With tongue in cheek humor, Mac Barnett tells the story of Steve Brixton, a 12-year-old, who loves the old Bailey Brothers mysteries so much, he, too, wants to become a detective.  (Think, Hardy Boys mysteries)  He sends in boxtops and money and gets his detective’s license in the mail.  A trip to the public library to check out a book for a school report leads to a case of confusion as the ‘feds’ believe him to be hired by a notorious villian to steal federal secrets.  Try to imagine a slapstick kind of chase.  All the adults are pretty much brainless. Funny, but the whole thing gets pretty tiresome before the story is over.