2 h 44 minAudiobook4 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
A boy who loves detective stories faces a real crime—and his own uncle falls under suspicion.
Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn travel to Arkansas to stay with Aunt Sally and Uncle Silas Phelps. But their visit brings more than farm life. A serious crime nearby puts gentle Uncle Silas in danger, and Tom takes on a mystery that matters to a family he loves.
In Mark Twain's Tom Sawyer, Detective, Huck tells the story with plain words and loyal admiration for his friend. Tom studies the facts, notices what does not fit, and works toward his own explanation. The action leads into the courtroom, where his love of detective stories meets trouble far beyond a boyhood game.
What you’ll discover
- Huck's plainspoken view Follow a loyal narrator whose faith in Tom brings warmth and humor to the mystery.
- Tom takes the lead Watch a clever, showy boy turn careful observation toward a crime close to home.
- A family under suspicion Share Aunt Sally's anxiety as her kindly husband faces serious trouble.
- Facts that do not fit Look alongside Tom as he studies the evidence and builds his own explanation.
- Crime meets courtroom Enjoy a quick, funny adventure where detective work carries real stakes for the Phelps family.
Is it for you?
This book suits readers who enjoy a short mystery with humor, and anyone who liked Tom and Huck in Twain's earlier books. If you want the deep moral weight of Huckleberry Finn, you may find this lighter.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- Huck tells the tale again
- The boys visit a farm in Arkansas
- A crime puts a good man in danger
- Tom plays detective in the courtroom
Who’s who
- Tom SawyerA clever, showy boy who loves detective stories and wants to solve a real mystery to help his family.
- Huck FinnTom's loyal friend and the storyteller, a plain-spoken boy who trusts Tom's cleverness and reports events as he sees them.
- Uncle Silas PhelpsTom's gentle, kindly uncle, who farms in Arkansas and finds himself in serious trouble.
- Aunt Sally PhelpsTom's warm and anxious aunt, who loves the boys and fears for her husband.
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- Large-print eBook
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- Audiobook
- 2 h 44 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 4 minutes, to read or to hear.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
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Tom Sawyer, Detective
by Mark Twain· 1896
Tom Sawyer investigates a crime that threatens his family.
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Language: English
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1 of 4
Huck tells the tale again
The book is told by Huck Finn, and that choice shapes everything. Huck is honest, simple and loyal, and he thinks Tom is the cleverest person alive. He reports what he sees without understanding all of it, and the reader often sees a little further than he does.
Huck's voice also gives the book its humor. He explains things in his own plain words, drops grammar when it suits him, and shrugs at fancy ideas. Twain uses the same trick that made Huckleberry Finn so lively, a boy describing a grown-up world with total seriousness.
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The author
Mark Twain
1835–1910 · American humorist and novelist
Mark Twain was the pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, an American author born in Missouri in 1835. He lived in Hartford, Connecticut, from 1874 to 1891. He wrote The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and The Prince and the Pauper (1881). He died in Redding, Connecticut, in 1910.
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What is Tom Sawyer, Detective about?
It is a short mystery in which Tom and Huck visit relatives in Arkansas. A crime brings danger to a member of the family, and Tom uses reasoning and showmanship to try to prove the truth.
Who tells the story in Tom Sawyer, Detective?
Huck Finn tells it, as in Huckleberry Finn. His plain voice and open admiration for Tom give the book its humor, and he often understands less than the reader does.
Do I need to read Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn first?
No. The story stands on its own, and the main characters are easy to grasp. Knowing the earlier books adds to the fun, but it is not required.
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