A wild and fantastical mystery adventure that has something for everyone.
In Martin’s middle-grade novel, tween sleuth Dotty Morgan’s latest supernatural case is her scariest yet.
Elderton, North Carolina may seem like any old small town, but it’s home to a brilliant supernatural sleuth named Dotty Morgan. The 12-year-old Black girl previously saved her town from the phantom of Waverly Perchance (The Case of the French Fry Phantom [2023]) and is now faced with an even bigger challenge. Sato Jin, the owner of a corporation who has recently purchased an outpost at Elderton’s Blue Devil Castle, has shown an interest in Dotty’s antique Japanese sword and cup, as well as in her detective business. Dotty has found that the objects have abnormal levels of ethereal energy and isn’t sure who to trust. Meanwhile, a new family from Japan has moved into town; mysterious daughter Sakura Suzuki stirs up feelings of rivalry and jealousy in Dotty’s girlfriend, Hannah, after the latter loses a duel in kickboxing class. Dotty has to juggle a litany of problems—from bullying to relationships to being attacked in the middle of the night by zombie ninjas—but she handles them all deftly and intelligently. With help from her school’s secretly powerful lunch ladies, Hannah’s brother (Finn), and her own friends, Dotty sets out to right an ancient wrong and discovers there is more to the cup-and-sword puzzle than meets the eye. Martin’s story may sound outlandish, but the action-adventure plot coheres well and keeps readers consistently engaged. The circumstances change by the second, and every decision has very serious implications. The frequent twists and surprise revelations repeatedly leave Dotty and her audience questioning who to trust in a nuanced way that forces readers to confront the complexity of each character’s motives. This ties in well with the very real consequences of the story’s ending, which Dotty addresses: “I figured no matter how intense things got, it would turn out okay. Now, I know that’s wrong.”
A wild and fantastical mystery adventure that has something for everyone.Pub Date: March 15, 2024
ISBN: 9781961215900
Page Count: 210
Publisher: In A Bind Books
Review Posted Online: Dec. 18, 2023
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Feb. 1, 2024
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
Classic action-packed, monster-fighting fun
It’s been 42 days since the Monster Apocalypse began, and 13-year-old Jack Sullivan, a self-proclaimed “zombie-fighting, monster-slaying tornado of cool” is on a quest to find and rescue his not-so-secret crush, June Del Toro, whether she needs it, wants it, or not.
Jack cobbles together an unlikely but endearing crew, including his scientist best friend, Quint Baker; Dirk Savage, Parker Middle School’s biggest bully; and a pet monster named Rover, to help him save the damsel in distress and complete the “ULTIMATE Feat of Apocalyptic Success.” Middle-grade readers, particularly boys, will find Jack’s pitch-perfect mix of humor, bravado, and self-professed geekiness impossible to resist. His sidekicks are equally entertaining, and it doesn’t hurt that there are also plenty of oozing, drooling, sharp-toothed monsters and zombies and a host of gizmos and gadgets to hook readers and keep them cheering with every turn of the page. Holgate’s illustrations play an integral role in the novel’s success. They not only bring Brallier’s characters to life, but also add depth and detail to the story, making plain just exactly how big Rover is and giving the lie to Jack’s “killer driving.” The marriage of text and illustration serves as a perfect example of what an illustrated novel can and should be.
Classic action-packed, monster-fighting fun (. (Graphic/horror hybrid. 8-12)Pub Date: Oct. 13, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-670-01661-7
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Viking
Review Posted Online: July 21, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Aug. 15, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Delightful fun for budding mystery fans.
Only children, rejoice! A cozy mystery just for you! (People with siblings will probably enjoy it too.)
Debut novelist Cornett introduces the One and Onlys, a trio of mystery-solving only kids: Gloria Longshanks “Shanks” Hill, Alexander “Peephole” Calloway, and narrator Paul (alas, no nickname) Marconi. The trio has a knack for finding and solving low-level mysteries, but they come up against a true head-scratcher when the yard of a resident of their small town is covered in rubber ducks overnight. Working ahead of Officer Portnoy, who’s a little on the slow side, can Paul, Shanks, and Peephole solve the mystery? Cornett has a lot of fun with this adventure, dropping additional side mysteries, a subplot about small businesses, big corporations, and economics, and a town’s love of bratwurst into the mix. Most importantly, he plays fair with the clues throughout, allowing astute readers to potentially solve the case ahead of the trio. The tone and mystery are perfect for younger readers who want to test their detective skills but are put off by anything scary or gory. The pacing would serve well for chapter-by-chapter read-alouds. If there are any quibbles, it’s the lack of diversity of the cast, as it defaults white. Diversity exists in small towns, and this one is crying out for more. Hopefully a sequel will introduce additional faces.
Delightful fun for budding mystery fans. (Mystery. 8-12)Pub Date: April 14, 2020
ISBN: 978-1-9848-3003-6
Page Count: 256
Publisher: Knopf
Review Posted Online: Dec. 21, 2019
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2020
BOOK REVIEW
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