A book series i used to read.

[docdelorean88]

I remember reading this mystery book series when i was elementary, or middle school. If i remember correctly, it had a crime scene/picture with a hidden clue in it at the beginning of the book, or even before each chapter. Can anyone help me figure out what this might be? And no, it wasn't iSpy... You know you wanted to say it!

[detourne_me]

Encyclopedia Brown?

[docdelorean88]

I Think that might be it, i read the wiki description and that seems correct, but i am not sure. The wiki didn't mention pictures, but when you put that up bells started going off in my head!

[detourne_me]

I think I remember pictures being a part of it... didn't Encyclopedia Brown have photographic memory or something?

[captainspud]

Encyclopedia Brown stories were often illustrated, but the illustrations weren't part of solving the mystery. The solutions always came through the protagonist identifying holes in witnesses' or suspects' stories.

[BlueBard]

In Encyclopedia Brown, the solutions for each chapter/case were at the end of the book and each solution page had a picture on it.  The books also have illustrations throughout.  Most of the cases had to do with Bugs Meany pulling some scam on the other kids in the neighborhood, but Encyclopedia also solved cases for his father, Chief of Police in Idaville.

(My memory is fresh because my boys are now reading them just like I did.)

[docdelorean88]

That sounds pretty correct to me! Thanks all!

[BWPS]

Encyclopedia Brown stories were often illustrated, but the illustrations weren't part of solving the mystery. The solutions always came through the protagonist identifying holes in witnesses' or suspects' stories.

Whereas the Hardy Boys would always corner a potential suspect (with little evidence) and hold him down while Chet mercilessly beat him into a confession. They usually got it wrong a couple times but didn't ever really show any remorse.

[BlueBard]

I think you and I have not read the same versions of the Hardy Boys, BWPS.

What usually happened was, the Hardys kept poking around until one of them stumbled into danger or the bad guy decided they were getting too close and tried to capture or kill them.  In the process of rescuing themselves or each other the identity of the bad guy or a clue to his identity was revealed.

In other words, it was usually the gross stupidity of the bad guy in reaction to the dogged persistence of the Hardy Boys that solved the case.  Of the two, Frank was the one who used deductive reasoning the most.

I won't argue that Chet was occasionally the 'muscle' of the team... but he usually didn't want to get involved in the first place.

[Sevenforce]

Encyclopedia Brown stories were often illustrated, but the illustrations weren't part of solving the mystery. The solutions always came through the protagonist identifying holes in witnesses' or suspects' stories.

Whereas the Hardy Boys would always corner a potential suspect (with little evidence) and hold him down while Chet mercilessly beat him into a confession. They usually got it wrong a couple times but didn't ever really show any remorse.

I think this is the funniest thing I've read all week...Thanks, BWPS, your satire skills are spectacular ^^