"Brains" Benton
Created by Charles Spain Verral

Coming of age in the 70s, I, too, have fond memories of The Three Investigators. But what about "BRAINS" BENTON? As proprietors of the Benton & Carson International Detective Agency, Barclay "Brains" Benton and Jimmy "Operative Three (there is no Operative Two)" Carson solved a number of cases in the small college town of Crestwood in the 60s and early 70s. Not too, too dissimilar a series from the Jupiter Jones & Company and, by definition, eligible for inclusion.

Just don't expect anything else from me – I've forgotten all the titles except for The Case of the Roving Rolls -- apparently another side effect of coming of age in the 70s.

Well, I looked it up. Evidently, the books were actually written in the late fifties/early sixties, but certainly, they were around in the seventies. I mean, I was still reading about Frank and Joe were still zipping around Bayport in their "roadster" in the seventies.

If anyone feels like working up a proper file on Brains and Jimmy, Kelly and I would be grateful...

UNDER OATH

• "I'm 48 years old (as of last month) and the Brains Benton books were my absolute favorite books. Encyclopedia Brown was all right too, but Brains was definitely the man. Forget Frank and Joe. Forget Nancy and Ned. Brains kicked butt."
  (Janie)

NOVELS

• 1: The Case Of The Missing Message (1959)
• 2: The Case Of The Counterfeit Coin (1960; by George Wyatt)
• 3: The Case Of The Stolen Dummy (1961; by George Wyatt)
• 4: The Case Of The Roving Rolls (1961; by George Wyatt)
• 5: The Case Of The Waltzing Mouse (1961; by George Wyatt)
• 6: The Case Of The Painted Dragon (1961; by George Wyatt)
• The Case of the Counterfeit Coin (1969; by George Wyatt)
• The Case of the Missing Message (1969; by George Wyatt)

RELATED LINKS

• Last Of The Best: The Brains Benton Mysteries
  An article by Don Holbrook, reprinted from Summer 1986 issue of The Mystery & Adventure Series Review .
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• Brains Benton Mysteries
  Another webpage on Brains.
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• Brains Benton
• A Yahoo group dedicated to the book series.
   
  Brad@bcstudios.netGet 'em While They're Young: Kiddie Pulp
  A list of some great kid's books to start 'em on their way...

Respectfully submitted by Kevin Burton Smith, with special thanks to roving reporter Kelly Levendorf and Gordon and Donna for the leads.