Amanda Lester and the Orange Crystal Crisis

by Paula Berinstein

  Shortly after this conversation, Thrillkill called Amanda to his office. While she was walking down the hall, she heard two of the maids talking.

  “You found some more books in the basement, did you, love?” said Daffy, the one with the red hair piled high. Amanda always thought it looked a bit like a bird’s nest. “Put them in the library where they belong. I found one a few weeks ago under a pile of junk and stuck it on a shelf where it would be nice and safe.”

  “That old thing I saw you carrying?” said Candy, a short, plump young woman with bright pink nails. “I thought it was rubbish.”

  OMG! They were talking about the Detective’s Bible. That was how it had got into the library. Something must really be wrong around here if just anyone could pick up Legatum’s most important possession and walk off with it like that. If Amanda had already been worried about the school, now she was even more concerned. Their security was in terrible shape.

  When she got to the headmaster’s office, Thrillkill told her he could really use her help over the summer. There were things he’d like her to work on. He told her about the factions among the teachers and said that he wanted to keep the detectives together at all costs. He explained that the school was in the midst of its worst crisis since its founding in 1887 and could well be destroyed if these problems weren’t resolved. Would she be willing to stay and help?

  Now she was in a real pickle. She desperately wanted to work with Darius Plover. He’d presented her with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. But she didn’t want to let Thrillkill and the detectives down, and she was worried sick about Editta. What was she going to do?

  Suddenly the answer came to her: George Bailey in the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life.” George, played by Jimmy Stewart, resented the fact that he had ended up stuck at home working for a boring old bank while his brother, Harry, got to go to college and pursue his dreams. But just as he’d hit rock bottom, an angel came down from heaven and showed him that his town would have been a disaster if not for his efforts. Seeing this, George came to appreciate the life he’d built, even if it hadn’t turned out the way he’d planned.

  Like George Bailey, Amanda would sacrifice for the greater good. She’d remain at Legatum and help Thrillkill. She could work with Darius Plover remotely. He’d understand. She told Thrillkill she’d be happy to stay. She wished she hadn’t, though, because the next thing he said made her want to grab George Bailey by the throat and squeeze.

  “Oh, and Miss Lester, I’ve asked Mr. Holmes to join us. We need his expertise. It’s critical that he discover who hacked Professor Redleaf’s computer and block them. Apparently it was not Blixus Moriarty, he tells me, but someone even more sophisticated.

  “Also, the two of you did such a good job on the training film that I’d like you to work together again. We need another film, and this time it will be a bit different. The stakes will be higher. We want you to save the world.”

  Discussion Questions for Your Reading Group

  If you had to sum up the character of Scapulus Holmes in one word or phrase, what would it be? What in the book makes you say that?

  What do you think of the décor gremlins, Alexei and Noel? How would you decorate the Holmes House common room if you were one of them?

  Is Professor Sidebotham fair? Do you think she’s a good teacher?

  If you were on that field trip to Blackpool, how would you make sure you remembered every detail? No photos allowed.

  What topics would you teach if you were the disguise teacher?

  What do you think Professor Redleaf saw on her computer screen that bothered her so much?

  Was Thrillkill insensitive making Amanda search Nick’s room? Why?

  Do you think everyone should know how to program? What is the most important technical skill a person should have—a particular programming language, understanding networks, knowing how computer security works, etc.?

  What gift would you give Amanda for her birthday? Why?

  Was Amphora right to worry that the crystals might make her sick? Why?

  What would you do if you were on a train and found that a couple of clowns had taken your seats?

  What would you do with an acoustic levitator if you had one?

  Is Simon correct that punishment and revenge are two different things?

  Would you feel guilty listening to people’s conversations without their knowledge? Why?

  What do you think is on the syllabus for Professor Snaffle’s secrets class?

  How do you feel about David Wiffle at the end of the book?

  Who is the most interesting teacher at Legatum? Why?

  What’s the best kind of skateboard? Why?

  What do you think the whatsit contains? Why is it so important?

