Turbo Twenty-Three by Janet Evanovich

Turbo Twenty-Three by Janet Evanovich
Published by Bantam in November 2016
Stephanie Plum #23

"Larry Virgil skipped out on his latest court date after he was arrested for hijacking an eighteen-wheeler full of premium bourbon. Fortunately for bounty hunter Stephanie Plum, Larry is just stupid enough to attempt almost the exact same crime again. Only this time he flees the scene, leaving behind a freezer truck loaded with Bogart ice cream and a dead body—frozen solid and covered in chocolate and chopped pecans.

As fate would have it, Stephanie’s mentor and occasional employer, Ranger, needs her to go undercover at the Bogart factory to find out who’s putting their employees on ice and sabotaging the business. It’s going to be hard for Stephanie to keep her hands off all that ice cream, and even harder for her to keep her hands off Ranger. It’s also going to be hard to explain to Trenton’s hottest cop, Joe Morelli, why she is spending late nights with Ranger, late nights with Lula and Randy Briggs—who are naked and afraid—and late nights keeping tabs on Grandma Mazur and her new fella. Stephanie Plum has a lot on her plate, but for a girl who claims to have “virtually no marketable skills,” these are the kinds of sweet assignments she does best." - From Amazon

Will you like it?
This is a classic Stephanie Plum novel.  Someone needs to get caught by Stephanie, she stumbles into a case much bigger than she thinks, funny stuff happens with Lula, Stephanie tells herself she should only see Morelli, then Stephanie kisses Ranger, then Stephanie ends up almost killed.  However, they are entertaining reads, and I definitely laugh out loud when I listen to them.

Keep writing, Janet Evanovich!

Disclosure: I borrowed the audiobook from my local library.

The Last of August by Brittany Cavallaro

The Last of August by Brittany Cavallaro
Published by Katherine Tegen Books in February 2017
Charlotte Holmes #2

"Jamie Watson and Charlotte Holmes are looking for a winter break reprieve in Sussex after a fall semester that almost got them killed. But nothing about their time off is proving simple, including Holmes and Watson’s growing feelings for each other. When Charlotte’s beloved uncle Leander goes missing from the Holmes estate—after being oddly private about his latest assignment in a German art forgery ring—the game is afoot once again, and Charlotte throws herself into a search for answers.

So begins a dangerous race through the gritty underground scene in Berlin and glittering art houses in Prague, where Holmes and Watson discover that this complicated case might change everything they know about their families, themselves, and each other." -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
I was totally shocked by the ending of this book.  I don't want to spoil anything, but a match is finally thrown on the Moriarty/Holmes feud.

Otherwise, Charlotte and Jamie are now navigating their own relationship.  There is almost too much angst with their relationship, and I had to keep reminding myself that they are only 16 in the book.  In a lot of the book, Jamie mopes around because he feels like he is unwanted.

Overall, this book was darker than the first.  I can only assume that the conclusion to this trilogy will be darker yet, and I really hope everyone does not end up dead.

Disclosure: I received an electronic galley of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalo

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco
Published by Jimmy Patterson in September 2016
Stalking Jack the Ripper #1

"Seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth was born a lord's daughter, with a life of wealth and privilege stretched out before her. But between the social teas and silk dress fittings, she leads a forbidden secret life.

Against her stern father's wishes and society's expectations, Audrey often slips away to her uncle's laboratory to study the gruesome practice of forensic medicine. When her work on a string of savagely killed corpses drags Audrey into the investigation of a serial murderer, her search for answers brings her close to her own sheltered world." - From Goodreads

Will you like it?
If you like murder, Victorian London, mysteries, mayhem, or horror, you will love this book.  I listened to the audiobook version, and I loved the narrator's accent.  She made the whole book come alive for me.

There was one part that mostly gave away who Jack was, so that wasn't as entertaining as I thought it was going to be.  Also, the ending was not entirely realistic.  I think Audrey would have been bound by society's rules for learning about the forensic sciences.   I still really enjoyed this book, and I will add the rest of the series to my to-read shelf on Goodreads.

Disclosure: I borrowed the audiobook from my local library via Overdrive.

