First there were the two founders of the Gore & Gore Detective Agency, siblings ages 7 and 10 who have helped their Inwood neighbors locate everything from a lost dog tag to an earring to a substantial chunk of change.
Then there was the 9-year-old chief detective of the Chesin, Chesin, Chesin & Chesin Detective Agency in Carroll Gardens, who has the perfect sign and outfit, but no clients yet.
All three kid detectives living in New York City told DNAinfo they learned what they know from reading mystery and detective books: the "Jigsaw Jones," "Encyclopedia Brown," "Nate the Great" and "Nancy Drew" series.
We asked the New York Public Library to line up some reading recommendations that would appeal to your own aspiring private eye at home:
For the girl detective, NYPL recommendations editor Gwen Glazer suggested:
► "Girl's Best Friend," by Leslie Margolis
Twelve-year-old dog-walker Maggie, her twin brother and a friend investigate a suspect she believes is stealing pets.
► "Theodosia and the Serpent of Chaos," by R.L. LaFevers
"Theo’s adventures at the London museum where her parents work take her to Egypt and back, solving mysteries and tracking down treasures," Glazer wrote.
► "Book Scavenger," by Jennifer Chamblis Bertman
Twelve-year-old Emily and her friend James follow the clues in an odd book they find, hoping to solve its mystery before the men who attacked her publishing house hero do.
► "The Case of the Missing Marquess," by Nancy Springer
"If Sherlock had a kid sister, she’d be solving mysteries too, of course," Glazer wrote. Enola travels to London to unravel the mystery of her missing mother.
For the middle-school reader, Lynn Lobash, manager of reader services, endorsed:
► "When You Reach Me," by Rebecca Stead
"Set in 1980 New York, this book has it all — mystery, adventure, great characters and a fantastic sense of place," said Lobash.
► "The Westing Game," by Ellen Raskin
When an eccentric millionaire dies under mysterious circumstances, his heirs must puzzle them out before they can claim their inheritance.
► "The London Eye Mystery," by Siobhan Dowd
This "page-turner," Lobash wrote, is narrated by a 12-year-old Londoner whose brain is "specially wired."
► "Chasing Vermeer," by Blue Balliett
The theft of a precious Vermeer painting sends 11-year-old Petra and Calder off on a quest to solve an international art scandal.
For younger kids, Lobash suggested:
► "Judy Moody, Girl Detective," by Megan McDonald
In "a Nancy Drew mood," as Lobash put it, a third grader forms a detective agency to search for a missing crime-dog-in-training.
► "The Trouble With Chickens: a J.J. Tully Mystery," by Doreen Cronin.
A happily retired search-and-rescue dog takes on the case of chick who's disappeared.
► "Mr. and Mrs. Bunny-- Detectives Extraordinaire!" by Polly Horvath
Middle-schooler Madeline, after discovering she can understand animal languages, hires two rabbit detectives to find her kidnapped parents.
► "Who Could That Be At This Hour?" by Lemony Snicket
Thirteen-year-old Lemony Snicket assists in the investigation of a stolen statue. "This is the first in an irresistible four volume series," Lobash said.