  If a famous director asked for your opinion on some clips and you didn’t like them, would you give honest feedback? Why?

  What is your favorite scene in the book? Why?

  What, if anything, surprised you about the story?

  If you were going to add a new character to the series, what kind of person would it be? What would you have them do?

  What do you think happened to the whatsit?

  Anything else you’d like to comment on?

  Acoustic Levitation Is Real!

  Acoustic levitation isn’t science fiction. It’s real, and it’s been used for decades. Whether it could do what Clive does in the book is debatable, however.

  The ability of sound to lift things relies on the fact that sound travels in waves and can bounce off surfaces. Those waves can be harnessed to do work.

  An acoustic levitator consists of a transducer, which vibrates and makes sound, and a reflector, which causes the sound to bounce back. By placing a reflector in the right place relative to the transducer, you can create a standing wave, which appears to hover in one place but doesn’t really, and that is what creates the pressure needed to lift things.

  There’s a great article on acoustic levitation at How Stuff Works. There are even YouTube videos on the subject. Check them out!

  Q and A with Author Paula Berinstein

  Where did you get the idea for the crystals?

  I liked the idea of the kids discovering a new life form, and I wanted it to be so unusual that you normally wouldn’t think of it as a life form. I also wanted something visually interesting, with lots of color. I researched crystals to see if there is such a thing as living ones, and I found articles that discuss “almost living” crystals. (See https://www.wired.com/2013/01/living-crystal/, for example.) That was good enough for me. Sure, I exaggerated mine, but I often do that. Fiction has to be larger than life.

  I’ve been to Windermere, and there’s no Lake Enchanto there. What’s going on?

  It is absolutely true that I play with geography. In fact, when you read the next book, Amanda Lester and the Purple Rainbow Puzzle, you’ll see that I do so even more when I send the kids to Penrith, a town near Windermere. I try to retain some semblance of truth, but I change what I need to so that it supports the stories. For example, all my trains and stations are real, although they may not look exactly like they do in the books. The highways are also real, and there really is a sugar mile near London City Airport, or there was. There are still factories in that area.

  How did you come up with the idea of using an acoustic levitator to get the kids past the tunnel gates?

  I had to get them past those gates, and I thought and thought about how to do it. Those locks are tough! I suppose I could have had them break the locks or get through them legitimately, but that wouldn’t have been very interesting. It occurred to me that perhaps I should leave the locks in place but play with the hinge parts of the gates. Then what? Well, there are pins in hinges; what if the kids could remove them. But they’re old and rusty and won’t budge. You see my reasoning. I just go through various ideas step by step. When I found acoustic levitation on the Web, that clinched it. Clive is inventive. Of course he’d make something like that.


  Are you really planning to create a game like Explosions!?

  I hope so. I’ve been working with my stepson to design some games based on the Amanda stories, and that’s one of the ideas. Once I get the purple book finalized (for publication in November, 2015), I will put together some Kickstarter campaigns to raise the money to get them programmed. I can’t wait!

  Have you ever skateboarded?

  I have! My friend Barbara and I used to go sidewalk surfing. I had a Makaha board. Wish I’d kept it.

  Do you know how to program?

  I do! I used to be a COBOL programmer at an aerospace company, and I studied Java for a while. I also took a class in assembly language, and although I never followed that up, it allowed me to understand concepts I’d never got my head around before. I can also write HTML and CSS, although I’m not sure you can consider those programming.

  What is it with you and monkeys?

  Don’t you like monkeys? I hope you do because you’re going to be seeing a lot more of them.

  Do gingersnaps really settle the stomach?

  They do. I used to give them to my dog when we’d go in the car. They work wonders!

  About the Author

  Paula Berinstein is the former producer and host of The Writing Show (www.writingshow.com). She lives in Los Angeles.

  Connect with Me!

