Kristy and the Cat Burglar
I finally found my copy of this book! It's been well over a year, but I can finally resume snarking this sucker.
So last time: Kristy trespasses herself right into a mystery, and Stacey gets a job sitting for Charlotte.
Chapters 1-3
Chapter 4
Stacey Chapter. She's babysitting for Charlotte, who is running around talking into a tape recorder.
From Charlotte, we get a Stacy outfit: Khaki pants, white button down blouse, dark blue hair ribbon, and brown lace up boots. You know, for a sophisticated New York Fashionista, Stacey kind of dresses like a suburban PTA mom.
Stacey asks Charlotte what she's doing. It turns out that Charlotte has been reading Harriet the Spy, (I'm impressed, Ellen Miles, you referenced something that is in fact 90's relevant) and is now going around spying on people. I'm forced to assume that Charlotte hasn't finished the book, and thus does not realize that this is a bad idea.
We get a brief synopsis of Harriet the Spy from Kristy, breaking the fourth wall.(How do the narrating
sitters know every minute detail of the sitters job, anyway? We see the notebook entry at the start of the chapter, so what gives? Do they just give really detailed reports at each meeting? And why am I thinking so hard about this?)
Stacey reminds her what happened to Harriet, and it turns out I was wrong: Charlotte has finished the book. She's forgoing the notebook in favor the tape recorder. Personally, I think she'd be better off with the notebook. At least they're quiet.
Stacey decides not to try to nip this in the bud, and follows Charlotte to the Ramsey's house. Apparently, Charlotte used to play with Becca and Vanessa Pike every day, but doesn't anymore due to her spying. Again, Stacey decides not to nip this spy thing in the bud, and just worries about the shenanigans Charlotte might get into.
Chapter 5
So back to the A plot, Kristy is sitting in the police station waiting to talk to Sgt. Johnson about the break in.
Sgt. Winters starts asking her about the break in, and about Sgt. Johnson, not so subtly insinuating that he finds Johnson suspicious. Now Sgt. Winters, don't be mad at Sgt. Johnson. It's hardly his fault that he's the only semi competent adult in Stoneybrook.
The man himself shows up, and Winters makes like a shoe and steps. Johnson calls Winters a Big Frog in a small pond, and tells Kristy that Winters is hoping to become chief, since the current one is retiring.
Johnson asks her about the crime, about what she saw, and about Cary. He gives her a picture of a guy called Ben Birch, an associate of Reinhart Golem, the owner of the burgled house. He then lets her go home, telling her that he knows the BSC is going to investigate, and to be careful because it could be dangerous.
Then why are you encouraging them? If it's dangerous, don't encourage a bunch of 13 and 11 year olds to go poking around. Sgt. Johnson, you are in great danger of falling from semi competent to irredeemable dumbass.
Chapter 6
So apparently, Mary Anne and Claudia were waiting at the police station with Kristy. Good job establishing that, Ellen.
Anyway, they start talking about what Sgt. Johnson said, when Cary and his dad walk out of another office, pissed as hell. Cary comes to join them, insisting that he is innocent. Mary Anne's all "Oh, I'm sure they don't really suspect you." Cary's all
He goes off towards the Golem Mansion. The girls follow, Kristy trying to talk him out of it, saying that they should wait for the police to investigate further. Kristy being reasonable? What sorcery is this?
Cary blows her off, telling her that they shouldn't trust the cops. Kristy asks why, but he ignores her. Hmm...
They walk up to the house. They ooh and ahh at the cat stenciled on the mail box.
They start poking around the outside of the house. Cary appears to know a lot about the house's interior. Kristy finds this fishy. I too smell fish. Herring, to be precise.
They sneak around back, peeking into windows. They find a bullet casing and a discarded red permanent marker like the one used to draw the cat on the mailbox.
I'm not sure who the bigger idiot is: The Cat Burglar for leaving that crap lying around, or the cops for not finding it. Seriously, Stoneybrook has the worst police force since Mayberry RFD.
Kristy looks into another window and screams. OMG its the thief!
Chapter 7
Actually, Its just some guy. He smiles at them, and comes outside to greet them. This is Reinhart Golem, owner of the house, victim of the Cat Burglar, owner of the house, and definitely not a villain. He invites them to sit on the porch with him, and they show him the casing and marker. He calls Sgt. Winters, and they tell him about all the mysteries they've solved. Golem and Cary are impressed. Sgt. Winters shows up and takes the evidence, apparently also impressed. I'm impressed that a bunch of tweens with a babysitting fetish can do a more complete investigation than the police force.
Sgt. Winters tells Kristy not to share anymore information with Sgt. Johnson. Kristy wonders if that means he's a suspect. Yes Kristy, I'm pretty sure that's what he means.
Sgt. Winters offers them a ride home, which Cary declines, shooting the girls a 'shut up and don't argue' face. As he drives off, Golem tells them that he'll give them a reward if they help find his missing diamonds.
They leave, and Cary tells them that the casing they found is the same caliber as the guns the police force use.
Tune in next time, as the BSC conduct a surprisingly legit investigation, nobody questions the middle schoolers asking weird questions, and the spy bug bites the kids of Stoneybrook!
and I swear I won't go so long without posting again!
