Finally, Something Dangerous: The One and Onlys and the Case of the Robot Crow by Doug Cornett

What worked:

Three sixth-grade students form the “best kids” detective agency in the small, quiet town of Bellwood. They call themselves the One and Onlys. Shanks is the leader and the smallest kid in her grade and she’s assisted by Peephole (literally afraid of everything) and Paul (the voice of reason). They’re always curious and looking for new mysteries and the author presents topics to be explored. Their teacher assigns them a research project where they need to learn about and do a presentation concerning a building in the town. Shanks’s father idolized a pro wrestler from 1962 so she wants to uncover the reason for the Specter’s disappearance. Later, the kids learn untold secrets of the town that many citizens never knew about or want to forget.

The opening chapters introduce several mysterious occurrences to establish the One and Onlys newest case. Twin brothers tell the trio about a robot crow hiding at the top of Funston’s Oak and Shanks climbs to the top of the tree to confirm it. Later, the best ice cream shop in town (and the only one until a week ago) is beset by sewage odors and rats. Something similar happens to another restaurant in town and the kids begin to notice a pattern. The New Bellwood project is bringing changes to the town but does that have anything to do with the strange incidents? The One and Onlys begin to identify suspects and motives and readers will work to solve the mystery along with them.

The story has small-town appeal with the added complication of tradition versus expansion. The kids are able to pedal their bikes all over town while the mayor is transported in a golf cart. Bellwood has enough businesses to satisfy their needs but competition enters the picture as bigger store and restaurant chains move in. Many members of the community meet every week for a social gathering. While this activity may be familiar to readers, the characters in this book gather for poetic wrestling contests. I won’t explain; you’ll need to read about it. Kids and parents know each other and even the mayor knows Shank’s name. The characters form a Bellwood family so trying to identify suspects in the mystery gets complicated.

What didn’t work as well:

The mystery is interesting and different but it’s not overly complicated. Readers will quickly know what’s happening so it’s only a matter of time before suspects emerge. Astute readers may figure out the culprit early on but it’s still fun to watch the One and Onlys solve the case.

The Final Verdict:

The author shares a charming mystery that takes place in the small, proud town of Bellwood. The three members of the One and Onlys don’t possess special skills but their individual talents make them a formidable team. Overall, it’s an entertaining book and I recommend you give it a shot.