SOLVED: YA Detective Book Series. One of my favorite childhood books. Spoilers ahead. [s]

[Carelessreader]

This book centers around a detective assistant (a teenage boy) that is under the guidance of a female detective that does not do a lot of work. They find one of there assignments in a city that used to be famous for its prestigious ink but the ink has sson been dried in its ink mines. The town also had a name that resembled inky bottom by the seashore or something like that. It also is a dried up place that used to be by the sea and has some sort of seaweed like plant covering what is left of the sea. There are a port and other things that a port city should have. The city is also almost abandoned with a family being the police station and very little people living in it. There are an abandoned coffee shop and its owner but barely anyone comes in and is pretty dusty. The next main character is a teen girl that lives in a lighthouse with her family and owns the last newspaper in the town and she may or may not move out.

One of the plots revolves around paintings mysteriously falling from when they are nailed. This causes the main character to almost drown in the basement somehow. The solution to this mystery is that the nails are made out of gold and the maid (kind of creepy if I remember correctly) takes down the paintings and keeps the nails.

While I didn't learn how to be a detective from this book (clearly as I am here asking this community help) It was one of my favorite books growing up (middle school years) and is a book that I keep coming back to in my head. Now that I'm going off to college soon I want to remember the good old days when I was a kid and one of that is starting a book collection of books that I want to read and books that made me. So please help me in capturing this elusive book.

P.S. I know that last part was pretty sappy of me

[Mai]

I think I found it!
File Under: 13 Suspicious Incidents by Lemony Snicket (All the Wrong Questions series)
Match wits with Lemony Snicket to solve thirteen mini-mysteries.
Paintings have been falling off of walls, a loud and loyal dog has gone missing, a specter has been seen walking the pier at midnight -- strange things are happening all over the town of Stain'd-By-The-Sea. Called upon to investigate thirteen suspicious incidents, young Lemony Snicket collects clues, questions witnesses, and cracks every case. Join the investigation and tackle the mysteries alongside Snicket, then turn to the back of the book to see the solution revealed.

Not sappy at all, but you made me feel ancient :-P Enjoy college!

[Carelessreader]

Mai wrote: "I think I found it!
File Under: 13 Suspicious Incidents by Lemony Snicket (All the Wrong Questions series)
Match wits with Lemony Snicket to solve thirteen mini-myste..."

I can't thank you enough, I will forever be Grateful

[Mai]

You're very welcome! Happy re-reading!