The Mystery of the Stolen Books

©2006 Keith Robinson

The Five Find-Outers and Dog are home for the holidays again. When Peterswood library is broken into, the gang are soon on the trail... much to Mr Goon's annoyance. Fatty and his friends find only one clue: a footprint on the windowsill where the burglar smashed a window and climbed in. Why anyone should risk breaking into a library to steal a few books is a mystery—so it's even more puzzling when the stolen books are found dumped in an old school field. Meanwhile, Mr Goon is investigating another break-in, this one at an office building in town. Valuable coins have been stolen out of a safe. Two burglaries in one night! Can they be connected somehow?

This is a completed novel which I sent to Egmont (the current publishers of the Find-Outer series) for consideration. They returned my synopsis with a hand-written note in the bottom corner saying simply, "I am sorry, I must pass." So I thought I'd make the story available here. I hope you enjoy it!

  1. Fatty goes to the library
  2. Together again—and a new mystery!
  3. Searching for clues
  4. Sausage rolls—and a discovery!
  5. Clues for Mr Goon
  6. Mr Goon on the job
  7. Another burglary
  8. What can be so important about a book?
  9. Mr Goon writes his reports
  10. A meeting in Fatty's shed
  11. Superintendent Jenks pays a visit
  12. Fatty in disguise
  13. Clues and suspects!
  14. Mr Goon gets a shock
  15. An arrest is made
  16. It's not quite over yet!
  17. Superintendent Jenks arrives
  18. A startling revelation