What do you think?
Rate this book
Wishbone Mysteries #3
Riddle Of The Wayward Books
After several burglary attempts occur at the bookstore where he is working for the summer, Joe and Wishbone decide to investigate and discover that some of the most important clues to the mystery are in the books themselves.
139 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1997
1 person is currently reading
110 people want to read
About the author
Brad Strickland
135 books107 followersWilliam Bradley Strickland (b. 1947) is the author (or co-author) of over 60 novels and over 60 pieces of short fiction and poetry.
Born in New Hollard, Strickland earned his Ph.D. in American literature from the University of Georgia. He has taught English courses at the University of Georgia, Oglethorpe University, Truett-McConnell College, and, since 1987, at Gainesville State College.
His first novel was 1986's To Stand Beneath the Sun, followed quickly by the books in the Jeremy Moon trilogy.
Strickland has shared co-author credit on many of his books: with his wife, Barbara, on stories in the Star Trek and Are You Afraid of the Dark? properties; and with the late author Thomas Fuller, books in the Wishbone series, involving the popular Jack Russell Terrier from the Public Television series of the same name. Strickland and Fuller also collaborated on numerous original works, including the Pirate Hunter series, the Mars: Year One series, and the comedic mystery for adults, The Ghost Finds a Body.
After the death of John Bellairs, Strickland was approached by John’s son, Frank, to complete the two books his father had already started; these unfinished manuscripts became The Ghost in the Mirror and The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder. Strickland also wrote two books based on brief plot outlines left by Bellairs: The Drum, the Doll and the Zombie and The Doom of the Haunted Opera. Beginning in 1996, Strickland has kept Bellairs' legacy alive by writing the further adventures of Johnny Dixon and Lewis Barnavelt. Books in the corpus include The Hand of the Necromancer (1996); The Tower at the End of the World (2001); The House Where Nobody Lived (2006); and his most recent title, The Sign of the Sinister Sorcerer (2008).
In 2001, Strickland won received the Georgia Author of the Year Award, Children's/Young Adult Division, for When Mack Came Back, set in WWII-era Georgia. Strickland says the story "is based on the farm owned by [his] grandfather, where [I] often visited when [I] was a child." Kong: King of Skull Island was released in 2005, an illustrated tale by Strickland, author John Michlig, and fantasy artist Joe DeVito that serves as both a prequel and sequel to the epic story of the legendary ape.
Strickland is an active member of the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company, where he writes and performs in numerous audio drama projects. He was awarded the ARTC Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. He is married to the former Barabara Justus and has two grown children.
Born in New Hollard, Strickland earned his Ph.D. in American literature from the University of Georgia. He has taught English courses at the University of Georgia, Oglethorpe University, Truett-McConnell College, and, since 1987, at Gainesville State College.
His first novel was 1986's To Stand Beneath the Sun, followed quickly by the books in the Jeremy Moon trilogy.
Strickland has shared co-author credit on many of his books: with his wife, Barbara, on stories in the Star Trek and Are You Afraid of the Dark? properties; and with the late author Thomas Fuller, books in the Wishbone series, involving the popular Jack Russell Terrier from the Public Television series of the same name. Strickland and Fuller also collaborated on numerous original works, including the Pirate Hunter series, the Mars: Year One series, and the comedic mystery for adults, The Ghost Finds a Body.
After the death of John Bellairs, Strickland was approached by John’s son, Frank, to complete the two books his father had already started; these unfinished manuscripts became The Ghost in the Mirror and The Vengeance of the Witch-Finder. Strickland also wrote two books based on brief plot outlines left by Bellairs: The Drum, the Doll and the Zombie and The Doom of the Haunted Opera. Beginning in 1996, Strickland has kept Bellairs' legacy alive by writing the further adventures of Johnny Dixon and Lewis Barnavelt. Books in the corpus include The Hand of the Necromancer (1996); The Tower at the End of the World (2001); The House Where Nobody Lived (2006); and his most recent title, The Sign of the Sinister Sorcerer (2008).
In 2001, Strickland won received the Georgia Author of the Year Award, Children's/Young Adult Division, for When Mack Came Back, set in WWII-era Georgia. Strickland says the story "is based on the farm owned by [his] grandfather, where [I] often visited when [I] was a child." Kong: King of Skull Island was released in 2005, an illustrated tale by Strickland, author John Michlig, and fantasy artist Joe DeVito that serves as both a prequel and sequel to the epic story of the legendary ape.
Strickland is an active member of the Atlanta Radio Theatre Company, where he writes and performs in numerous audio drama projects. He was awarded the ARTC Lifetime Achievement Award in 2006. He is married to the former Barabara Justus and has two grown children.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
June 14, 2025
Another exciting mystery; this one takes place at a used bookstore.