So last time: Kristy trespasses herself right into a mystery, and Stacey gets a job sitting for Charlotte.
Chapters 1-3
Chapter 4
Stacey Chapter. She's babysitting for Charlotte, who is running around talking into a tape recorder.
From Charlotte, we get a Stacy outfit: Khaki pants, white button down blouse, dark blue hair ribbon, and brown lace up boots. You know, for a sophisticated New York Fashionista, Stacey kind of dresses like a suburban PTA mom.
Stacey asks Charlotte what she's doing. It turns out that Charlotte has been reading Harriet the Spy, (I'm impressed, Ellen Miles, you referenced something that is in fact 90's relevant) and is now going around spying on people. I'm forced to assume that Charlotte hasn't finished the book, and thus does not realize that this is a bad idea.
We get a brief synopsis of Harriet the Spy from Kristy, breaking the fourth wall.(How do the narrating
sitters know every minute detail of the sitters job, anyway? We see the notebook entry at the start of the chapter, so what gives? Do they just give really detailed reports at each meeting? And why am I thinking so hard about this?)
Stacey reminds her what happened to Harriet, and it turns out I was wrong: Charlotte has finished the book. She's forgoing the notebook in favor the tape recorder. Personally, I think she'd be better off with the notebook. At least they're quiet.
Stacey decides not to try to nip this in the bud, and follows Charlotte to the Ramsey's house. Apparently, Charlotte used to play with Becca and Vanessa Pike every day, but doesn't anymore due to her spying. Again, Stacey decides not to nip this spy thing in the bud, and just worries about the shenanigans Charlotte might get into.
Chapter 5
So back to the A plot, Kristy is sitting in the police station waiting to talk to Sgt. Johnson about the break in.
Sgt. Winters starts asking her about the break in, and about Sgt. Johnson, not so subtly insinuating that he finds Johnson suspicious. Now Sgt. Winters, don't be mad at Sgt. Johnson. It's hardly his fault that he's the only semi competent adult in Stoneybrook.
The man himself shows up, and Winters makes like a shoe and steps. Johnson calls Winters a Big Frog in a small pond, and tells Kristy that Winters is hoping to become chief, since the current one is retiring.
Johnson asks her about the crime, about what she saw, and about Cary. He gives her a picture of a guy called Ben Birch, an associate of Reinhart Golem, the owner of the burgled house. He then lets her go home, telling her that he knows the BSC is going to investigate, and to be careful because it could be dangerous.
Then why are you encouraging them? If it's dangerous, don't encourage a bunch of 13 and 11 year olds to go poking around. Sgt. Johnson, you are in great danger of falling from semi competent to irredeemable dumbass.
Chapter 6
So apparently, Mary Anne and Claudia were waiting at the police station with Kristy. Good job establishing that, Ellen.
Anyway, they start talking about what Sgt. Johnson said, when Cary and his dad walk out of another office, pissed as hell. Cary comes to join them, insisting that he is innocent. Mary Anne's all "Oh, I'm sure they don't really suspect you." Cary's all
He goes off towards the Golem Mansion. The girls follow, Kristy trying to talk him out of it, saying that they should wait for the police to investigate further. Kristy being reasonable? What sorcery is this?
Cary blows her off, telling her that they shouldn't trust the cops. Kristy asks why, but he ignores her. Hmm...
They walk up to the house. They ooh and ahh at the cat stenciled on the mail box.
Click to viewThey start poking around the outside of the house. Cary appears to know a lot about the house's interior. Kristy finds this fishy. I too smell fish. Herring, to be precise.
They sneak around back, peeking into windows. They find a bullet casing and a discarded red permanent marker like the one used to draw the cat on the mailbox.
I'm not sure who the bigger idiot is: The Cat Burglar for leaving that crap lying around, or the cops for not finding it. Seriously, Stoneybrook has the worst police force since Mayberry RFD.
Kristy looks into another window and screams. OMG its the thief!
Chapter 7
Actually, Its just some guy. He smiles at them, and comes outside to greet them. This is Reinhart Golem, owner of the house, victim of the Cat Burglar, owner of the house, and definitely not a villain. He invites them to sit on the porch with him, and they show him the casing and marker. He calls Sgt. Winters, and they tell him about all the mysteries they've solved. Golem and Cary are impressed. Sgt. Winters shows up and takes the evidence, apparently also impressed. I'm impressed that a bunch of tweens with a babysitting fetish can do a more complete investigation than the police force.
Sgt. Winters tells Kristy not to share anymore information with Sgt. Johnson. Kristy wonders if that means he's a suspect. Yes Kristy, I'm pretty sure that's what he means.
Sgt. Winters offers them a ride home, which Cary declines, shooting the girls a 'shut up and don't argue' face. As he drives off, Golem tells them that he'll give them a reward if they help find his missing diamonds.
They leave, and Cary tells them that the casing they found is the same caliber as the guns the police force use.
Tune in next time, as the BSC conduct a surprisingly legit investigation, nobody questions the middle schoolers asking weird questions, and the spy bug bites the kids of Stoneybrook!
and I swear I won't go so long without posting again!