Arthur and the Great Detective ¦ Arthur and the Bellybutton Diamond

Fresh from his triumphs as The Lone Arthur, Arthur the Kid, Klondike Arthur (and several more) Arthur William Foskett, famous boy detective, meets up with (who else?) Sherlock Holmes on board an Atlantic liner. When Gilbert and Sullivan (also on board) lose the manuscript of their new opera, Patience, what more natural than that Arthur and the Great Detective should work together. The second adventure is set in fog-covered London. Arthur (now living at 221A Baker Street) once again out-Holmes Holmes in solving the mystery of the missing diamond.

Number two is less successful than its predecessor but both are lively and full of verbal humour. Much of it, though, it dependent on allusion - those who know their Conan Doyle (even from film and TV) will laugh more. The Arthur books had quite a cult following among ten-year-old boys when they first appeared from Robson a couple of years ago. Worth a try.