What do you think?
Rate this book
A to Z Mysteries #5
The Empty Envelope
Don’t miss A to Z Mysteries—alphabetic adventures that are full of thrills, chills, and cases to crack!
E is for Envelope...
In the fifth book of the A to Z Mysteries—an early chapter book mystery series featuring strong boy and girl characters—Dink keeps getting letters addressed to "D. Duncan." But when he opens them, they all start "Dear Doris" and don't make any sense! Josh and Ruth Rose think someone's playing a trick on Dink. But dink is sure there's more to it than that - especially after Doris Duncan shows up and demands her letters!
Each book includes a map and a letter from the author. Parents, teachers, and librarians agree that these highly collectible chapter books are perfect for emerging readers and any kid who love mysteries!
From the Trade Paperback edition.
66 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 1998
323 people are currently reading
1336 people want to read
About the author
Ron Roy
245 books383 followersRon Roy has been writing books for children since 1974. He is the author of dozens of books, including the popular A to Z Mysteries®, Calendar Mysteries, and Capital Mysteries. When not working on a new book, Ron likes to teach tricks to his dog Pal, play poker with friends, travel, and read thrilling mystery books.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews
January 17, 2023
I actually really liked this one, and the detective work shown by the kids is pretty cool.
Plus, I am always a fan whenever a book's character says, “I want to know more about this topic, let’s go to the library!” :D
Grab your copy here.
Plus, I am always a fan whenever a book's character says, “I want to know more about this topic, let’s go to the library!” :D
Grab your copy here.
May 22, 2014
My daughter and I are sharing this series as audio books together in the car. On occasion, she invites the whole family into the story and tries to keep them updated and make them guess who did it.
This one was ingenious. My daughter and I spent quite a bit of time talking about the why's and how's someone would do this - and how you can hide and decode secret messages. My 9 year old knew a lot more ways than I did! How fun! books that inspire kids always get two thumbs up from me.
I can't wait to continue the series!
This one was ingenious. My daughter and I spent quite a bit of time talking about the why's and how's someone would do this - and how you can hide and decode secret messages. My 9 year old knew a lot more ways than I did! How fun! books that inspire kids always get two thumbs up from me.
I can't wait to continue the series!
June 21, 2021
Sto barando alla grande nella challenge di Goodreads con questi libri che si finiscono in mezz'ora😂
Comunque ora che ci penso Dink, Josh e Rose mi ricordano un sacco il trio Harry, Ron ed Hermione, sia fisicamente che caratterialmente. Il bello è che nessuno ha copiato nessuno perché i primi libri delle due saghe sono usciti nello stesso anno: 1997.
Ricordo che questo mistero era uno dei miei preferiti quand'ero piccolo, (conosco ogni caso a memoria) ma adoravo questo libro per via del messaggio segreto sulle lettere, il francobollo raro, l'agguato ai truffatori di Rose...
I casi si svolgono molto velocemente, ma secondo me sono ottimi libri per far iniziare a leggere i bambini, soprattutto per quelli che vogliono approcciarsi al genere giallo, si appassioneranno.
E niente, questi libri per me hanno un valore affettivo enorme, ho tanti ricordi legati ad essi, li ricorderò praticamente per sempre.
Comunque ora che ci penso Dink, Josh e Rose mi ricordano un sacco il trio Harry, Ron ed Hermione, sia fisicamente che caratterialmente. Il bello è che nessuno ha copiato nessuno perché i primi libri delle due saghe sono usciti nello stesso anno: 1997.
Ricordo che questo mistero era uno dei miei preferiti quand'ero piccolo, (conosco ogni caso a memoria) ma adoravo questo libro per via del messaggio segreto sulle lettere, il francobollo raro, l'agguato ai truffatori di Rose...
I casi si svolgono molto velocemente, ma secondo me sono ottimi libri per far iniziare a leggere i bambini, soprattutto per quelli che vogliono approcciarsi al genere giallo, si appassioneranno.
E niente, questi libri per me hanno un valore affettivo enorme, ho tanti ricordi legati ad essi, li ricorderò praticamente per sempre.
December 14, 2024
This is my second favorite book in the A-to-Z Mystery series. I absolutely loved it.
The book is about three investigators named Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose, who go on an adventure to solve the mystery of an empty envelope.
I loved it because of the teamwork and friendship, and overall, it's just a very well-written book with a great story behind it.
The book is about three investigators named Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose, who go on an adventure to solve the mystery of an empty envelope.
I loved it because of the teamwork and friendship, and overall, it's just a very well-written book with a great story behind it.
June 20, 2009
This is a fun mystery in the A to Z Mysteries series that involves research at the library! Will clever detectives Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose figure out the mystery in time to catch the crooks? Great story to read aloud.
February 10, 2018
This was a lot like book B, particularly which was fine in one book, by 2 (and only 3 books later!) it is questionable, and if it happens a third time I would just call it lazy and lower my impression of the series. Perhaps due to the short format of the books, any details stick out as obvious clues and make the mystery too easy for the reader so I will give the inability for the reader to figure out the clues a pass but in book A-C (the audio comes in volumes of 3-4 books) I actually enjoyed that part whereas here it was something I had to choose to let pass. Clearly not one of the installments I liked, but overall I find the series cute and not poorly done. The defined end-point of 26 letters/books bodes well for it not dragging on indefinitely, recycling plots.
What this installment did do well was to show the boring research required for any investigator. Too often that is left out, or chalked up to previous knowledge easily recalled when adults are involved.
What this installment did do well was to show the boring research required for any investigator. Too often that is left out, or chalked up to previous knowledge easily recalled when adults are involved.
Read
May 14, 2017was a good book
December 31, 2020
That would be super embarrassing to be outsmarted by a kid named Dink.
November 17, 2022
There was a bad part because someone stole something. But the good part was that they got caught.
June 4, 2024
Another good mystery to read with my 7yo! "It was pretty good," he said.
August 6, 2025
This one was fun. These are hit or miss
November 20, 2015
My 7 - year old has finished the entire set of the A to Z mysteries (including all the super editions). I started reading them because I wanted to find out how good these mysteries are and after I started, I finished the entire set myself. This will be a common review for all the books in the set (so please forgive me if you see this repeated under another book).
First of all, the mystery part of the book is fairly simple for an adult, but I can see how it can keep a kid engrossed. The characters are playful, around the same age as my kid now, so are very relatable. Yes, there are some characteristics which can be a little irritating, but they didn't really bother me too much as to take away from the stories. The other con is that these little kids are left unmonitored in many of their adventures (I am not a helicopter parent, but it felt a little strange, especially when they are out of the country altogether).
That being said, now what I loved about the stories -
1) Most of the stories are based in different cities, and sometimes different countries, so the travel perspective is amazing. We, as a family, love to travel and every time the kids in the books traveled somewhere it made the story more exciting to me (as well as my kid). My kid had comments on how they went to Key West and later Washington D.C "just like us".
2) There are strong characters of both genders, the villains are of different genders as well, so the stereotyping is considerably less (there was a female pilot in one of the books that stood out to me) and I love it that girls reading the books have some good role models. I would always like more female strong characters shown ofcourse :).
I'm sure my kids will be enjoying many more of the author's books in the future :)
First of all, the mystery part of the book is fairly simple for an adult, but I can see how it can keep a kid engrossed. The characters are playful, around the same age as my kid now, so are very relatable. Yes, there are some characteristics which can be a little irritating, but they didn't really bother me too much as to take away from the stories. The other con is that these little kids are left unmonitored in many of their adventures (I am not a helicopter parent, but it felt a little strange, especially when they are out of the country altogether).
That being said, now what I loved about the stories -
1) Most of the stories are based in different cities, and sometimes different countries, so the travel perspective is amazing. We, as a family, love to travel and every time the kids in the books traveled somewhere it made the story more exciting to me (as well as my kid). My kid had comments on how they went to Key West and later Washington D.C "just like us".
2) There are strong characters of both genders, the villains are of different genders as well, so the stereotyping is considerably less (there was a female pilot in one of the books that stood out to me) and I love it that girls reading the books have some good role models. I would always like more female strong characters shown ofcourse :).
I'm sure my kids will be enjoying many more of the author's books in the future :)
Read
January 1, 2016Listened to the audiobook with our kids during our Christmas travels. 7yo LOVES the A to Z mysteries and almost 9yo loved them when he was 7, too. He pretends not to like them now because he's "read them all," but is awfully engaged when the audio book is on. I chose to "report" this as read to Goodreads because it (along with the Haunted Hotel) is probably one of my favorites. I liked the envelopes and the coded messages and what it shows kids about cleverness. Obviously, the characterization/writing is never going to be award winning in any of these books--and that's not the point. I think the main impact is that mysteries like these (for me it was Nancy Drew) teach kids how to read, how to see/understand plot--to see the foreshadowing and follow the clues. So I say Bravo to A to Z Mysteries!
May 22, 2009
Dink starts getting all these mysterious envelopes accidentally sent to him. Everyone thinks it’s just a misunderstanding, until the actual owner shows up on Dink’s doorstep, demanding her letters back! Maybe there is something going on with the envelopes…
I actually really liked this one, and the detective work shown by the kids is pretty cool. Plus, I am always a fan whenever a book character says, “I want to know more about this topic, let’s go to the library!”
I actually really liked this one, and the detective work shown by the kids is pretty cool. Plus, I am always a fan whenever a book character says, “I want to know more about this topic, let’s go to the library!”
December 26, 2009
I love this book its a great read. Its about Dink, Josh and Ruth Rose finding an envelope that seemed werid. I read this book a long time ago and still remember it. I enjoyed this serse even though it was a short read.
April 19, 2019
The Empty Envelope by Ron Roy was a WOW book for me because of the author’s ability to keep me on the edge of my seat throughout the story. It takes students on an adventure to figure out why Dink is receiving mysterious letters and what is so special about them that a grown woman is banging on his door demanding he give them up. This mystery/adventure book is part of a series called A-Z mysteries which would be great for students in 3rd and 4th grade.
This book would be great for a book club. Throughout the story there are so many times when the reader just isn’t sure what is going to happen next. By allowing students to read this book individually and then meet as a book club, students would be able to better understand what is happening in the story, because it can be confusing at times, as well as make predictions about what is to come.
The GRR, or Gradual Release of Responsibility, might also work with this book. As previously mentioned, there are a lot of chances for students to make inferences and predictions about what is happening in the story right now and what is going to happen next. Using the I do/We do, you all do, you do format, students could practice making inferences while reading the story. To do this, they could fill out a graphic organizer that includes the following: It says..(from the text), I say..(my thoughts), and so…(inference). This was taken from Hayley’s Super 7 Inferring Lesson Plan. This would allow students to make predictions and draw conclusions based on what they are reading.
This book would be great for a book club. Throughout the story there are so many times when the reader just isn’t sure what is going to happen next. By allowing students to read this book individually and then meet as a book club, students would be able to better understand what is happening in the story, because it can be confusing at times, as well as make predictions about what is to come.
The GRR, or Gradual Release of Responsibility, might also work with this book. As previously mentioned, there are a lot of chances for students to make inferences and predictions about what is happening in the story right now and what is going to happen next. Using the I do/We do, you all do, you do format, students could practice making inferences while reading the story. To do this, they could fill out a graphic organizer that includes the following: It says..(from the text), I say..(my thoughts), and so…(inference). This was taken from Hayley’s Super 7 Inferring Lesson Plan. This would allow students to make predictions and draw conclusions based on what they are reading.
April 16, 2018
Genre: Mystery
Unique Feature: This book is part of a series, and though I vaguely read some of them while I was in elementary school, I had never read this one. I realized reading this that a great feature of this theory book is that thought this wasn’t the first book in the series and I had no recollection of what happened within the series, I wasn’t confused which is great for students interested in a particular set of books, but may have to wait to get the next one such as if they were waiting for someone to return it the library. Another feature I loved about the text is the humor used to engage students in the text.
Grade(s): 3-5
Date Completed: 04/04/18
Unique Feature: This book is part of a series, and though I vaguely read some of them while I was in elementary school, I had never read this one. I realized reading this that a great feature of this theory book is that thought this wasn’t the first book in the series and I had no recollection of what happened within the series, I wasn’t confused which is great for students interested in a particular set of books, but may have to wait to get the next one such as if they were waiting for someone to return it the library. Another feature I loved about the text is the humor used to engage students in the text.
Grade(s): 3-5
Date Completed: 04/04/18
April 16, 2018
For a children's mystery story, I think Ron Roy does a great job. I found this book via Scholastic, which said it was for 3rd grade. I am not sure I would offer it to my 3rd graders. I felt like there was a lot of background knowledge given, that maybe some students would be unaware about. It may be a better class or group read than individual. Some students may fly through it and get nothing out, if they are unaware of how investigations work. It was also a little predictable, which I wish was not the case!
Read
October 1, 2020This book is a mystery book and I'm on E for envelope. This character Dink gets envelopes and doesn't know why. On the envelope it keep saying a names he doesn't recognize. Josh and Ruth think someone is playing a joke on him but Dink think its not and then D0ris a character whos letters they were too confronted him and asked for her letters back. (sorry for the spoilers) But this book is amazing if you like mysteries I think its a great book for you. This book is apart of a series called A to Z mysteries and they go through mysteries that go with the letter.
July 9, 2025
This series has slowly become my morning read. Whenever I wake up early, I end up picking one of these.
(Wait, does that mean I’ve only woken up early five times?)
Anyway, this book is neither too special nor too bad—just okay.
I gave it 3 stars only because it’s really short and barely takes 15 minutes to finish. So if I have to choose between spending those 15 minutes watching reels or reading this, I’d rather read this.
But honestly, if the book had been longer and the story still stayed the same, I would’ve given it just 1 star.
(Wait, does that mean I’ve only woken up early five times?)
Anyway, this book is neither too special nor too bad—just okay.
I gave it 3 stars only because it’s really short and barely takes 15 minutes to finish. So if I have to choose between spending those 15 minutes watching reels or reading this, I’d rather read this.
But honestly, if the book had been longer and the story still stayed the same, I would’ve given it just 1 star.
March 23, 2019
Read these books when I was a kid and greatly enjoyed them, figured I'd give them a second read for kicks.
I certainly recommend any young mysteries fan devote time to this series, it's certainly a grand adventure for a young mind, the imagery of Ron Roy's words and his settings and unique character descriptions and personalities really help kids imagine a whole movie in their heads as they read each exciting page.
I certainly recommend any young mysteries fan devote time to this series, it's certainly a grand adventure for a young mind, the imagery of Ron Roy's words and his settings and unique character descriptions and personalities really help kids imagine a whole movie in their heads as they read each exciting page.
February 8, 2025
After receiving several strange letters in the mail, Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose are puzzled when they receive an another envelope, but this one is empty. To add to the mystery, they get a call from an irate lady who demands that they return her misdelivered mail. Something is going on, and when they start to look into it, they begin to realize that whatever is going on could be bigger than any other mysteries they’ve solved. What is going on and why an empty envelope?
This is the most exciting mystery in the series so far! I couldn’t predict where this one was going for the longest time, and it was so exciting to figure it out with the kids. Ruth Rose shows just how clever and brave she is, and the ending was perfect. If you enjoyed any of the other books, this one is one you don’t want to miss. Or if you want to jump right into the series on a high point, this book is what I’d recommend.
This is the most exciting mystery in the series so far! I couldn’t predict where this one was going for the longest time, and it was so exciting to figure it out with the kids. Ruth Rose shows just how clever and brave she is, and the ending was perfect. If you enjoyed any of the other books, this one is one you don’t want to miss. Or if you want to jump right into the series on a high point, this book is what I’d recommend.
March 19, 2018
Genre: Mystery
Unique Feature: Although I didn't notice the unique combination when I read A to Z Mysteries during my own childhood, I did come to realize this time that while The Empty Envelope is formatted as a chapter book, it also includes a number of whole-page illustrations as well -- a mixing of two features that you don't often see!
Appropriate Grade(s): 2nd-4th
Unique Feature: Although I didn't notice the unique combination when I read A to Z Mysteries during my own childhood, I did come to realize this time that while The Empty Envelope is formatted as a chapter book, it also includes a number of whole-page illustrations as well -- a mixing of two features that you don't often see!
Appropriate Grade(s): 2nd-4th
June 23, 2018
My six-year-old daughter says:
I liked it because they find an envelope that's empty. It's a pretty good book.
My four-year-old son says:
I wanted all the stars. I liked the part where they found the envelope.
Mom says:
This one was slow compared to other A-Z Mysteries. Clearly my kids enjoyed it, but it was "meh" for me. But I'm not the target audience, so my opinion doesn't matter ;)
I liked it because they find an envelope that's empty. It's a pretty good book.
My four-year-old son says:
I wanted all the stars. I liked the part where they found the envelope.
Mom says:
This one was slow compared to other A-Z Mysteries. Clearly my kids enjoyed it, but it was "meh" for me. But I'm not the target audience, so my opinion doesn't matter ;)
March 15, 2022
my favorite series. onto story. so dink has been getting myseries letters but one is empty they see who is the owner but now they know why it came there insted of the owner because it had an epensive stamp so they wanted it but it was for another person she owned the stamp. but then lost it. all have for now until next book.
March 9, 2025
This has been my favorite A to Z Mysteries book so far. I enjoyed the mystery itself, overall plot and story, and main characters quite a bit, honestly. The writing seemed less cartoonish and exaggerated, and the characters felt less caricatured and more natural in their dialogue and actions than in previous books.
December 12, 2017
This is a mystery book part of the A to Z Mystery series. I would recommend this story to 2nd-4th grade readers. What is unique about this story is that it is a chapter book but also has illustrations inside. It is a fun and engaging read! I found this book by looking at a book trailer online!!
July 28, 2018
This may be my favorite book in the series so far. There was nice tension, and I really liked how the kids problem solved on their own, but turned to the police when they knew the problem was out of their league.
August 6, 2020
Dink keeps receiving letters addressed to D. Duncan. After the fifth letter is received he gets a phone call from a Doris Duncan demanding the return of the letters to her. Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose stumble across a $50,000 mystery, and it's up to the trio to solve it
August 10, 2020
I really enjoyed this one! We listened to it in the van. My oldest boys (8 and 6) love them and always request that we keep listening, even after we arrive at our destination. My younger boys (2 and 1) are quiet enough to let us listen to them.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 145 reviews