Mystery fans will be pleased, indeed!

11-year-old Toby Montrose has been bounced around from family member to family member following the disappearance of his parents. Finally, he ends up in the care of his Uncle Gabriel, a detective on the famed street, Detective’s Row. When the World’s Greatest Detective, Hugh Abernathy, announces a contest to choose the next World’s Greatest Detective, Toby hops on the chance in hopes of earning the prize money and helping out his uncle. But, when Hugh Abernathy unexpectedly turns up dead, it’s up to Toby and his new friend Ivy to solve the case!

What I liked: such a fun detective story! It’s like a cross between a Sherlock Holmes and an Agatha Christie novel, but brought down to a kid’s level. The two main characters are fun and unique, and the story will keep you guessing.

What I didn’t like: not much. The opening scene seemed a bit too long, although it did help establish the main character and his desperate need for getting the money to help his uncle. Other than that, the story itself was delightful and fun to follow along with.

I highly recommend to anyone who loves a good mystery.

5 out of 5 stars ( )

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This did not affect my opinion of the book or my review itself.

Toby Montrose has been passed around from relative to relative, ever since his parents disappeared in a boating accident. Now he finds himself with his Last Relative, Uncle Gabriel, who lives on Detective's Row and has fallen on hard times.

Toby dreams of being a detective himself, and when the most famous detective, Hugh Abernathy, opens up a contest to determine the World's Greatest Detective, Toby knows he has to be a part of it. But when the game is no longer a game, Toby must solve a real-life murder.

This is such a fun book! It reminds me of the kid-centric mysteries I used to read when I was younger, and always enjoy revisiting. The mystery is clever, and the characters are really likable and easy to root for.

I also loved the nods to other famous literary detectives. There were some definite homages to characters like Sherlock Holmes and Miss Marple that really made me grin.

There really wasn't anything not to like about this mystery. I'm hopeful it becomes a series!

I would definitely recommend this read. It won't take you long at all, and you'll have a lot of fun while reading. ( )

Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss; I received an ARC from the publisher at ALA Midwinter 2017. ( )