GRADY JONES AND THE GREAT DETECTIVE GAME

Can a sixth grader who’s determined to be great at something—anything, really—solve a murder?

Redheaded Grady, a middle child whose mom is a nurse and whose father is deceased, approaches every opportunity with enthusiasm, conviction—and zero skills. When a chauffeur-driven woman delivers a note from local millionaire J.T. Bancroft asking Grady to solve his murder, Grady is ecstatic. Everyone else is just confused. But when Bancroft is duly murdered, Grady plunges into the investigation with unbridled verve. Initially oblivious to or dismissive of help offered by friends and family, Grady also discounts everyone’s doubts and breaks promises to his mother. But if he really wants to solve the murder, he must first scrutinize his own attitudes and behavior and learn how to be a true friend. This complex, twisty mystery, a debut by screenwriter Dye, unfolds at a good pace and features wry humor that invites readers to see truths Grady misses. Though Grady’s investigative style is slapdash at best, his ideas do lead to some valuable clues as he ricochets among plot developments and interactions with other characters. Unfortunately, the self-centeredness and self-aggrandizement that alienate his few friends may likewise irritate readers. Those who stick with him will applaud Grady’s learning to be introspective and coming to terms with what drives his need to achieve. Grady’s family is cued white, and there’s ethnic diversity among the secondary characters.

Mystery and humor mix with lessons on friendship and self-awareness.