Minerva Keen's Detective Club (Minerva Keen, 1)
by James Patterson, Keir GraffPublished by: Jimmy Patterson Books on May 1, 2023
Genres: Middle Grade, Mystery, Humor
Pages: 336
Format: Hardcover
Source: Publisher
Rating:
Living in the luxurious Arcanum building—with its interior balconies perfect for playing tag, an elevator like an iron birdcage, and quirky neighbors behind every apartment door—has always been fun and games for twelve-year-old Minerva Keen…until her neighbors start getting poisoned. Anyone could be next, and everyone is a suspect, including Minerva herself.
To clear her name and help the police crack the case, Minerva starts her own detective club. So what if it has only two other members, one being Minerva’s accident-prone daredevil brother and the other being the biggest and quietest kid in school, who happens to be afraid of his own shadow? Minerva knows that with her brainpower, the club’s sleuthing skills, and case files full of suspects, they can unmask the poisoner…hopefully before it’s too late.
This page-turning new mystery series is packed with thrills, chills, laughs, and unforgettable characters and will leave kids eager to join the best club around.
Content Tags:
Perfect for readers who want:
- Headstrong, capable female protagonists
- A fast-paced mystery that needs to be solved
- An adorable squad, each with their own strengths
- Very cute sibling bonds
- Lots of action and humor
Many thanks to TBR And Beyond Tours and jimmy patterson for an eARC in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.
I’m a sucker for middle grade lately, especially anything billed as funny! Who can’t use a little more humor in their lives at this point? This book absolutely grabbed my attention, and I knew I just had to read it!
Minerva Keen’s Detective Club is a humorous middle grade mystery filled with interesting plot twists, sibling bonds, action, lots of humor, and inquisitive kids getting the job done.
I read this in one day, it was such a quick, enjoyable read. I never felt the need to put it down or take a break. That being said, one of the things that grabbed my attention about this book is the blurb that bills it as a “spine-tingling” mystery, and . . . well, it’s not. I was kind of disappointed, thinking there would be something spooky or something that would ratchet up the tension, and it sort of never happened. Even by middle grade standards, the deaths were pretty tame and not particularly creepy. Which is great if you’re wanting a more cozy mystery, but not so much if you’re wanting something spooky. That being said, it was such a fun read despite that!
Minerva Keen is a little too confident in herself. But as far as strong, capable female characters go, you can’t knock the results!
Minerva (not Minnie, thank you very much) comes from a very intelligent (but very unique) family, so you can’t really blame her for her intellect and curiosity. Her approach just needs a little work, is all. Her go-getter, won’t-take-no attitude might rub some the wrong way, but (A) she’s a kid and (B) she isn’t necessarily wrong. Well, not always, at least. There’s room for her to grow, but I admired her spunk! As far as role models for young girls go, you could definitely do worse. I enjoyed Minerva, but I also was kind of like Minerva when I was younger (minus the random murders happening around me), so I’m a bit biased in that regard.
“He’s not a cop, he’s a police detective,” I told him, swallowing another nervous burp. “He wants my help on the case.”
“Yeah, and Gordon Ramsay just called and asked me to cohost MasterChef Junior,” scoffed Heck.
“He might not know he wants my help yet,” I admitted. “But he’ll figure it out.”
When people start dropping dead from an unknown poison, people take notice. Luckily, the newly formed Detective Club is on the case!
That’s really just a fancy way of saying Minerva, her brother Heck, and the one classmate she was able to rope into it, Santos. Still, they do make a pretty convincing trio. They’re smart and capable, with each one bringing something different to the table. Plus, they’ve got each other’s backs, which is always nice to see in middle grade! I enjoyed this little budding squad and would love to see them solving more mysteries!
Plus, they all have their own personal battles to overcome in order to be effective detectives. Heck needs to work on not injuring himself or performing dangerous stunts in the line of duty (no matter how fun they may seem in his brain). Santos needs to overcome his severe anxiety in order to do the hard things or act in the moment. And Minerva needs to learn when to push and when to ask for help (and maybe rein herself in just a little from time to time).
