From Powells.com
Our favorite books of the year.
Synopses & Reviews
Sherlock meets Veronica Mars meets Ferris Bueller’s Day Off
in this story of a wisecracking girl who meets a weird but brilliant
boy and their roller-coaster of a semester that’s one part awkward,
three parts thrilling, and five parts awesome.
When Philip
Digby first shows up on her doorstep, Zoe Webster is not impressed. He’s
rude and he treats her like a book he’s already read and knows the
ending to. But before she knows it, Digby — annoying, brilliant and
somehow… attractive? Digby — has dragged her into a series of hilarious and
dangerous situations all related to an investigation into the
kidnapping of a local teenage girl. A kidnapping that may be connected
to the tragic disappearance of his own sister eight years ago.
When it comes to Digby, Zoe just can’t say no. Digby gets
her, even though she barely gets herself. But is Digby a hero, or is
his manic quest an indication of a desperate attempt to repair his
broken family and exercise his own obsessive compulsive tendencies?
A
romance where the leading man is decidedly unromantic, a crime novel
where catching the crook isn’t the only hook, a friendship story where
they aren’t even sure they like each other — this is a contemporary debut
with razor-sharp dialogue, ridiculously funny action, and the most
charismatic dynamic duo you’ve ever met.
Review
“With acerbic banter and a healthy dose of high-school high jinks, screenwriter Tromly weaves together traditional elements of teen stories to create a Breakfast Club for a new century.” Booklist
Review
“A fast-paced story….Readers will find a sharply drawn character in the irrepressible Zoe, who’s as dubious about Digby’s methods as she is curious about whether or not she can live up to his daredevilry.” SLJ
Review
“With snappy prose and wry humor alongside the gritty crime, this nod to noir moves as fast as Digby talks… An engrossing and satisfying read…[that] encourages readers to dig between the lines and see truths that even Zoe and Digby, in all their sardonic observations, can’t quite spell out.” BCCB (starred review)
Review
“Fast-talking, suit-wearing Digby is an exasperating teenage Sherlock — sharply observant, impatient with social niceties, and unafraid of authority figures….Fans of Veronica Mars and Elementary will find much to like here…Zoe’s sarcastic first-person narration is fresh and funny…an offbeat and entertaining caper.” Kirkus
Review
“This debut novel sparkles. Absolutely nothing slows down the pace of this outrageous romp….This is one of those rare books that promises something unique and actually delivers beyond expectation. At least one copy belongs in every young adult collection.” VOYA, starred review
Review
“In what reads like a combination of Veronica Mars and The Breakfast Club, debut author Tromly creates a screwball mystery with powerful crossover appeal.” Publishers Weekly, starred review
About the Author
Stephanie Tromly was born in Manila, grew up in Hong Kong, graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, and worked as a screenwriter in Los Angeles. She is the author of Trouble is a Friend of Mine and lives in Winnipeg with her husband and young son.