Bad Blood by Jennifer Lynn Barnes

Bad Blood by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Published by Disney-Hyperion in November 2016
Naturals #4

"When Cassie Hobbes joined the FBI's Naturals program, she had one goal: uncover the truth about her mother's murder. But now, everything Cassie thought she knew about what happened that night has been called into question. Her mother is alive, and the people holding her captive are more powerful—and dangerous—than anything the Naturals have faced so far.

As Cassie and the team work to uncover the secrets of a group that has been killing in secret for generations, they find themselves racing a ticking clock.

New victims. New betrayals. New secrets.

When the bodies begin piling up, it soon becomes apparent that this time, the Naturals aren't just hunting serial killers." - From Goodreads

Will you like it?
This series ender blew my mind.  It wasn't always an action-packed rollercoaster, but Barnes definitely knows how to carefully craft her story.  Her story meandered and took a couple of sharp turns, coming to an ending that I would have never thought was possible.  I don't want to give away anymore of the plot, because it is well worth going in blind so you can be totally surprised.

I'm going to miss this series.  I love "true" crime, and this series was a very unique take on the police procedurals I love so dearly.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

The May Queen Murders by Sarah Jude

The May Queen Murders by Sarah Jude
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers in May 2016

"Stay on the roads. Don’t enter the woods. Never go out at night.

Those are the rules in Rowan’s Glen, a remote farming community in the Missouri Ozarks where Ivy Templeton’s family has lived for centuries. It’s an old-fashioned way of life, full of superstition and traditions, and sixteen-year-old Ivy loves it. The other kids at school may think the Glen kids are weird, but Ivy doesn’t care—she has her cousin Heather as her best friend. The two girls share everything with each other—or so Ivy thinks. When Heather goes missing after a May Day celebration, Ivy discovers that both her best friend and her beloved hometown are as full of secrets as the woods that surround them." -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
Wow! I was pleasantly surprised with this book.  I loved the character development in this book.  Ivy and her friends weren't the only ones that were fleshed out; all characters that we came into contact with had some backstory.  I also factor into my ratings on mysteries how fast I can figure out "whodunit".  With this story, I was SHOCKED with every twist and turn that happened.  This is definitely a must read for those who really like mysteries and suspense.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local public library.

Curious Minds by Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton

Curious Minds by Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton
Published by Bantam Dell in August 2016
Knight and Moon #1

"Emerson Knight is introverted, eccentric, and has little to no sense of social etiquette. Good thing he’s also brilliant, rich, and (some people might say) handsome, or he’d probably be homeless. Riley Moon has just graduated from Harvard Business and Harvard Law. Her aggressive Texas spitfire attitude has helped her land her dream job as a junior analyst with mega-bank Blane-Grunwald. At least Riley Moon thought it was her dream job, until she is given her first assignment: babysitting Emerson Knight.

What starts off as an inquiry about missing bank funds in the Knight account leads to inquiries about a missing man, missing gold, and a life-and-death race across the country. Through the streets of Washington, D.C., and down into the underground vault of the Federal Reserve in New York City, an evil plan is exposed. A plan so sinister that only a megalomaniac could think it up, and only the unlikely duo of the irrepressibly charming Emerson Knight and the tenacious Riley Moon can stop it." -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
I love this new series by Janet Evanovich and Phoef Sutton.  As I was listening to the audiobook at work, I couldn't help but giggle.  A LOT.  I don't want to give away a lot of the plot, but I liked how Riley and Emerson had chemistry, but their characters were getting to know each other.  The flirtatious banter was exactly that, and we didn't have to worry that they were going to end up in bed together.  Will they eventually?  Probably.  But I love seeing the slow burn happen.

Disclosure: I borrowed the audiobook from my local public library.

The Assassin Game Kirsty McKay

The Assassin Game by Kirsty McKay
Published by Sourcebooks Fire in August 2016

"At Cate's isolated boarding school, Killer is more than a game—it’s an elite secret society. Members must avoid being “Killed” during a series of thrilling pranks, and only the Game Master knows who the “Killer” is. When Cate’s finally invited to join the Assassins’ Guild, she know it’s her ticket to finally feeling like she belongs.

