Pięć przygód detektywa Konopki note by Janusz Domagalik is a collection of five stories about the adventures the eponymous brilliant detective is having in all sorts of places. From the mountains of South America to the little Polish town of Z., he rights wrongs in a casual, unassuming manner. After all, Pikuś Konopka is the greatest detective in the world! And, unlike the Narrator, he does not feel the need to remind us of this fact every five pages.
The tropes Konopka has found out:
- Affectionate Parody: A wonderfully silly one of over-the-top sensational literature.
- Arranged Marriage: Mary in Adventure III is rescued from one. Or, to be precise, she does a good part of the rescuing upon learning one is planned for her.
- Badass in Distress: About Once an Episode, but Konopka remains The Stoic in any circumstances. Parodied Trope by the sheriff of Gold Double Rivers, who gets kidnapped once a week by Mad Joe, then let out, always at the same precise moment.
- Bigfoot, Sasquatch, and Yeti: Adventure II deals with finding the Abominable Snowman after he's misplaced. Konopka finds out there never was any.
- Chairman of the Brawl: Whistling Dan during the Bar Brawl in Adventure III, since such fray is really beneath him. He just throws chairs and disaproving glances.
- Chekhov's Gun: Joe's mustang. When Joe said the horse would lead to the place he hid his treasure, he didn't mean it literally, but the horse does prove instrumental in finding the treasure.
- Contrived Coincidence: Not even the bad guys believe "Konopsson" is the real name of a random Swedish boxer who just happens to fly the same plane Konopka does in Adventure IV. Surprise - it is. But he's helping our hero anyway.
- Disney Death: As if the protagonist could be killed on page 12...
- Exact Words: "Fire, quick!" leading to Falling Chandelier of Doom.
- Footnote Fever: Especially in Adventure I, but there's a generous footnoting throughout, with themes ranging from which language is the nicest to curse in (Italian) to Product Placement of Wedel chocolate (the main narration just says "choice chocolate with hazelnuts").
- Genre Shift: The first four books are parodies of Westerns and adventure stories, the fifth one parodies contemporary crime stories (powieść milicyjna).
- Genuine Imposter: Konopsson is not, in fact, Konopka disguised as a heavyweight boxer, but a real heavyweight boxer. Named Konopsson. He's Swedish.
- Great Big Book of Everything: Konopka's famous notebook "My Methods" which he consults at times. Even during firefights.
- Great Detective: Unassuming, mild-mannered, and casually freakin' brilliant. He's not insufferable in the slightest and mostly treats his fellow man with friendly (if sometimes tired) consideration.
- The Guards Must Be Crazy: The sheriff of Gold Double Rivers, besides being kidnapped regularly, does nothing but play card games.
- Hat Damage: Jerry Cherry from Adventure III wears three, in case he gets chased by people with guns - when two are shot down, the shooter usually gives up. It should be noted Jerry is a mailman.
- Ironic Name: Ironic Diminutive, to be exact, since his full name is Pankracy (not very popular in Poland), but as a noun "pikuś" means something tiny and unlikely to cause a problem.
- Lampshade Hanging: "The plot was thickening.", "My friend the Author is not as talented as to describe a boring conversation in an interesting way."
- Lemony Narrator: The very first sentence is "It was noon, and this surprised nobody.". The narrator is a character in his own right, Konopka's best friend (a fact of which he keeps reminding us), and he answers readers' letters. Snarkily.
- Pint-Sized Powerhouse: Konopka is repeatedly described as small and unassuming. Also a first-hand fighter.
- Punny Name: Roma Arrivederci (a lady).
- Rage Against the Author: Once, in Konopka's characteristic brief manner, about a very artsy passage.
- Sherlock Scan: Konopka, obviously.
- The Stoic: Konopka. Nothing fazes him, ever. Also Whistling Dan and all the Indians in Adventure III.
- True Companions: Konopka with his friends from the Wild West: Calm Bison, Sharp Eye and Whistling Dan.
- Wild West: Adventure III deals with the search of the mustang of Mad Joe.
