know that store. She has to be from somewhere around here." So, I flipped to the back and saw that indeed... she lives in the same relative area that I do. I found that quite interesting.

[Spencer E. · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this Herculeah Jones book it is Meat who finds the dead body. He is at Funny Bonz for a lesson. He wants to be a stand up comedian. No one believes him when he tells them he saw a dead girl in the bathroom. The body was not there when someone to check. Now Meat is very confused and just wants to go home. Meat tells Herculeah about the body he saw. At first she does not believe him then she calls her dad. The mystery ends when Meat goes back to Funny Bonz and runs into a woman on the street. You will need to read to find out whether or not there was a body. It is a wonderful murder mystery. You also need to read the book to find out what Meat learns about his father!

[Diane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meat is taking lessons on stand up comedy at Funny Bonz. But it isn't funny when he wanders into the boy's restroom and finds a corpse lying on the floor ... a purse and wallet not far away. He grabs the wallet and goes back to his class to report the body. But Mike Howard (the owner) goes to check and reports back that there is no body. That sends Meat on a search for the owner of the wallet, Marcie Mullet, while Hurculeah has stumbled onto the answer of a mystery a little closer to home: the identity of Meat's father.

[Sophie Plotkin]

herculeahs friend meat decides to take some comedy classes. ad when he finds a body in a bathroom he thinks its time to get serious. but when the body disappears,meat and herculeah decide to look for clues. and meat doesnt notice herculeah might have a case of her own that she needs help with. this book is good for peopole who like mysteries or creepyv kind of books. i would recomend this book.

[Andréa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I haven't read these since I was the appropriate age for them, so I wanted to refresh my memory and see if they're as good as I remembered. It's much shorter--quicker--than I remembered, so the story isn't quite as well-developed as in some other MG mysteries. Nevertheless, the series is still enjoyable, especially since the kids seem like real kids, instead of polished, perfect kids.

[Mustang · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought it was interesting because there was a girl in the boys bathroom and she was dead.And meat was going to use the bathroom and then... WAIT I can't tell you but i will tell you wut happened
soon
SO READ IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Jennifer Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is interesting. When Meat and Herculeah went to the Funny Bonz, Meat had seen the dead girl in the man bathroom. But it was April fool's day. So they felt confused. But finally they found the truth. I want to recomend this book to my friends. I like this book so much.

[Cynthia · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. If I were a kid, I would get a big kick out of this story and would rate it a 4. As an adult, I think it's cute, and I recommend it for pre-teen boys or girls. This is the first Herculeah Jones mystery I've read , although not the first in the series.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this mystery novel! It kept me on the edge of my seat, was hard to set down, and was so good, I'm almost sorry I finished this incredible mystery novel. For mystery lovers everywhere, this is a must-read!

[Cherilynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

not my favorite one a bit to calm i think

[Kevin · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Hey kids! I am an absurd curmudgeon!"
Byars mistakenly believes she must dumb the mystery genre down for children.

[Wileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

it about a girl who keeps realizing that there are diffrenet types of deaths going on and she decides to figure out ahwts going on.

[Camille 11-12]

it was a book that cought you attetion in the first chapter and you never wanted to put it down.Plus all her books have a reputation to be amazing.

[Brett · Rating 2 out of 5]

The situation with Meat's family continues to get stranger.