But when the game becomes all too real, the school threatens to shut it down. Cate will do anything to keep playing and save the Guild. But can she find the real assassin before she’s the next target?" -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
I liked this book when I first started it, but then I put it down in favor of reading Empire of Storms.  I picked it back up almost two weeks later and didn't care about the characters or the plot anymore.  Character development felt unremarkable, and the entire story felt slow at times.  I finished the book only to find out who the actual killer was.  It was not someone I suspected, so that was what pushed my review from 2 to 3 stars.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

With Malice by Eileen Cook

With Malice by Eileen Cook
Published by HMH Books for Young Readers in June 2016

"Eighteen-year-old Jill Charron wakes up in a hospital room, leg in a cast, stitches in her face and a big blank canvas where the last six weeks should be. She discovers she was involved in a fatal car accident while on a school trip in Italy. A trip she doesn’t even remember taking. She was jetted home by her affluent father in order to receive quality care. Care that includes a lawyer. And a press team. Because maybe the accident…wasn’t an accident.

As the accident makes national headlines, Jill finds herself at the center of a murder investigation. It doesn’t help that the media is portraying her as a sociopath who killed her bubbly best friend, Simone, in a jealous rage. With the evidence mounting against her, there’s only one thing Jill knows for sure: She would never hurt Simone. But what really happened? Questioning who she can trust and what she’s capable of, Jill desperately tries to piece together the events of the past six weeks before she loses her thin hold on her once-perfect life." -- From Goodreads

Will you like this?
THE ENDING.  First you're reading along thinking that this is just another book with another unreliable narrator.  That statement is true to a point, and I did like watching Jill struggle with her memories.  While the ending could have been suggested because of another event that happened, it felt pretty damn real.  If you like mystery/suspense books, you NEED to pick this up.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

The Obsession by Nora Roberts

The Obsession by Nora Roberts
Published by Berkley in April 2016

"Naomi Bowes lost her innocence the night she followed her father into the woods. In freeing the girl trapped in the root cellar, Naomi revealed the horrible extent of her father’s crimes and made him infamous.

Now a successful photographer living under the name Naomi Carson, she has found a place that calls to her, thousands of miles away from everything she’s ever known. Naomi wants to embrace the solitude, but the residents of Sunrise Cove keep forcing her to open up—especially the determined Xander Keaton.

Naomi can feel her defenses failing, and knows that the connection her new life offers is something she’s always secretly craved. But as she’s learned time and again, her past is never more than a nightmare away." -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
This was a classic Nora Roberts book for me.  The first half was a bit slow for me, and Naomi spent the majority of her time furnishing her house.  After the new round of abductions happen, that's when the story picked up the pace.  I also guessed the killer way before the end.  Overall a pretty good suspense novel.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of the audiobook from my local library.

Tricky Twenty-Two by Janet Evanovich

Tricky Twenty-Two by Janet Evanovich
Published by Bantam in November 2015
Stephanie Plum #22

"Stephanie Plum might not be the world's greatest bounty hunter, but she knows when she's being played. Ken Globovic (aka Gobbles), hailed as the Supreme Exalted Zookeeper of the animal house known as Zeta fraternity, has been arrested for beating up the dean of students at Kiltman College. Gobbles has missed his court date and gone into hiding. People have seen him on campus, but no one will talk. Things just aren't adding up, and Stephanie can't shake the feeling that something funny is going on at the college - and it's not just Zeta fraternity pranks.

As much as people love Gobbles, they hate Doug Linken. When Linken is gunned down in his backyard it's good riddance, and the list of possible murder suspects is long. The only people who care about finding Linken's killer are Trenton cop Joe Morelli, who has been assigned the case, security expert Ranger, who was hired to protect Linken, and Stephanie, who has her eye on a cash prize and hopefully has some tricks up her sleeve." -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
The Stephanie Plum novels have felt repetitious for the last couple.  I don't know if it was listening to this one on audiobook, but it made me giggle almost the entire time.  Morelli and Ranger still are the love interests, but we had a snag with Morelli.  It sounds like Stephanie is another step closer in choosing a partner (hopefully).  The audiobook has renewed my interest in this series, and I can't wait to listen to Turbo Twenty-Three.

