The Absent Author

At the beginning of Chapter 7, Dink and his friends have not been able to cross any of their suspects off the list, though none of the suspects seems particularly guilty. Rather, their theories hinge on assuming without evidence that seemingly trustworthy interviewees are untrustworthy; Josh, for example, speculates that “Maureen Higgins and Mr. Linkletter are both lying” (55). There are no more items on the itinerary, and no one was ever in the room where Wallace was supposed to have been in the Shangri-la. As the story approaches its climax, the leads are drying up, heightening the sense of urgency and tension.

Nevertheless, Roy’s characters persevere, exhibiting the importance of not giving up in the face of challenges. The picnic reinvigorates them, but it also allows the three children to go over their clues, visualizing Wallis Wallace’s itinerary using their cookies and lemonade while having a picnic. This is another example of The Value of Teamwork in Overcoming Challenges. Together, the children are able to re-examine their evidence, an important aspect of any investigation. The most notable contribution comes from Ruth Rose, who has the idea of consulting Wallis Wallace’s books for new ideas (though it is significant that a remark from Dink sparks this line of thought, again highlighting the importance of collaboration). The Value of Reading is twofold in this scene. First, a line from one of Wallace’s novels prompts Ruth Rose to investigate the life and personality of the apparent victim. The children then read about Wallace, discovering vital clues. For example, the name of Wallace’s mansion, Moose Manor, links Wallace to Mavis, whose bag depicts a moose. That it is ultimately a mix of knowledge learned from reading and real-world observation that unravels the mystery makes a broader point about the way reading can train and support one’s observational skills.

One of the story’s most prominent clues comes when the children are speaking with Mr. Linkletter again. Dink notices tiny Ms on Mavis’s scarf but says nothing of it. The lack of commentary renders the initials’ significance less obvious than it might otherwise be, asking both the characters and readers to look closely and think critically. It does not yet occur to Dink that the Ms might be upside down Ws, though the initials would better match Wallace’s initials (W. W.) than Mavis’s (M. G.).

The climax of the book comes when the children are able to convince Mr. Linkletter to take them upstairs and check Wallace’s room. This is where all the action comes to a head and the answer to the mystery seemingly reveals itself. However, the man in the chair who says he is the author is a red herring. This false clue is meant to distract and confuse the reader, rendering the twist—Ruth Rose pointing at Mavis and declaring that she is Wallace—more surprising. Twist endings are a common feature of mystery novels, which rely heavily on keeping the reader guessing as long as possible.

The counterpart to the twist is the novel’s explanation-heavy denouement—another key aspect of the mystery genre. In this case, it is Ruth Rose who explains why the tied-up man is not Wallace and what has led her to believe that Mavis is the author. In piecing together multiple clues to correctly identify Wallace, Ruth Rose demonstrates The Value of Observation in Problem-Solving.

It is notable that Ruth Rose, the only girl in the trio of friends, solves the mystery. When Wallace is identified to be a woman, Dink and Josh are surprised. This illustrates why it is never a good idea to make assumptions, whether in an investigation or in everyday life. Though the name “Wallis” is gender-neutral, Josh and Dink did not even consider that Wallis Wallace could be a woman, and this influenced their ability to recognize Mavis for who she really was. Making Ruth Rose the one to unravel the mystery doubles down on this reminder to young readers not to judge people’s abilities based on their gender.

Mavis’s account of her actions introduces a metafictional element to the novel: She staged her kidnapping in part to present the children with a mystery to solve, much as Roy has written a book that introduces young readers to the mystery genre. Likewise, she got the idea from Dink’s letter, much as Roy got the idea for The Absent Author from a child at a book signing. Mavis therefore becomes a stand-in for Roy, adding another layer of meaning to her claim that fame can make it difficult for a writer to engage with the world in an ordinary way. At the same time, the parallels between the two authors also highlight the significance of the relationship between writers and readers, which benefits not only the latter but also the former.