This one is a mystery in the sense that "Scooby Doo" is a mystery. You need some sort of plot in which to intertwine the jokes. Set in ancient Rome, "Mysteryof the Roman Ransom" tells the story of seven boys--all classmates and sons of famous senators. They buy a slave, Udo, as a birthday gift for their tutor and it turns out that Udo was unwittingly involved in a plot to murder one of the boys' fathers. But which father is threatened and how will they save him? The book plays out like a good sitcom with lovable characters and amusing twists to the story. 'Tis definitely worth checking out.
--J. ( )