Disclosure: I borrowed the audiobook from my local library.

The Killer In Me by Margot Harrison

The Killer In Me by Margot Harrison
Published by Disney-Hyperion in July 2016

"Seventeen-year-old Nina Barrows knows all about the Thief. She’s intimately familiar with his hunting methods: how he stalks and kills at random, how he disposes of his victims’ bodies in an abandoned mine in the deepest, most desolate part of a desert.

Now, for the first time, Nina has the chance to do something about the serial killer that no one else knows exists. With the help of her former best friend, Warren, she tracks the Thief two thousand miles, to his home turf—the deserts of New Mexico.

But the man she meets there seems nothing like the brutal sociopath with whom she’s had a disturbing connection her whole life. To anyone else, Dylan Shadwell is exactly what he appears to be: a young veteran committed to his girlfriend and her young daughter. As Nina spends more time with him, she begins to doubt the truth she once held as certain: Dylan Shadwell is the Thief. She even starts to wonder . . . what if there is no Thief?" -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
Truthfully, I was really annoyed with the main character for the middle third of the novel.  Nina doubts herself and her visions.  It wasn't like a "maybe these are dreams" but a litany of "maybe, yes, no" over and over again.  Would read it again for the ending though.  The premise was very interesting, and I would recommend this book solely based on that fact.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

After the Woods by Kim Savage

After the Woods by Kim Savage
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux in February 2016

"Would you risk your life to save your best friend?

Julia did. When a paroled predator attacked Liv in the woods, Julia fought back and got caught. Liv ran, leaving Julia in the woods for a terrifying 48 hours that she remembers only in flashbacks. One year later, Liv seems bent on self-destruction, starving herself, doing drugs, and hooking up with a violent new boyfriend. A dead girl turns up in those same woods, and Julia’s memories resurface alongside clues unearthed by an ambitious reporter that link the girl to Julia’s abductor. As the devastating truth becomes clear, Julia realizes that after the woods was just the beginning."  -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
Some of the parts of this book are far-fetched.  The video game that allows women to be hunted like deer?  Honestly, if that truly existed and was as popular in the book in real life, there would be so much backlash to shut that game down.

I really like Julia.  She was analytical and wanted to understand her kidnapping, and so she turned to facts and figures to try to explain it away.  When that couldn't work, she went looking for answers.  Liv (the best friend) was definitely bitchy in trying to make Julia forget and not delve into the circumstances behind the abduction too hard.  But I thought this book was a good thrilling read with two very flawed main characters.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

The Girl I Used To Be by April Henry

The Girl I Used To Be by April Henry
Published by Christy Ottaviano Books in May 2016

"When Olivia's mother was killed, everyone suspected her father of murder. But his whereabouts remained a mystery. Fast forward fourteen years. New evidence now proves Olivia's father was actually murdered on the same fateful day her mother died. That means there's a killer still at large. It's up to Olivia to uncover who that may be. But can she do that before the killer tracks her down first?"  -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
I love any and all books written by April Henry.  She is seriously the bomb when it comes to writing suspense and mystery books.  I loved the mystery in this book.  The person who did it took me by surprise, and his reason for doing it was really strange.  It was still a great suspenseful journey.  So if you like mysteries and suspense, you will really like this book.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

The Leaving by Tara Altebrando

The Leaving by Tara Altebrando
Published by Bloomsbury USA Childrens in June 2016.

"Eleven years ago, six kindergarteners went missing without a trace. After all that time, the people left behind moved on, or tried to.

