Truly Devious meets Turtles All the Way Down in critically acclaimed author Katie Henry’s YA contemporary comedic mystery about a “retired” high school detective grudgingly helping his former best friend with an investigation.
The third great tragedy of Gideon Green’s life: he doesn’t live in a film noir.
The second: Being stuck in high school for 498 more days.
The first? Don’t worry about it. It’s not important.
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, just like in all his old detective movies. While investigating a story for the school newspaper, she’s hit a brick wall. And she wants Gideon’s help.
He might be mad at her for cutting him off with no explanation, but Gideon can’t turn down a case, not to mention the chance to prove his classmates and his dad were wrong to write him off. 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- n 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.
Crime: Drug Trafficking/Dealing,Discrimination: Racial Insensitivity/Racism,Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco: Drug Use/Abuse,Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco: Underage Use,Language: Strong Language
Discrimination: Sexuality,Drugs/Alcohol/Tobacco: Drug Use/Abuse,Language: Grotesque/Disturbing Imagery,Language: Strong Language,Sexual Content: Mild Sexual Content/Themes,Sexual Content: Sexual Harassment,Social Issue: Body or Weight Shaming,Violence: Strong Violence