FICTION

Finally, Something Mysterious

by Doug Cornett
Knopf. Apr. 2020. 256p. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781984830036.
COPY ISBN
Gr 3-5–It’s summer and Paul Marconi and his two best friends, making up the self-proclaimed, only-children detective club the One and Onlys, are thrilled to finally have a mystery to solve. Tons of rubber duckies have appeared in a neighbor’s yard and no one knows where they came from. Lots of things are changing in the kids’ lives—from impending big brotherhood (an end to the literal meaning of “One and Onlys”) to a more adult understanding of a family business in trouble. These coming-of-age themes are woven through a zany plot set in a very whimsical small town, best known for the annual bratwurst cooking competition. The twists and turns may capture the attention of young readers, but the characters and setting are not illustrated in great depth.
VERDICT Not a first purchase, but a good addition to collections where humorous middle grade mysteries are popular.
Reviewed by Gesse Stark-Smith, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR , Apr 01, 2020

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