Until today. Today five of those kids return. They're sixteen, and they are . . . fine. Scarlett comes home and finds a mom she barely recognizes, and doesn't really recognize the person she's supposed to be, either. But she thinks she remembers Lucas. Lucas remembers Scarlett, too, except they're entirely unable to recall where they've been or what happened to them. Neither of them remember the sixth victim, Max. He doesn't come back. Everyone wants answers. Most of all Max's sister Avery, who needs to find her brother--dead or alive--and isn't buying this whole memory-loss story." -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
Honestly?  I don't know.  I had major issues with this book.  We only had three points of view in the book: two of the kidnapped victims and the sister of a victim.  I think there was supposed to be some method behind choosing, but I wish we could have heard from everybody.  It seemed like nothing happened through the entire book.  The majority of the novel was our two characters trying to jog their memories.  Not exactly enticing stuff.  And the ending?  It was such a letdown.  It's almost like it got set up for a sequel, even though it does not look like there are plans for one.  There are better stories written about amnesia victims, and I would recommend one of those before I'd recommend this book.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro

A Study in Charlotte by Brittany Cavallaro
Published by Katherine Tegen Books in March 2016
Debut Author, 2016

"The last thing Jamie Watson wants is a rugby scholarship to Sherringford, a Connecticut prep school just an hour away from his estranged father. But that’s not the only complication: Sherringford is also home to Charlotte Holmes, the famous detective’s great-great-great-granddaughter, who has inherited not only Sherlock’s genius but also his volatile temperament. From everything Jamie has heard about Charlotte, it seems safer to admire her from afar.

From the moment they meet, there’s a tense energy between them, and they seem more destined to be rivals than anything else. But when a Sherringford student dies under suspicious circumstances, ripped straight from the most terrifying of the Sherlock Holmes stories, Jamie can no longer afford to keep his distance. Jamie and Charlotte are being framed for murder, and only Charlotte can clear their names. But danger is mounting and nowhere is safe—and the only people they can trust are each other." -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
Murder!  Mystery!  Mayhem!  Those are great reasons to read this book.  My biggest draw was that it was a Holmes and Watson retelling with a TWIST.  First off, there are a few things that don't get explained.  For example, how Holmes/ Watson/ Sir Arthur Conan Doyle are real people.  Charlotte's drug use is also glossed over, and I hope it gets resolved in the next books.  BUT.  The characters are wonderfully flawed.  While we know a lot of Watson's back story, I have a feeling we have only scratched the surface of Holmes.  Overall, it was a delightful mystery, and I can't wait to read more with these characters.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

Zero Day by Jan Gangsei

Zero Day by Jan Gangsei
Published by Disney-Hyperion in January 2016
Debut Author, 2016

"Eight years ago, Addie Webster was the victim of the most notorious kidnapping case of the decade. Addie vanished—and her high-profile parents were forced to move on.

Mark Webster is now president of the United States, fighting to keep the oval office after a tumultuous first term. Then, the unthinkable happens: the president’s daughter resurfaces. Addie is brought back into her family’s fold, but who is this sixteen-year-old girl with a quiet, burning intelligence now living in the White House? There are those in the president’s political circle who find her timely return suspicious.

When the NSA approaches Darrow Fergusson, Addie’s childhood best friend and the son of the president’s chief of staff, he doesn't know what to think. How could this slip of a girl be a threat to national security? But at the risk of having his own secrets exposed by the powerful government agency, Darrow agrees to spy on Addie.

It soon becomes apparent that Addie is much more than the traumatized victim of a sick political fringe group. Addie has come with a mission. Will she choose to complete it? And what will happen if she does?" -- From Goodreads

Will you like it?
The reason I picked this up was because of the kidnapping aspect.  I have a weird fascination with kidnapping stories.  While the kidnapping was a small secondary aspect of the story, this book did not disappoint!  This story has elements of cyber-terrorism and mild political thrillers, along with the dynamics of a dysfunctional family.  Overall, if you like political thrillers along with dysfunctional families, you should pick up this book!

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of this book from my local library.

Liars, Inc. by Paula Stokes

Liars, Inc. by Paula Stokes
Published by HarperTeen on March 24, 2015

Summary: "Max Cantrell has never been a big fan of the truth, so when the opportunity arises to sell forged permission slips and cover stories to his classmates, it sounds like a good way to make a little money and liven up a boring senior year. With the help of his friends Preston and Parvati, Max starts Liars, Inc. Suddenly everybody needs something and the cash starts pouring in. Who knew lying could be so lucrative?

