Janie's Private Eyes

The Stanley family ( The Headless Cupid , Blair's Nightmare and The Famous Stanley Kidnapping Case ) returns in a new adventure. Janie ``bugs'' a family party and causes her stepmother Molly and others embarrassment when the tape is replayed, and so Mr. Stanley forbids her to keep open her detective agency. However, her interest in a rash of dog thefts spreads to David, who is doing a story for journalism class. A new Vietnamese family, the Trans, is blamed for the thefts, but when the Stanley family prevails (it includes Blair, who just ``knows'' things and needs no clues), the Trans are cleared. The conclusion will be obvious to readers well before the end: David seems to sleepwalk through the same clues that will alert them to the solution. And because so much of this story is told, somewhat coyly, this is one of Snyder's lesser efforts. Ages 10-14. (Feb.)