“What do you mean by exotic poisons, Minerva?” Mr. Boomershine boomed.
“You know, like botulinum, ricin, anthrax, and sarin,” I said. “Everything from lab-created neurotoxins to naturally occurring poisons in animals. Did you know some frogs are so poisonous you can get paralyzed just by touching them?”
I had learned a lot in the last fifteen minutes.
Mr. Boomershine stared at me. Everyone else was staring at me, too.
“No, we will not be discussing those poisons in class,” he said. “Don’t drink bleach and you should be fine.”
“Shouldn’t we be educated on all poisons, just to be safe?” I argued.
“We do not have to worry about poison frogs in Chicago!”
The characters in this aren’t quite what you expect, I’m sure! They’re a little strange and larger than life, but that’s what makes them memorable!
Like Minerva and Heck’s cousin-turned-guardian, Bizzy, who’s extremely intelligent. Except she’s so focused on big things that she sometimes forgets the little things. You know, like shoes. Bizzy is far from the only one, though! There’s also the adult Keens, Minerva and Heck’s parents, who are . . . . mysteriously abroad? A lot. Supposedly teachers, but Minerva and Heck are having their doubts. It could be just wishful thinking, but then again, it could be something more than that.
You’ll meet lots of fun characters in this book, each just as memorable as the next. The characters are definitely a highlight in this book! Plus, you never know just who you’ll run into next.
I looked down. Her toes were dirty. Probably because she wasn’t wearing socks or shoes.
“I think you lost something,” I told her.
She followed my eyes, wiggled her toes, and gasped. “Oh! That’s so strange. I know I was wearing shoes this morning, because I remember taking them off to shake out some gravel.”
“You obviously forgot to put them back on,” I said.
If sibling bonds is one of your favorite tropes (like me), you’ll enjoy the banter between Minerva and Heck.
Don’t expect a ton of heartwarming moments between these two, because they don’t have that sort of relationship. But they’re not at each other’s throats, either. Sure, they sometimes annoy each other or get on each other’s nerves, which is to be expected when you’ve got two very different people forced to live together. At the end of the day, though, they are siblings and they’ve got each other’s back. Plus, they get to go on an adventure and solve a mystery together, which is pretty cool. Way better than anything I did with my siblings!
First, he hopped from side to side, balancing his chairs on two legs. Then he balanced a chair on one leg and twirled around.
Then he fell down.
Are all younger brothers this predictable, or is it only mine?
“Ow! My wrist!” yelped Heck. He was sitting on the floor, holding his right wrist—the one he hadn’t sprained—with his left hand—the one he already had.
About James Patterson
James Patterson is the world’s bestselling author. Among his creations are Alex Cross, the Women’s Murder Club, Michael Bennett, and Maximum Ride. His #1 bestselling nonfiction includes Walk in My Combat Boots, Filthy Rich, and his autobiography, James Patterson by James Patterson. He has collaborated on novels with Bill Clinton and Dolly Parton and has won an Edgar Award, nine Emmy Awards, and the National Humanities Medal.
About Keir Graff
Keir Graff is the author of funny and fantastical middle-grade adventure novels including The Tiny Mansion,The Phantom Tower (a Chicago Tribune Best Children’s Book), and The Matchstick Castle (an official Illinois Reads selection). He also writes books for grown-ups—some of them under fake names! A longtime resident of Chicago, he lives near the shore of Lake Michigan with his wife Marya, sons Felix and Cosmo, and cats Toothless and Totoro.
You can find the full schedule here.
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The Momma Spot – Review
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May 11th
The Book Dutchesses – Promotional Post
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Stuck in Fiction – Promotional Post
May 13th
The Bookwyrm’s Den – Review
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I’ve been eyeing this one for awhile, but admit I steered away because I’m not too sure about anything with Patterson’s name on it. He just writes too much for it to seem good. Or, well, I’m not sure how much he is involved with the writing at all anymore, so sometimes it seems just like a marketing ploy. But your description made this one seem pretty enjoyable!
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