When Preston wants his own cover story to go visit a girl he met online, Max doesn’t think twice about hooking him up. Until Preston never comes home. Then the evidence starts to pile up—terrifying clues that lead the cops to Preston’s body. Terrifying clues that point to Max as the murderer.

Can Max find the real killer before he goes to prison for a crime he didn’t commit?" --From Goodreads

Liars Inc. is a pretty good mystery.  I thought the author did really well laying out the mystery for the reader, even if the pieces of the puzzle were a little too easy to put together.  There were a few "red herrings" but their motives were not as strong as the actual killer.

Max, Parvati, and Preston's relationships with each other are a bit weird.  Honestly, I could have done with less of their love triangle crap.  When the story involved the FBI, it seemed like Max wasn't in enough trouble.

Overall, this book was an entertaining mystery.  It brought me out of my reading slump.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy from my local library.

As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley

As Chimney Sweepers Come to Dust by Alan Bradley
Flavia de Luce #6
Published by Delacorte Press on January 6, 2015

Summary: "Hard on the heels of the return of her mother’s body from the frozen reaches of the Himalayas, Flavia, for her indiscretions, is banished from her home at Buckshaw and shipped across the ocean to Miss Bodycote’s Female Academy in Toronto, her mother’s alma mater, there to be inducted into a mysterious organization known as the Nide.

No sooner does she arrive, however, than a body comes crashing down out of the chimney and into her room, setting off a series of investigations into mysterious disappearances of girls from the school." -- From Goodreads

I loved this book.  It was full of surprises!  Flavia travels to Canada and arrives at an all-girls boarding school.  Where she learns spy things.  I was a bit disappointed that Bradley didn't delve into Flavia's schooling/ spy school a bit more.  I'm still a little confused to what exactly she's going to be doing.  

Overall, I think this was probably my favorite Flavia mystery to date.  The revolving cast of characters makes this story highly entertaining.  I wish Flavia would have stayed in Canada longer, and now I'm especially excited to learn where Flavia is going to go next.

Disclosure: I borrowed a copy of the audiobook from my local library.

The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley

The Dead in Their Vaulted Arches by Alan Bradley
Flavia de Luce #6
Published by Delacorte Press on January 14, 2014

Summary: "On a spring morning in 1951, eleven-year-old chemist and aspiring detective Flavia de Luce gathers with her family at the railway station, awaiting the return of her long-lost mother, Harriet. Yet upon the train's arrival in the English village of Bishop's Lacey, Flavia is approached by a tall stranger who whispers a cryptic message into her ear.

Moments later, he is dead, mysteriously pushed under the train by someone in the crowd...

Who was this man, what did his words mean, and why were they intended for Flavia? Back home at Buckshaw, the de Luces' crumbling estate, Flavia puts her sleuthing skills to the test.

Following a trail of clues sparked by the discovery of a reel of film stashed away in the attic, she unravels the deepest secrets of the de Luce clan, involving none other than Winston Churchill himself." -- From Goodreads

I love any and all Flavia de Luce mysteries.  While I loved this book, I definitely had some issues with it.  Luckily, they weren't major enough to rate it less than five stars.  This book is definitely a major turning point for Flavia.  Flavia must accept the terms of her mother's homecoming, and she has to grow up.  

Bradley's mystery in this book is less in the forefront.  I didn't exactly like this, but I accepted that this was the way that Bradley chose for Flavia to grow as a character.  I was excited for the ending of this book (spy school??), and I can't wait for Flavia's next adventures.

Disclosure: I borrowed the audiobook from my local library. 

The Platypus Police Squad by Jarrett Krosoczka

Platypus Police Squad by Jarrett Krosoczka

#1 The Frog Who Croaked 

#2 The Ostrich Conspiracy

Published by Walden Pond Press

I thought these books were adorable.  I love Jarrett Krosoczka (Lunch Lady!!) and was excited to read this first middle-grade books.  I thought the books were well done, and I think kids of all ages will be excited to read them.  I listened to the audiobooks narrated by Johnny Heller, and I think I'm hooked.  He sounded like a real old school detective.  

Disclosure: I downloaded the audiobooks through my library's digital media catalog.