The Peanut Butter Thief

by C.E. Austin

Best friends, Burt and Mullet, just made the all-star basketball team. Every kid on the team has the new Skyscraper Pro basketball shoes and they feel like the losers of the century in their worn-out sneakers.

The entrepreneurs open a lemonade stand to earn the money, but two days later, have lost all hope of striking it rich. The solution falls into their laps when their neighbor, Darcy, is grounded for stealing her mother’s fancy mail-order peanut butter and offers her summer allowance to anyone who can clear her name.

Suddenly, Burt and Mullet have a detective agency. Even though they know nothing about being detectives, they are confident they can catch the peanut butter thief and make the money they so desperately need to fit in.

146 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 3, 2023

Reviews

[Library Lady Sadie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this debut novel so much I read it all in one sitting. It was quirky and funny, with a fresh premise. I love finding these gems in the middle grade genre that don't have any romance or questionable content, and this book will find its way onto the shelf at the Christian School Library where I work. My only content considerations are that some parents might be wary of the sneaking around and lying Burt and Mullet did in this story. I also wish there had been a little more resolution about the rich kids picking on the poor kids. That thread wasn't tied up as neatly as I'd like. But overall I enjoyed it, and I look forward to others in the series!

[Jakki · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful introduction to a new middle grade mystery series that promises to be both wholesome and fun. Burt and Mullet are quite a riot to follow on the start of their adventure to becoming detectives in an effort to raise funds for new basketball sneakers. Highly recommend this book for those who are looking for something for boys 8-12 as it's a demographic that if often difficult to find engaging books for!