I have an affiliate relationship with Bookshop.org and Malaprop's Bookstore in beautiful Asheville, NC. I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you purchase merchandise through links on my site. Read more on my affiliate page.
Title: Goldie Vance
Author: Hope Larson
Illustrator: Brittney Williams
Series: Goldie Vance #1
Genre: Graphic Novel, Mystery, Adventure, Southern Literature
Audience: Young Adult
Format: Paperback
My Synopsis:
Young sleuth Goldie Vance works as a valet at the Florida resort her dad manages. When a guest reports that an invaluable necklace has been stolen from his room, Goldie inserts herself into assists with the investigation.
My Review:
Oh my goodness! This is so stinking cute and smart!
I was never a big mystery reader as a kid. I could never guess “whodunnit” and that irritated me. Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys were practically nonstarters for me. I wish Goldie Vance had been around back in the day because she would have turned me into a mystery reader for sure!
Goldie herself is a treasure. (See what I did there?) She’s intelligent, fearless, tenacious, assertive without being aggressive, and a daredevil. As most precocious teens do, she drives the adults around her a bit crazy. I absolutely loved her and I can’t wait to see the direction her personal life takes in the next books.
I wish we had seen more of the supporting cast because I think I’m going to like them a lot too. The characters are very diverse and I loved that inclusiveness. There are allusions to Goldie’s past history with other characters that I want to read about in more detail.
The ending of the mystery goes in a completely unexpected and frankly implausible direction but it’s fun.
The illustrations with their popping colors and retro, “cool cat” vibe (the book feels like it’s set in the 1960s) were awesome!
I loved this so much that I immediately requested the next three volumes of the series from the library. I highly, highly recommend this as a fun, retro mystery with a diverse cast of characters.
Similar Books:
If you liked Goldie Vance, you might also like my reviews of
- Brave Chef Brianna by Sam Sykes, illustrated by Selina Espiritu
- Giant Days Volume One by John Allison, illustrated by Lissa Treiman
Purchase:
Buy Goldie Vance from Malaprop’s Bookstore in Asheville, NC.
I have an affiliate relationship with Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe in beautiful Asheville, NC. I will earn a small commission at no additional cost to you if you purchase merchandise through links on my site.
1 Comment
Sounds like a lot of good ole fun. I wish there were more books like this one out there, for comfort during pandemic fatigue!