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Brains Benton Mystery #6
The Case Of The Painted Dragon
Brains Benton mystery # 6
A moving statue, a suddenly empty swimming pool, a terrifying painted dragon--all clues proclaim this the most difficult and dangerous case Barclay ("Brains") Benton and Jimmy (Operative Three") Carson have ever handled. The young detectives and their friend Mikko soon discover that the villains are the deadly variety, who will stop at nothing to get what they want.
A moving statue, a suddenly empty swimming pool, a terrifying painted dragon--all clues proclaim this the most difficult and dangerous case Barclay ("Brains") Benton and Jimmy (Operative Three") Carson have ever handled. The young detectives and their friend Mikko soon discover that the villains are the deadly variety, who will stop at nothing to get what they want.
185 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1961
2 people are currently reading
55 people want to read
About the author
George Wyatt
24 books5 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author in the Goodreads database with this name.
pseudonym for Charles Spain Verral
pseudonym for Charles Spain Verral
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
June 30, 2020
The high ranking is given by a man that loved the Hardy Boys series when he was young. Although he has covered many miles since then, I retain the joy of the juvenile mystery. This one features Barclay (Brains) Benton and James Carson, together they make up the Benton and Carson Detective Agency and they solve crimes and mysteries that often baffle adults.
They have their own batcave equivalent in the upper level of the Benton garage complete with many gadgets, some of which remind you of the opening of the old television show “Get Smart!” They even have codes names that they use when they are on a case. In other words, they check all the boxes in the adolescent boy’s sleuthing/spying fantasies.
If you take your mind back to when you were in your early teens, you will love this book The phrase “Painted Dragon” refers to an image painted by the deceased by auto accident father of one of the friends of Brains and James. The son is Mikko and he is of Japanese descent and there is a gang that is after a string of valuable pearls. His mother also died in the accident, so Mikko is under guardianship. To the adult mind, there are several logical flaws in the plot, but to the young one, it is a very fun book to read. This is the first Brains Benton book that have read and I wished that I had known of them when I was young.
They have their own batcave equivalent in the upper level of the Benton garage complete with many gadgets, some of which remind you of the opening of the old television show “Get Smart!” They even have codes names that they use when they are on a case. In other words, they check all the boxes in the adolescent boy’s sleuthing/spying fantasies.
If you take your mind back to when you were in your early teens, you will love this book The phrase “Painted Dragon” refers to an image painted by the deceased by auto accident father of one of the friends of Brains and James. The son is Mikko and he is of Japanese descent and there is a gang that is after a string of valuable pearls. His mother also died in the accident, so Mikko is under guardianship. To the adult mind, there are several logical flaws in the plot, but to the young one, it is a very fun book to read. This is the first Brains Benton book that have read and I wished that I had known of them when I was young.
March 22, 2025
Sadly, this is the last Brains Benton book published. They are so good; I don't know why they quit publishing them. The books are narrated in the first person by Jimmy Carson, aka Operative Three in the Benton & Carson International Detective Agency. Barclay "Brains" Benton is X and the Chief.
The boys become involved with a new Japanese student at their school. His parents died in an accident, the year before, right after he obtained a priceless pearl necklace. This necklace is needed to send home to the family in Japan so that they can reopen their family jeweler business. It's a mad race to find the pearls, with just the clue written on a painted dragon, before some nefarious men get to it. The boys face a lot of danger, staking out their school at night, where these men are searching. There's a lot of humor in the books. Jimmy blabs too much when he's nervous, and in this book he accidentally shares their plans with a bad guy.
Goodbye Brains and Jimmy. It's been a great 6 books.
The boys become involved with a new Japanese student at their school. His parents died in an accident, the year before, right after he obtained a priceless pearl necklace. This necklace is needed to send home to the family in Japan so that they can reopen their family jeweler business. It's a mad race to find the pearls, with just the clue written on a painted dragon, before some nefarious men get to it. The boys face a lot of danger, staking out their school at night, where these men are searching. There's a lot of humor in the books. Jimmy blabs too much when he's nervous, and in this book he accidentally shares their plans with a bad guy.
Goodbye Brains and Jimmy. It's been a great 6 books.
August 27, 2025
9/10 ?m
November 17, 2016
Yet another fantastic Brains Benton adventure.
This is one of the best and funniest kids mysteries I have ever read. My Mom loved it, I loved it and I would feel quite comfortable giving it to a young child to read. I was laughing out loud and entertained through the whole read....very believable characters, hysterical narration and intriguing story.
Highly recommended!
Content: The boys can be kind of mischievous, they tell some 'white lies', and can be a little disobedient. I can't remember any other inappropriate moments in this book.
This is one of the best and funniest kids mysteries I have ever read. My Mom loved it, I loved it and I would feel quite comfortable giving it to a young child to read. I was laughing out loud and entertained through the whole read....very believable characters, hysterical narration and intriguing story.
Highly recommended!
Content: The boys can be kind of mischievous, they tell some 'white lies', and can be a little disobedient. I can't remember any other inappropriate moments in this book.
January 19, 2016
It was pretty good different from the hardy boys series which was always my favorite as a kid.
Did not care for brains attitude at times and i will agree with someone on here that said jimmy said creeps way too much. The books condition wasnt great but got it at a flea market for 3 dollars and never heard of brains benton mysteries before so thought id check it out; a fast read as far as chapters go might try to find another one sometime.
Did not care for brains attitude at times and i will agree with someone on here that said jimmy said creeps way too much. The books condition wasnt great but got it at a flea market for 3 dollars and never heard of brains benton mysteries before so thought id check it out; a fast read as far as chapters go might try to find another one sometime.
March 18, 2014
Not the best of the series (Jimmy is pretty stupid and says "creeps!" a little too often--it seems like once a page). But fun enough and interesting in its attempt (not always successful) to represent Japanese characters realistically and positively. ("Prepare yourself for a shock," said Brains. "I believe we are going to share in a typical Japanese repast.")
January 20, 2012
i was SO brains benton when i was a kid! this was the first book in the series i read. i immediately went back to the ben franklin dime store to collect the rest of them. :) they are still excellent young reader fiction.
August 14, 2012
Wish this wasn't the last - they really are cute books!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews