Why is Chief Reynolds grumpy in some books but
not in others? Readers may have noticed that in the books after Robert Arthur's death, Chief Reynolds appears to have two different dispositions. Sometimes he is very complimentary of the boys while at other times he seems like a grouch toward the boys. Robert Arthur wrote Chief Reynolds as a mentor to the boys ("Screaming Clock," "Talking Skull") who has the boys' best interests at heart. William Arden's portrayal is similar in nature to that of Robert Arthur, but Mary V. Carey's portrayal is less positive. In Carey's books, Reynolds does not appreciate the Three Investigators in general and Jupiter in particular trying to solve mysteries. For a comparison of the writing styles, see Chief Reynolds' reactions in "Flaming Footprints" and "Singing Serpent" and compare them to William Arden's stories like "Crooked Cat." Why Carey chose to write the Chief's behavior this way is unknown.
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