ALA Booklist

The intrepid detective returns for his fifteenth case in this beginning chapter book. Bed linen has gone astray. Nate's friend Rosamond will not be able to sleep until her cat's slashed and shredded, shrunken and shriveled pillowcase is recovered. Neither, apparently, will anyone else. Leaving a note for his mother, Nate follows a trail of clues through the dead of night, questioning suspects, interviewing the owner of Uncle Ned's Day and Night Diner, eliminating a red herring, and finally unraveling the mystery. The crisp, clipped narrative is both a clever parody of the hard-boiled detective story genre and a boon to beginning readers. Simont's line-and-watercolor illustrations harmonize perfectly with the tale's understated humor. The necessary clues are in place, and young sleuths can race Nate and his sidekick dog, Sludge, to the mystery's solution. (Reviewed Nov. 15, 1993)

Horn Book (Mon Feb 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Another dandy adventure starring Nate the Great. With the help of his dog, Sludge, Nate picks up the essential clue, which even the careful reader might miss, and solves the case. Wittily written and illustrated, the book is sure to please fans of the young detective.

Kirkus Reviews (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

In another likable mystery for readers making the transition from easy readers, Nate and his dog go on an urgent middle-of- the-night quest for a missing pillowcase that his friend Rosamond's cat is especially attached to. Pondering clues, Nate stumbles in deerstalker, pj's, and rapidly deteriorating slippers from his house to Rosamond's to another friend's to an all-night diner—all affectionately recorded in Simont's sure, broad strokes and colors only slightly muted by the unseemly hour. It's all satisfyingly resolved when Nate remembers something that the reader also probably missed at first. A welcome addition to a reliable series. (Young reader. 6-9)"

School Library Journal

Gr 1-3-This 15th addition to the series will not disappoint fans. Nate is awakened by a phone call in the middle of the night. His friend Rosamond needs his help-her cat's pillowcase has disappeared, and the feline, Big Hex, is pacing and keeping her awake. So that all concerned may get some sleep, the young detective sets out to solve the case. This is another well-told, humorous mystery that young readers will be able to solve if they zero in on Sharmat's clues. Simont's lively, realistic watercolors correlate with the action in the text. A satisfying, easy-reader mystery.-Sharron McElmeel, Cedar Rapids Community Schools, IA