Book #82: Clue #12: The Haunted Gargoyle by A.E. Parker
A.E. Parker
Released: March 1st, 1996
My 25th book for 2025 was A.E. Parker's “Clue #12: The Haunted Gargoyle”.
General Summary:
Here's something I'll bet you didn't know, there were a series of books written back in the mid-1990's about the Parker Brother's game Clue. I grew up loving the Clue books. They were set up in a similar manner to Encyclopedia Brown. You would have an introduction where Mr. Boddy would introduce himself and welcome you to the mansion. With the exception of the first book, he would typically explain how he survived death in the previous book. He would then go on to introduce each of the 6 guests (including his maid). Usually this would segway into the first chapter by a loud crashing noise, or some other startling interruption. Readers are treated to 10-13 mysteries per book, and each chapter was a different story. At the end of each chapter, you were given either a Clue list (just like the ones used in the game) or a different format depending on the nature of the mystery.
Way back in Fall 1997, I discovered these books at the Summitview Elementary School library when I was in 3rd grade. They have provided countless hours of entertainment and are great rereads when looking for something to do.
I think the thing I love the most about these books are how it expands upon the story. Biographies aside, the other things I truly enjoy reading are books based on other classic franchises.
Originally, there were only 16 books, but 2 more were published in later years before they finally stopped. There was also a side series known as "Clue Jr.", but I never got into that series. The first 4 books are in the classic 80's illustration of the board game. Book #5 starts the new illustrations based on the 1990's version.
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Book #12 was a nice book in the series.
I have always been captivated by the cover of Book 12. It's very colorful, the characters pop on the illustration, and the Billiard Room setting gives a nice environment for the mystery.
I found this one in several book stores, but didn't pick it up until much later. A lot of the mysteries were refreshed for me as I haven't read it in some time.
In this one, we see unicycling guests, a stolen pearl mystery, a numbers lottery, a battle over an antique clock, a scarecrow mystery, a stolen rabbit's foot, a lunar eclipse, a stolen diamond collar, an egg timer with grains of gold instead of sand, and a haunted gargoyle.
I love the uniqueness of each of the stories. Marie Jacks has come into her own at this point, and drives the series with the different stories.
My favorite stories are Knock Around The Clock and Sands of Time.
In Knock Around The Clock, Mr. Boddy has an extensive collection of clocks, including a large clock with a ruby in the middle. The guests plot to stead the clock.
In Sands of Time, Mr. Boddy has a 3-minute Egg Timer that is made with grains of gold instead of sand. The guests work to steal this from him and profit.
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I'm intrigued by some of the personality traits of the characters, so here is my running counter of reoccurring traits of Colonel Mustard's Duels, Professor Plum's forgetfulness, and Mrs. Peacock's manner rules. I will also include unique features around the Boddy Mansion.
Mustard's Duel Challenges - 5 (87 Overall):
1. (Mrs. White) For stalking Mr. Boddy's candlestick.
2. (Professor Plum) For mistreating Mrs. Peacock.
3. (Unnamed Person) Scheduled for the next morning.
4. (Mr. Boddy) For not showing a little respect.
5. (Mr. Green) For calling him a "mutt".
Plum's Forgetfulness - 7 (117 Overall):
1. Forgot his parents' names.
2. Forgot his own birthday.
3. Forgot his hometown.
4. Forgot what is really important.
5. Forgot a match for his candlestick.
6. Forgot the name of Mr. Boddy's poodle.
7. Forgot what he was doing.
Peacock's Manners - 14 (115 Overall):
1. Believes it is very rude to ride a bike (or any wheeled object) indoors.
2. Finds riding a unicycle to be undignified.
3. Believes it is rude to have your guests diving for an answer.
4. Finds it rude that Mr. Green would swing the racket her direction.
5. Finds it doubly rude that Mr. Green suggests the racket is strung with catgut.
6. Believes it is a very bad display of manners to run off and not tell anyone.
7. Finds Mr. Boddy rude for not answering the group.
8. Finds it proper of Mr. Boddy to give away his roses for free.
9. Finds bread crust to be so rude.
10. Finds it rude that Mr. Boddy would bring the paw of a dead animal to the dinner table.
11. Finds Mr. Boddy rude to suspect her.
12. Finds Professor Plum rude for asking if anyone wants to be sliced with the knife.
13. Believes it is rude to frighten your guests.
14. Believes it is rude to be racing around the mansion.
Unique features on the grounds of the Boddy Mansion - 15 (57 Overall):
1. A unicycle.
2. An oyster with the world's largest Pearl.
3. A collection of handcrafted, solid-titanium tennis rackets.
4. An extensive collection of hundreds of time clocks called his "Hour" collection.
5. Rooftop sunbathing area.
6. Personal driving range.
7. Swimming Pool.
8. Blue Boddy Beauties, a special hybrid Rose.
9. An electric steel fence around the garden.
10. An antique rabbit's foot with a solid gold chain.
11. A French Poodle named "Oodle".
12. A diamond dog collar.
13. A gold-plated pooper scooper.
14. A 3-minute egg timers that pours grains of gold instead of sand.
15. A haunted 14th Century marble gargoyle.
Cover Counter:
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As I give the information I learned from the book, I will do it by chapter read. This novel contains the following mysteries:
Allow Me To Introduce Myself...
