The Case of the Case of Mistaken Identity by Mac Barnett

This book was on my public library's recommended summer reading list, and I gave it a rating of three out of five. Steve Brixton is a big fan of The Bailey Brothers Mysteries, and he likes to use hints from their handbook in his real life. His problems begin when he checks out a quilting handbook from the library and is captured by secret agent librarians. They mistake him for real detective and think he was hired by Mr. E to find out about the secret code in the book. He escapes and goes to the police, but the librarian agents inform the police that Steve has commited treason against the country and is a dangerous criminal. Steve decides that his only hope is to uncover the code and locate Mr. E so that he can clear his name. Steve uses a disguise to sneak into a bar, escapes capture again from a sinking boat, and finally leads the police to the missing quilt and the capture of Mr. E.

The plot is a little hokey, but it was kind of fun. It's funny to see Steve read the detective hints in his favorite books and then realize they don't always work in real life. You'll enjoy the book if you're looking for a simple mystery that's not overly serious. This book is kind of strange, since everyone assumes Steve is a world famous detective.