Dial Em For Murder by Marni Bates

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Humor and mayhem ensue when a teen girl gets caught up in the death of a hi-tech hitman and must try to stay one step ahead of the killers lurking in the shadows of an exclusive prep school. 


Source: hard copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review



Meet Emmy Danvers, an ambitious sixteen year-old who dreams of being a writer. The girl lives inside all her made up fantasies and sometimes they're quite hilarious. But not even her imagination comes close to real life when she enters bizarro world. While at a coffee shop she's confronted by a stranger who unloads some cryptic messages on her and then suddenly dies. On top of her. That'd be enough to convince anyone to give up coffee forever. Emmy is shocked as it is until the police question her relationship to the deceased man and behave as if she knows more than she's letting on. It gets even crazier when she learns that the old man who died on her is the grandfather of Sebastian St. James, the best friend of her best friend's ex. Got that? Sebastian mysteriously appears at the police station to talk to Emmy believing that his grandfather gave her something that she's unaware of. Something that's meant for him. He knows more than he's willing to share which infuriates her to no end. Apparently whoever killed his grandfather is after her. As if things can't get more bizarre, he arranges for Emmy to attend his private school, Emptor Academy so that she can be closer for him to keep an eye on her. Her best friends and mother protest but give up the fight much too easily as she accepts the offer and heads off to a new school, making new acquaintances, managing mean girls and in her spare time, solving this big mystery that has something to do with her family.

I enjoyed the story overall though I was dubious about one plot line in particular: the rather quick arrangement for Emmy to leave her public school to go to the Academy. That one detail nagged at me because I felt like it was just too easy. It's kind of explained later how that came about but it still felt a bit flimsy to me. I did enjoy Emmy's personality. She tends to have a hyperactive imagination, especially when she's writing her novels which I could totally relate to. I mean who hasn't on occasion just dreamed up something in their heads and let them take on a life of their own? I just thought she was adorable and funny. Sebastian ... I mentioned he's mysterious. He has that vibe down but I didn't sense anything more from him than just that he's hiding something.

Dial Em For Murder is a cute mystery with some interesting characters that had me giggling at certain moments. The end did raise my eyebrows a bit, in a good way. I think it leaves room for a sequel though I'm not sure if there are plans for that. Check it out and share what you think!

~ Bel

Scarlett Undercover by Jennifer Latham

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A voice-driven mystery perfect for fans of Veronica Mars.

Meet Scarlett, a smart, sarcastic, kick-butt, Muslim American heroine, ready to take on crime in her hometown of Las Almas. When a new case finds the private eye caught up in a centuries-old battle of evil genies and ancient curses, Scarlett discovers that her own family secrets may have more to do with the situation than she thinks -- and that cracking the case could lead to solving her father's murder.

Jennifer Latham delivers a compelling story and a character to remember in this one-of-a-kind debut novel.

This is a story driven by a smart, sassy and fearless young woman who knows what to say and how to get her way. Scarlett is often nonplussed when things don’t go exactly as planned. She manages to make the most out of situations and get to the point.

Scarlett is hired by a young girl who is worried about her older brother’s strange behavior as of late. She suspects that her brother has something to do with the recent death of a friend. This person’s death was all over the news and at first Scarlett's instinct is to decline the case. But when she sees how scared this little girl is, she can’t turn her back. After meeting this brother and getting strange vibes off of him, Scarlett thinks that her client may actually be on to something.

Scarlett is a resourceful young detective who isn’t afraid to seek out the truth. And as she digs further into this mystery, she becomes a target. It turns out that this case may hit closer to home than she realized as she starts to make connections between a cult-like group of kids and her father’s murder. Here the story branches out into the paranormal with some intriguing myths and history.

This was a fun mystery to read but in all honesty, I was drawn to this story after hearing that the heroine was a Muslim-American. I was curious to see how that would factor into the story itself. If anything, it exposes the reader to some of the customs and how those are integrated into their every day lives. Scarlett to a certain extent is more progressive with regards to her religion. Scarlett’s older sister, who’s studying to become a doctor, has found comfort in many of the traditions since the death of their parents. Both girls show a healthy respect for their beliefs though both practice differently.

However, this is only a small part of the person Scarlett is. She’s a compassionate person who looks after her client. She’s a fighter who refuses to be shut down. She's a snarky opponent who sees through people's bull. She's loyal to her family and friends. And she’s a young girl in love. All these aspects combined make Scarlett a fine role model for young readers everywhere. Scarlett Undercover is a fun read and I’m excited to introduce my daughters to this!

~ Bel