  Amanda Lester, Detective Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/AmandaLesterDetective/

  Paula's blog on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/969582.Paula_Berinstein/blog

  Paula's Goodreads profile: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/969582.Paula_Berinstein

  Paula’s Twitter account: https://www.twitter.com/pberinstein

  Other Books by Paula Berinstein

  Thank you for reading my book! If you enjoyed it, you may want to check out the other books in the Amanda Lester, Detective series.

  Amanda Lester and the Orange Crystal Crisis (Amanda Lester, Detective #2).

  Amanda Lester and the Purple Rainbow Puzzle (Amanda Lester, Detective #3)

  Amanda Lester and the Blue Peacocks’ Secret (Amanda Lester, Detective #4)

  Amanda Lester and the Red Spider Rumpus (Amanda Lester, Detective #5), coming November 2016

  Read on for sample chapters from Amanda Lester and the Purple Rainbow Puzzle!

  1

  A Plethora of Problems

  Who would have thought a little twerp like David Wiffle could bring an entire detective school to its knees? After all, he was just a little prig with the maturity level of a toddler. Which, come to think of it, was exactly why he’d been able to mess everything up. Toddlers have way too much power, with their “No, this” and “No that,” thought his classmate Amanda Lester. But at least they don’t normally have access to priceless artifacts. Unfortunately David did, and he had destroyed it. The Detective’s Bible! On purpose. The fact that he was crazy with grief at the time only partly excused him, or at least that was how Amanda saw the situation.

  So it was no wonder that when his mother, Celerie, descended on Headmaster Thrillkill’s office screaming her head off, Amanda, who just happened to be there, found it hard to be sympathetic. Yes, her son was missing, and yes, Amanda’s friend Editta Sweetgum was also missing, and—oh no! Here came her mother too, waving her arms and screaming even louder than Mrs. Wiffle. The noise coming out of her mouth was even more jarring than the earthquake repair work in the hall, and those guys seemed to be competing for the title of Loudest Hammer Man Ever.

  “I demand an investigation at once,” Mrs. Wiffle spat before she’d even made it through the door. Bang!

  “I said it first,” yelled Mrs. Sweetgum, practically stepping on the other parent’s well-shod heel. Bang, bang, clang! “After all, Editta went missing before David did.”

  Despite her loyalty to the headmaster, Amanda had to admit that this sounded juicy. She wondered if he would kick her out of his office and she’d miss all the excitement. Parent-teacher conferences were supposed to be private. But the headmaster did nothing, which in itself was rather strange. Normally he was so strict. Still, considering all the terrible things that had been going on lately, she could see how he might be distracted.

  “How dare you involve my son in such a sordid business,” said Mrs. Wiffle, who could have been a model if she’d been taller. Her pale red hair was exactly the same shade as her son’s, her eyes the same cornflower blue, and she had a look that screamed “designer.” She was rail thin, which might have explained why she was wearing a sweater in summer. Amanda thought it odd that she’d say such a thing considering that detective work involved sordid business by definition. Surely David’s mother knew that. Her own husband, David’s father, Wink, a private detective descended from Sir Bailiwick Wiffle, had been killed because of it. Clang, clatter.

  “How dare you lose my daughter,” said Mrs. Sweetgum, which made more sense, since Editta had shocked everyone by purposely running off with the notorious criminals Blixus, Mavis, and Nick Moriarty a couple of weeks before. Of course the teachers and the local police had scoured the area, but they hadn’t found a trace of her or the Moriartys.

  “I want that librarian fired,” said Mrs. Wiffle, “If it hadn’t been for her, my son wouldn’t have had to destroy that book.” Bang, bang, bang.

  Amanda sighed. It wasn’t Mrs. Bipthrottle’s fault that David had taken the Bible, and it certainly wasn’t her fault that his roommates had stolen it from him. If anything, Headmaster Thrillkill was to blame. He had been responsible for keeping the Bible safe. How it had ended up lost in the school’s basement, then stashed in an obscure corner of the library by an overzealous maid, only to be secretly removed to David’s room, had nothing to do with the librarian. Well, maybe a little, but only about a tenth of a millionth of a percent. It was Thrillkill who had kept the Bible’s disappearance secret rather than enlisting the students’ help in finding it, and now he was paying the price.

