As a kid, Charlotte Illes' uncanny sleuthing abilities made her a minor celebrity. But in high school, she hung up her detective's hat and stashed away the signature blue landline in her "office"--aka garage--convinced that finding her adult purpose would be easy. Now twenty-five, Charlotte has a nagging fear that she hit her peak in middle school. And then her old blue phone rings ...
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.
