Truly Devious meets Turtles All the Way Down in critically acclaimed author Katie Henry’s YA contemporary comedic mystery, a hilarious send-up of the hardboiled detective genre that spotlights family, friendship, and love.
Gideon’s short-lived run as a locally famous boy detective ended when middle school started, and everyone else—including his best friend, Lily—moved on while Gideon kept holding on to his trench coat, fedora, and his treasured film noir collection. Now he’s sixteen and officially retired. That is, until Lily shows up suddenly at Gideon’s door, needing his help.
He might be mad at her for cutting him off with no explanation, but Gideon can’t turn down a case. As a cover, Gideon joins Lily on the school paper. Surprisingly, he finds himself warming up to the welcoming, close-knit staff . . . especially Tess, the cute, witty editor-in-chief.
But as the case gets bigger than Gideon or Lily could have anticipated, Gideon must balance his black-and-white quest for the truth with the full colors of real life—or risk a permanent fade to black.
* A Junior Library Guild Selection *
* A YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults Top Ten Title *
- Boy Detective: Gideon Green is officially retired from the detective game. He’s hung up his fedora for good—or so he thinks.
- Second Chance Friendship: When his estranged best friend Lily appears on his doorstep begging for help, Gideon can’t refuse one last case.
- High School Newspaper: Their cover? Joining the school paper, where Gideon finds himself drawn to the close-knit staff, especially the sharp-witted editor, Tess.
- Amateur Sleuth: This hilarious send-up of the hardboiled detective genre follows a case that gets more complex—and colorful—than Gideon’s black-and-white worldview can handle.
