Rollicking ... Siegel, who created Charlotte Illes as a TikTok character, has a lot of story to work with, though she can’t quite sustain it; the pacing bogs down in the middle. Even so, Charlotte is a delight.
Each character is introduced with a brief physical description that belongs more in a police blotter than a novel. The gimmick will be distracting to some readers, stopping the action as it does each time ... After setting up Charlotte's skills, the predictable plot wheels start turning ... The book is more a portrait of a group of friends than a social commentary or a humorous farce. Still, a solid mystery is served up.
Charlotte Illes Is Not a Detective has a wonderful, engaging premise ... Relatable, imperfect, funny and brave, Charlotte is a high point of the novel ... Siegel’s dialogue is fresh, funny and authentic to her Gen Z characters.
