Everyone's favorite boy detective returns in this new adventure in which Nate and his dog, Sludge, journey to San Francisco to visit Nate's detective cousin, Olivia Sharp. Olivia is busy solving mysteries, so she sends her chauffeur to the airport. Nate agrees to take one of her cases when the client tells Nate that the world will come to an end if he does not find his lost joke book. As with the other books in the series, an obvious solution presents itself, and Nate thinks he has the case solved; but it's never that simple. In the end, Nate proves he deserves his title of greatness, and youngsters get another first-rate mystery to solve along with him. Familiar characters and themes are given new life in the San Francisco setting, and Olivia and her chauffeur, Willie, are two promising new characters readers will look forward to meeting again. Weston's watercolor illustrations, in the style of the series' original illustrator, Marc Simont, manage to have a somewhat modern-day look while retaining the flavor of the 1970s, when the groundbreaking series first debuted. (Reviewed July 2000)

Olivia Sharp, the feather boa-toting detective from another Sharmat series, makes a guest appearance in the latest Nate the Great mystery. During a visit to San Francisco, Nate helps lighten his cousin Olivia's caseload by tracking down a missing joke book. As always, the easy reader's subtle humor--in both the text and watercolors--and trademark clipped prose will please fans young and old.

<p>Nate the Great is back and in fine form. In this latest story, he has come to San Francisco to visit his wealthy cousin and fellow detective, Olivia Sharp. Olivia, unable to meet him at the airport due to the demands of her detecting schedule, sends her chauffeur and fancy limo to pick him up. After going up and down the hills of San Francisco, they arrive at Olivia's house. Even though Nate is slightly out of his element in San Francisco, being in a strange city, unaccompanied by his usual entourage of friends, it doesn't take him long to become drawn into a casea"the case of the lost joke book. Olivia's friend Duncan has lost his brand-new joke book, desperately needs the punch line to a joke, and needs to have it in three hours. Nate, resourceful and inventive as always, solves the mystery. The illustrations, done in the style of Marc Simont, are less distinctive than Mr. Simont's and are somewhat tepid in comparison, but are perfectly fine. Young readers, though they'll notice the difference in style, will still feel that they're in Nate's familiar world. As usual with the Nate the Great books, this story will be great fun for the first- or second-grade reader. (Easy reader. 7-9)</p>

Gr 1-3-Another successful installment in this series for beginning readers. Nate solves his first out-of-town case when he and his dog Sludge visit his cousin Olivia, a fellow detective in San Francisco. Her limousine driver picks him up at the airport and takes him to her house because Olivia is busy working on several cases. When her friend Duncan calls and explains that he has lost his joke book and must have it by 2 p.m., Nate decides to step in and give his cousin some assistance. Youngsters will enjoy the suspense and the short, fast-moving chapters. The colorful cartoon illustrations reflect the action in the text and help to keep the story moving.-Sheilah Kosco, Rapides Parish Library, Alexandria, LA Copyright 2000 Cahners Business Information.