ALA Booklist (Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 1998)

In the latest installment of Byars' Herculeah Jones mystery series, it's self-effacing Meat's turn for the spotlight. He's at the center of both of the puzzles Byars braids together here: Who killed the person whose body Meat discovers at the Funny Bonz comedy club (and what happened to the body)? What's on the film Herculeah finds in the camera that she buys at the resale shop? In keeping with the April Fools'/comedy-club backdrop and the mysteries about the characters set up in previous series entries, Byars adds a few hokey jokes and fills out the references to Meat's father. Some familiar mystery conventions, wrapped in fun. (Reviewed March 1, 1998)

Horn Book

The latest mystery in the series actually focuses more on Meat than on Herculeah herself. In a two-pronged plot line, Byars plays out both Meat's discovery of a body in a comedy club bathroom and Herculeah's efforts to locate Meat's long-missing father. At the usual zippy pace, interrupted only by the cliffhanging chapter endings, the story unfolds and is resolved to the satisfaction of all.

Kirkus Reviews

Frizzing up whenever danger threatens, amateur sleuth Herculeah Jones's hair gets a real workout in this tale of murder, weight, and family secrets. The spotlight is on Herculeah's chunky friend, Meat, who finds a corpse in the restroom of the local comedy club. Moments later, the body's gonealthough a trail of clues remains. Meanwhile, on the film from an old camera, Herculeah finds pictures of Meat's long-absent father, and believes she must conceal them. Byars (Tarot Says Beware, 1995, etc.) keeps readers on the edges of their seats with alternating shocks, cliff- hangers, and revelations; she throws in plenty of red herrings, plus tantalizing references to Herculeah's past and future cases before closing with a dazzling series of twists: Not only does the killer turn out to be a sympathetic sort who strangled her comedian boyfriend for telling ``fat'' jokes at her expense (in a mordant denouement, she and Meat reel off a series), but contrary to Herculeah's expectations, Meat is thrilled to learn that his father is Macho Man, a WrestleMania regular. Some plot elements get short shrift, but several characters show surprising depth, and readers should be prepared to read this in one breathless sitting. (Fiction. 10-12)"

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2--Motley, a "striped-like-a-tiger" cat, exudes elegance and power. When he first appears at a house by the river, the two little girls who live there are entranced, but they can't keep him because they already have a pet. However, this special feline is determined to find a home. Filled with strong images and rich language, Motley's story reads like a retelling of a legend about an ancient warrior. The text is printed in a wide column on one side of every double-page spread, creating a layout that showcases Fedden's brightly colored, textured paintings. The combination of distinguished artwork and highly descriptive language results in a refreshingly different story. However, the climax of the tale--the reappearance of this magnificent feline on the very day the family loses their beloved elderly cat--seems too convenient even though this is based on a true story. While not as endearing as Ann Martin's Leo the Magnificat (Scholastic, 1996), this title would provide a nice British flavor to a collection in need of some variety.--Jackie Hechtkopf, Talent House School, Fairfax, VA