November 13, 2025
This Wishbone book was really engrossing and seems like an original concept, making it exciting to follow, since it wasn't a story line I was already familiar with and I didn't know the ending ahead of time.
Read
August 6, 2022I wanted to reread this chidren story because it was the first book that I read in English (somewhere in the 90's). Don't know how old I was, but I remember coming home from an English class in Junior School with a Scholastic's catalog and choosing a book or 2 to order was our homework.
.
At the time, I knew the pronouns, a couple of verbs, you know, stuff like that, so I didn't understand all that I read but that didn't stop me from trying. I was curious about how I'd found this story and mystery now that I can understand everything 😂.
.
When I see this cover it makes me smile because it shows that even when I was a young girl, I'd always chose the books with the dogs😛.
.
At the time, I knew the pronouns, a couple of verbs, you know, stuff like that, so I didn't understand all that I read but that didn't stop me from trying. I was curious about how I'd found this story and mystery now that I can understand everything 😂.
.
When I see this cover it makes me smile because it shows that even when I was a young girl, I'd always chose the books with the dogs😛.
May 18, 2021
fun read about a bookstore which doesn't have things stolen, but new books added several times. Teenage boy and friends solve the mystery with their dog named Wishbone.
August 29, 2017
I absolutely loved this book and wish I had read it years ago.
Joe Talbot gets a summer job at the local used bookstore. In the process he stumbles onto a mystery that he ends up solving with the help of his best friends Wishbone, Sam and David.
Joe also gets a look down memory lane with a book that Mr. Gurney the book store owner has a book called The Haunted Book Shop that belonged to his dad when his dad was younger. (this is a real book too)
Joe finds out who is behind the bookstore not break in because they are leaving books instead of taking them. It was actually nice what the person that was breaking in was doing trying to pay back a debt he felt owed to Mr. Gurney's dad from years ago.
Wishbone sniffed out the books that didn't belong in the bookshop Sam and David helped as well. It was cool when they all had sleep over at the bookstore with Joe's mom and Sam's dad along with Wishbone and Mr. Gurney too.
I was surprised by who was behind it, but like said thought it was a wonderful way pay someone back for what their family did for them years ago back during the second world war.
Can't wait to read more of these books.
Joe Talbot gets a summer job at the local used bookstore. In the process he stumbles onto a mystery that he ends up solving with the help of his best friends Wishbone, Sam and David.
Joe also gets a look down memory lane with a book that Mr. Gurney the book store owner has a book called The Haunted Book Shop that belonged to his dad when his dad was younger. (this is a real book too)
Joe finds out who is behind the bookstore not break in because they are leaving books instead of taking them. It was actually nice what the person that was breaking in was doing trying to pay back a debt he felt owed to Mr. Gurney's dad from years ago.
Wishbone sniffed out the books that didn't belong in the bookshop Sam and David helped as well. It was cool when they all had sleep over at the bookstore with Joe's mom and Sam's dad along with Wishbone and Mr. Gurney too.
I was surprised by who was behind it, but like said thought it was a wonderful way pay someone back for what their family did for them years ago back during the second world war.
Can't wait to read more of these books.
September 18, 2020
their are more questions than an exam paper that has not been answered and doesn't seem to going to be getting answered and I'm not talking about the riddle of wayword books (to understand the riddle read it as I refuse to spoil it.) maybe reading the wishbone mysteries in order will answer some questions or quite possibly it will lead to more questions than answers. my recommendation don't read the book as their is more "riddles" than just one for the wayward book.
November 26, 2023
When Joe gets a summer job at a used bookstore, he never expects that he and Wishbone will be tracking down a thief and soon it's made known that the thief is after more than just old books. Will Joe and Wishbone find out who the thief is before he strikes again? Or will the bookstore turn it's final page?
March 29, 2018
This was a fun, quick and easy read.
September 1, 2023
I loved the Wishbone TV show as a kid and read several of the books, so this Wishbone mystery set in a used bookstore felt like a delightful trip back to my childhood!
April 8, 2011
I'm always a fan of the typical Wishbone stories but the ones like this one are a nice change of pace. Wishbone manages to solve another case thanks to Joe and friends. It had me guessing for atleast half of the book.
June 21, 2014
My favorite part was when the mystery was solved. The worst part was when the police started to get involved with the mystery. My favorite character was wishbone. There was no worst character. Auryn 10 years old, 2014
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
December 28, 2013AR Quiz No. 20287 EN Fiction
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: MG - BL: 4.6 - AR Pts: 5.0
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP, VP
Accelerated Reader Quiz Information IL: MG - BL: 4.6 - AR Pts: 5.0
Accelerated Reader Quiz Type Information AR Quiz Types: RP, VP
Read
June 1, 2014I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12639303
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/12639303
June 3, 2019
Very interesting book that is recommended.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews