Ballpark Mysteries #17: The Triple Play Twins by David A. Kelly, Mark Meyers
Published by Random House Books for Young Readers on February 2, 2021
ISBN: 0593126246
Pages: 112
Goodreads

Another solid entry into the Ballpark Mysteries series by Lynch aimed at readers in grades 2-5. Mike and Kate are in Minnesota for this 17th adventure centered around a team and ballpark in Major League Baseball, in this case the Minnesota Twins and the Metrodome. The cousins get caught up in a mystery involving megastar twin infielders Marco and Pedro and an errant water balloon;  someone is trying to mess with the Twins’ chances to make the playoffs and the answer involves a lot of seeing double. The plot offers some glimpses into Minnesota history and landmarks and, as always, gives the reader a good sense of the ballpark of the team. The mystery is well-developed and Kelly brings his readers along with hints and clues. The one flaw of this mystery is that the title of the last chapter offers the answer to the mystery before the readers gets there, so for any kids who like to look at the table of contents or to flip ahead to chapter titles, they will know where the book is going. Kids don’t have to love baseball to appreciate this series; they just have to like kid-led mysteries. As in all of Kelly’s books, the end includes “Dugout Notes” with additional information that highlights some of the famous players or landmarks in or around the ballpark.

Reviewed by Jill O’Connor, Merrill Memorial Library