📓 The intentionally long subtitle to Detectives comes close to saying it all about this unique two-in-one book - but not quite. Detectives is both a book to read for the fun of it and a book to read for self-improvement if you are looking to become a better reader, thinker, and writer. The for-the-fun-of-it part comes from reading and wondering about the mystery-solving skills of the contemporary and classic detectives showcased in these 24 remarkable mystery stories and plays. The self-improvement part comes from the book's four special features: Suspicions?, How Clever?, DetectWrite, and Don't Peek! Multiple Suspicions? "intermissions" in the margins of each mystery are strategically placed to help you to think like a detective -- and like a good reader. Their provocative questions prompt you to note and track clues and to make predictions while you are immersed in the mystery. How Clever? questions and activities, located immediately after each mystery's conclusion, give practice in the skills of detection and reflection so vital to the self-improvement goal of becoming a more observant reader and more mindful thinker. How Clever? sections enable you to review the now-solved mystery, analyze the strengths and weaknesses of your own Suspicions? speculations, and evaluate just how capable both you and the story's fictional sleuth were in arriving at a solution. DetectWrite writing prompts following all the How Clever? sections of each mystery help you t...