1. Thief on Wheels
2. Shell Shock
3. Tennis, Anyone?
4. Knock Around The Clock
5. The Rosy Scarecrow
6. Bad Hare Day
7. Dark Side of the Moon
8. Doggone It!
9. Sands of Time
10. The Haunted Gargoyle
Here is what I learned:
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- To Dee Paddock, Dan Hubbard, De Hubbard, and Bud Hubbard.
- Mr. Boddy prefers Mister to his first name.
- Mr. Boddy had a $3 million life insurance policy.
- Professor Plum forgot his parents’ names.
- Professor Plum forgot his own birthday.
- Professor Plum forgot his hometown.
- Professor Plum forgot what is really important.
- Miss Scarlet takes “femme fatale” as a compliment.
- Mr. Boddy can ride a unicycle.
- Mrs. Peacock believes it is very rude to ride a bike (or any wheeled object) indoors.
- Mrs. Peacock finds riding a unicycle to be undignified.
- Colonel Mustard challenges Mrs. White to a duel for stalking Mr. Boddy’s candlestick.
- Colonel Mustard challenges Professor Plum to a duel for mistreating Mrs. Peacock.
- Colonel Mustard has a duel against an unnamed person.
- Mrs. Peacock believes it is rude to have your guests driving for an answer.
- The President of the United States personally calls Mrs. Peacock for etiquette advice.
- Professor Plum knows the Mollusk family (Ollie, Molly, Polly, Wally, Dolly, and little Solly Mollusk).
- The Rockefeller have an oyster dish named after them.
- A pearl starts when a grain of sand gets inside an oyster and irritates it.
- Boddy Mansion: World’s largest pearl.
- Mr. Boddy speaks Russian.
- “Nyet” is Russian for “no”.
- Mr. Boddy has a collection to hand-crafted. solid-titanium tennis rackets.
- Mrs. Peacock finds it rude that Mr. Green would swing the racket her direction.
- Mrs. Peacock finds it doubly rude that Mr. Green suggests the racket is strung with catgut.
- Mr. Boddy loses badly at the All-County Tennis Tournament.
- Boddy Mansion: an extensive collection of hundreds of time clocks. He calls out his “Hour” collection.
- Mr. Boddy has an antique clock from the seventeenth century.
- Mr. Boddy and guests enjoy reruns of the TV show “Beat the Clock”.
- Boddy Mansion: Rooftop Sunbathing area.
- Boddy Mansion: Personal driving range.
- Boddy Mansion: swimming pool.
- The roadsters are mentioned.
- Mrs. Peacock believes it is very bad display of manners to run off and not tell anyone.
- Miss Scarlet speaks French.
- Mrs. Peacock finds Mr. Boddy rude for not answering the group.
- Colonel Mustard challenges Mr. Boddy to a duel for not showing a little respect.
- Boddy Garden: Blue Boddy Besuties, Special hybrid.
- The roses only bloom when the moon is full.
- The Society of Unusual Roses has been wanting Mr. Boddy’s roses for some time.
- Mrs. Peacock finds it proper of Mr. Boddy to give away his roses for free.
- Professor Plum forgot a match for his candlestick.
- Miss Scarlet carries matches.
- Mr. Boddy has an electric steel fence around his garden.
- Miss Scarlet drinks decaf coffee with nondairy creamer.
- Mrs. Peacock finds bread crust to be so rude.
- Mrs. Peacock finds it rude that Mr. Boddy would bring the paw of a dead animal to the dinner table.
- Mr. Boddy has an uncle and an aunt named Bugs & Bunny.
- Bugs & Bunny Boddy own a carrot farm.
- Boddy Mansion: antique rabbit’s foot with a solid gold chain.
- Mr. Boddy studies astronomy,
- Miss Scarlet enjoys music such as the “Moonlight Serenade”, “Moon River”, “By the Light of the Silvery Moon”, and “Shine On, Harvest Moon.”
- A lunar eclipse is a rare sighting.
- Mr. Boddy has a French poodle named “Oodle”
- Professor Plum forgot name of Mr. Boddy’s poodle.
- Colonel Mustard favorite show is “Dueling Banjos”.
- Oodle has a diamond dog collar.
- Colonel Mustard challenges Mr. Green to a duel for calling him a mutt.
- Mrs. Peacock finds Mr. Boddy rude to suspect her.
- Mr. Boddy has a gold-plated pooper scooper.
- Colonel Mustard reads “Dueling for Dollars” magazine.
- Professor Plum forgot what he was doing.
- Mrs. Peacock finds Plum rude for asking if anyone wants to be sliced with the knife.
- Mr. Boddy has an egg timer that counts exactly 3 minutes. The grains of sand are actually grains of gold.
- Mrs. Peacock can perform a jeté ballet leap.
- Mrs. Peacock believes it is rude to frighten your guests
- Mr. Boddy has a priceless 14th century marble gargoyle.
- Professor Plum was once left to be babysat by an elderly woman who looked like a gargoyle.
- The gargoyle statue was found in a village in Transylvania.
- Mrs. Peacock believes it is rude to be racing around the mansion.
Recommended.
On to Book #83: Clue #13: "The Revenge of the Mummy" by A.E. Parker.
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