  “I want to know who brainwashed my daughter,” said Mrs. Sweetgum, changing the subject entirely. She was almost a dead ringer for Editta, or perhaps Editta was a dead ringer for her. The woman had the same beaky nose, brown eyes, and limp hair as her daughter. The main difference was that the mother dyed her hair black, as opposed to Editta’s natural brown. It didn’t become her. “Editta would never have associated herself with those people on her own. It had to be the influence of that Amanda Lester, the one descended from that incompetent Inspector Lestrade. I wouldn’t put anything past that family.” Crash.

  Uh oh. This was getting personal. Amanda had been criticized before for being related to Lestrade, the inept Scotland Yard detective who sometimes worked with Sherlock Holmes. Fortunately she had finally come to terms with her ancestry and decided that Lestrade was Lestrade and she wasn’t and that was that. What did matter, though, was that she was being accused of something she hadn’t done and would never even think of. And by the mother of a friend she had tried to help—a mother who didn’t seem to recognize her.

  Editta’s story was certainly an odd one. When she had returned to the Legatum Continuatum Enduring School for Detectives from spring break despondent and uncommunicative, Amanda had tried to talk her out of whatever had been bothering her. That her friend had ignored her and run off to be with the Moriartys’ thirteen-year-old son, Nick, Amanda’s ex-best friend and sort of ex-boyfriend, wasn’t her fault. In fact, Amanda had been horrified and had been trying to find Editta ever since. How could her mother say such things?

  “Ms. Sweetgum is right,” said Mrs. Wiffle. “You need to do something about that Lestrade girl.” Amanda’s father had changed the family name to Lester, but people who wanted to insult them called them Lestrade. Fortunately, she was getting used to that too. “Ever since David came to Legatum, she’s gone out of her way to make trouble for him. Why, she even hit him over the head with a drawing pad last term and wasn’t punished. What kind of a school are you running, Gaston?” Clunk.

  “I second
that,” said Mrs. Sweetgum. “That Lestrade girl encouraged the Moriarty boy to corrupt my daughter. If he hadn’t played those tricks on her, she’d be home where she belongs and he’d be in custody now instead of causing grief all over the UK.” Blunk!

  Actually, Nick Moriarty, aka Nick Muffet, was causing grief all over the UK, or at least parts of it. Since he’d betrayed Amanda and the detectives, he and his parents had contaminated the domestic sugar supply, invented new types of deadly weapons, and nearly caused the extinction of a freshly discovered species of living crystal before disappearing into thin air. However, if the Moriartys indeed possessed the Bible, they would do a lot worse than that.

  Amanda was beginning to wonder why Headmaster Thrillkill still wasn’t saying anything. It wasn’t like Mr. Gruff not to hold his own, especially with two hysterical women. Perhaps it was because he felt guilty. Wink Wiffle had been his best friend and he hadn’t been able to prevent his murder. In fact, he hadn’t even realized that Wink was dead. And he should have been able to keep Editta from running off with the country’s most notorious criminal, a man he’d tangled with again and again.

  “We demand that you expel the Lestrade girl,” said Mrs. Wiffle. Clash, clang, clatter, thunk.

  “And find my daughter at once!” said Mrs. Sweetgum. Thud.

  “And furthermore, I hold you personally responsible for the death of my husband,” said Mrs. Wiffle. “I don’t care what the two of you were to each other. I’ve instructed my solicitor to file a suit for wrongful death.” Glunk.

  Wink Wiffle’s body had been discovered a few weeks previously when a powerful earthquake had struck the Lake District and exposed the remains. The detectives suspected that Mavis Moriarty had killed him but they hadn’t been able to establish proof. They had, however, found Wink’s wedding ring in Mavis’s quarters—quarters she’d occupied when she infiltrated the school in the role of cook’s assistant during spring term.