Charlotte Illes Is Not a Detective by Katie Siegel
Today on the blog I’m going to be discussing Charlotte Illes is Not a Detective by Katie Siegel. This mystery novel follows Charlotte Illes, a former kid detective who is trying to figure out her life now that she’s in her mid twenties. She’s no longer solving mysteries, but when her brother asks her to help him and his girlfriend do some investigating she can’t say no.
If you enjoyed today’s review you can read more cozy mystery reviews here.
What is Charlotte Illes is Not a Detective About?
For everyone who grew up wanting to be Harriet the Spy or Nancy Drew, this witty and charming series from a TikTok sensation offers a modern, millennial-friendly spin on cozy mysteries, featuring an irresistible heroine and one-time child detective who’s now a directionless twentysomething—until another mystery comes calling.
The downside about being a famous child detective is that sooner or later, you have to grow up . . .
As a kid, Charlotte Illes’ uncanny sleuthing abilities made her a minor celebrity. But in high school, she hung up her detective’s hat and stashed away the signature blue landline in her “office”—aka garage—convinced that finding her adult purpose would be as easy as tracking down missing pudding cups or locating stolen diamonds.
Now 25, Charlotte has a nagging fear that she hit her peak in middle school. She’s living with her mom, scrolling through job listings, and her love life consists mostly of first dates. When it comes to knowing what to do next, Charlotte hasn’t got a clue.
And then, her old blue phone rings . . .
Reluctantly, Charlotte is pulled back into the mystery-solving world she knew—just one more time. But that world is a whole lot more complicated for an adult. As a kid, she was able to crack the case and still get her homework done on time. Now she’s dealing with dead bodies, missing persons, and villains who actually see her as a viable threat. And the detective skills she was once so eager to never use again are the only things that can stop a killer ready to make sure her next retirement is permanent . . . (from Amazon.com)
My Thoughts
Although it’s not a perfectly crafted book, I really enjoyed Charlotte Illes is Not a Detective by Katie Siegel. It’s a fun premise because it feels very nostalgic. Charlotte is a former child detective and there are mentions of her having a notebook when she was a kid so it gave total Harriet the Spy vibes.
I also found it to be a very relatable story because of where Charlotte is in her life. I felt the same way when I twenty five. I didn’t know what I wanted to do or what my calling was in life. It was comforting to watch her come to terms with her life throughout the story. She really worked through a lot and discovered that it’s okay to not know what you want to do at twenty five.
I Loved the Characters
Charlotte not only has one best friend, but she has two! I loved Gabe and Lucy. The three of them together were so funny and Lucy and Gabe were the perfect side kicks to help Charlotte while she tried to solve the case. They really helped with discovering clues and investigating this twisty mystery. I also really liked Landon and Olivia (Charlotte’s brother and his girlfriend).
Olivia plays a big part in this mystery because it takes place at her job.
But with that being said, I couldn’t keep track of all the office people in this story. There were so many character names to remember and to me, they weren’t very memorable and so I couldn’t keep track of them all. Just my opinion. And because they were all strangers to me, I didn’t care very much about the mystery.
Final Thoughts
There were a lot of things to love in this story but the mystery just didn’t do it for me. And that’s ok! I still loved the world that this story was set in. I also loved all the characters. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series because I want to read more of Charlotte, Lucy and Gabe and find out where their lives are going next.
In Conclusion
I hope you enjoyed today’s book review of Charlotte Illes is Not a Detective. It’s a fun cozy mystery. If you enjoyed today’s review you can read more cozy mystery reviews here.
