Reading order
| # | Title | Published | Author | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trouble in Bugland | 2015 | William Kotzwinkle | Buy |
| 2 | Double Trouble in Bugland | 2016 | William Kotzwinkle | N/A |
The Inspector Mantis Mysteries transplant the Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson formula into a Victorian world populated entirely by insects. Inspector Mantis, possessed of supersensitive antennae and a razor-sharp mind, and his faithful companion Doctor Hopper, an accomplished violinist and long jumper, investigate crimes that trouble the citizens of Bugland. The setup is genuinely clever, not just a superficial costume change, and Kotzwinkle uses the insect setting to generate both jokes and plot points that work naturally within the premise.
Trouble in Bugland, the first book, collects five mysteries including The Case of the Missing Butterfly and The Case of the Emperor’s Crown, each following the rhythm of a classic Holmes story but with the particular details of an insect society substituted throughout. Joe Servello’s illustrations are exceptional: crosshatched pen-and-ink drawings that conjure fog, steam engines, and Victorian detail while being populated by beetles, moths, and mantises in period dress. Double Trouble in Bugland extends the series with further cases in the same mode.
The books have remained in print and in favor for decades, which is a fair indicator of how well the concept holds up. For children who have already encountered Holmes through other adaptations, these books offer a fresh comic angle; for those coming to detective fiction fresh, they work equally well as standalone mysteries with a memorable protagonist.