Drew LeClair Gets a Clue by Katryn Bury

What worked:

The topic of cyberbullying is at the center of the conflict, so the book echoes one of society’s major issues. A hacker publishes shady photos and videos about Drew and some of her classmates that are very humiliating and hurtful. The bully knows the students by name and targets all kinds of personalities. Attacking anonymously via the internet makes the culprit hard to find and gives them the freedom to be especially malicious. Drew’s life is complicated when her mother leaves town with Drew’s counselor, and an embarrassing picture is posted that makes her one of the victims.

The book’s plot involves Drew’s efforts to solve the mystery and discover the identity of the cyberbully. Drew’s named after Nancy Drew, and her hero is a famous author and criminal profiler. The book shares many techniques used in profiling, as Drew has been practicing the skills for years. She even creates a crime board with all of the evidence she’s collected which she uses to analyze suspects’ personalities, motives, and abilities to commit cybercrimes. Readers will read the same evidence as Drew and make predictions about the offender’s identity.

Friendship is an issue since Drew isn’t very good at it. She has one best friend, Shrey, but their relationship’s gotten weird since he tried to kiss her. Trissa is a new girl and seems almost too good to be true. She’s smart and kind, but she’s another one of the cyberbully’s victims. Drew’s unemotional approach is useful when solving crimes, but it’s can be disastrous when dealing with friends. Her analytical mind even starts to wonder if the bully might be someone helping her with the investigation.

What didn’t work as well:

Drew seems to suspect everyone at some point during the story, even herself! Readers may find this overkill, as books normally introduce a more manageable number of suspects to consider. Halfway through the story, Drew actually finds more suspects, not less, although this also leads to solving the crime. Her methods are systematic and scientific, so some readers may not enjoy this style quite as much. However, that’s her personality and what makes her memorable.

The Final Verdict:

While the main conflict is catching a cyberbully, the real story involves Drew’s struggles with being a friend while trying to handle her mother’s absence. The book reads like a popular children’s mystery, but Drew’s character will make this book entertaining for all readers. I recommend you give it a shot.