The Absent Author

“I sent him one of my school pictures and asked for one of him. But when I got his letter, there was no picture.”

In the beginning of the book, Roy establishes that Dink does not know what Wallis Wallace looks like. This crucial piece of missing information lays the groundwork for the entire mystery and also provides a clue toward its solution, establishing The Value of Observation in Problem-Solving.

“As usual she was dressed in all one color. Today it was purple.”

Roy begins to highlight certain information early on, which teaches the reader what to notice in the story. Though the character’s clothing isn’t always relevant, noticing what people are wearing helps the children solve the mystery.

“Short of being kidnapped, nothing will stop me from coming.”

This phrase, which comes at the end of Dink’s letter from Wallis Wallace, is meant to spur Dink and the reader’s imagination, suggesting a possible reason for Wallis Wallace’s disappearance. What appears to be an offhand comment turns out to have been part of Wallace’s master plan, as she is researching how children might investigate a kidnapping.

“Paskey does look pretty nervous.”

The repeated references to how nervous Mr. Paskey looks serve as a red herring. They imply that Mr. Paskey is nervous because he is keeping a secret related to Wallace’s disappearance. This causes Josh to suspect him of kidnapping Wallace, when in fact he was only nervous because he was an accomplice in staging the kidnapping.

“I’m sure Wallis Wallace will be happy to know that Green Lawn is a reading town.”

Mr. Paskey calls Green Lawn a reading town, suggesting that reading is part of what knits the community together. The Value of Reading is a major theme in the book, and many of the characters are described as avid readers.

“Some strange woman is watching us!”

Although Mavis becomes a central character in the book, she is introduced as a mysterious figure. Her sudden appearance just as the mystery takes shape foreshadows her involvement in the “kidnapping.”

“Around her neck she wore a red scarf covered with tiny black letters.”

The first time Mavis appears, she is wearing a red scarf with letters on it. This detail recurs later when Dink recognizes the letters as Ms. Each reference to this scarf serves as a clue to the reader.

“My name is Mavis Green.”

Mavis is presented as a random bystander but ends up being pivotal to the story. As in many mysteries, Roy gives the reader an early clue by mentioning the color green, which is later revealed to be Wallace’s favorite color.

“All I have is his itinerary.”

The itinerary is a schedule that Mr. Paskey gives to Dink and his friends. It is one of the most important tools the children have for retracing the missing author’s steps from the night before and therefore underscores the importance of attention to detail.

“Oh, you like green ice cream too.”

Mavis buys ice cream for the children, and Josh orders mint chocolate chip or pistachio, both “green” flavors. This response from Mavis reveals that she too likes green ice cream. This tips Ruth Rose off to Mavis’s true identity when it later emerges that Wallace’s favorite color is green.

“Dink couldn’t help but feel excited too. He felt like a detective from one of Wallis Wallace’s books!”

Wallace’s mysteries inspire Dink and his friends to go out into the world and act like real detectives. This is an example of the value of reading and its ability to influence real-world events.

“But in a way Josh is right. Detectives should consider everyone a suspect, just the way they do in Wallis Wallace books.”

This quote exemplifies both the value of reading and The Importance of Teamwork in Overcoming Challenges. Following Wallace’s example, the team have a guide as to how to go about solving the mystery. Roy uses this quote to show the way reading can help people’s problem-solve in the real world and to illustrate the way Dink incorporates the ideas of others.

“Had a silly grin on his face. Like he knew some big secret or something.”

Maureen Higgins, the cab driver, gives Dink and his friends several clues about Wallace. The fact that Wallace was smiling as if hiding a secret complicates the children’s understanding of what happened to the author, creating tension in the story.

“Let’s go over what we know.”

Dink and his friends go over clues and the timeline of Wallace’s disappearance. By systematically collecting clues and retracing steps, the children are able to narrow down their conclusions and solve the mystery.

“Naturally, Wallis Wallace’s favorite color is green.”

While Dink and his friends spend a little time away from Mavis, they read Wallace’s books to learn more about the author. The fact that Wallace’s favorite color is green serves as a pivotal clue in helping Ruth Rose solve the case.

“Josh made me think about something Wallis Wallace wrote in The Mystery of the Museum […] He said the more you know about the victim, the easier it is to figure out who did the crime.”

Josh inspires Ruth Rose to look at the covers of Wallis Wallace books for clues. The three friends prompt each other and solve the mystery through teamwork and by paying close attention. The children also use Wallace’s books as inspiration for their real-life investigation, demonstrating the importance of reading.

“I don’t know, but maybe if we read more about him we will discover some clues.”

Dink and his friends are able to solve the mystery because of their love for reading. This is an example of the way reading aids in problem-solving.

“Dink noticed the letters on the scarf were tiny M’s.”

Dink noticing the letter Ms on Mavis’s scarf is an example of his observational skills. The passage also uses misdirection because the letters are actually upside-down Ws. Roy provides the reader with an obvious clue, but Dink’s misinterpretation masks its importance.

“We think the kidnappers are hiding Wallis Wallace in that room!”

Josh declares his suspicion that Wallace has been kidnapped and is hidden at the Shangri-la. This accusation prompts Mr. Linkletter to take the children’s questions seriously, and the group examines the room.

“I can’t believe I was kidnapped! And I can’t wait to get back to my safe little cottage in Maine.”

When Dink and his friends discover a man tied up in Room 302 of the Shangri-la, the man tells them that he is Wallis Wallace. However, when he says that he is ready to go back to his cottage in Maine, Ruth Rose becomes suspicious. According to his books, Wallace lives in a castle in Maine, not a cottage. Ruth Rose’s ability to notice this reinforces the importance of close observation.

“‘You’re not Wallace Wallis […] You are.”

Ruth Rose is the first to realize that the person whom they found tied up in the room is not actually Wallis Wallace. Their climactic discovery is therefore shown to be another case of narrative misdirection.

“Seeing your bag again made me remember something I thought of today. Josh read that your castle was called Moose Manor.”

Ruth Rose uses the clues that she has collected throughout the book to identify the real Wallis Wallace. Her insight comes as a result of seeing Mavis’s bag and linking its depiction of a moose to the name of Wallace’s mansion, which she learned from reading. Solving the mystery therefore requires combining knowledge gained from reading with real-world observations.

“You mean Wallis Wallace is a woman?”

The reveal that Wallis Wallace is a woman reminds children to be careful not to make assumptions, especially when trying to solve a mystery. “Wallis” is a gender-neutral first name, but because the children assume Wallis Wallace is a man, it takes them some time to connect the author to Mavis.