Chiana Ryan PI: Murder Sucks
June Whyte
Zumaya Thresholds

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„Chiana Ryan PI: Murder Sucks“ opens as Chiana, her friends Tayla and Jack McEvoy discuss the dead body Patsy Turner has found. Dead as a fish dinner according to Jack.

It didn’t Chiana long to get her notebook open and begin to take notes. A mystery short story contest for kids under 14 in KidLit magazine offered a $500 prize, plus the winning entry was to be published on the Internet. Chiana was determined to write the winning tale.

Adding to the narrative, the body has disappeared. Chiana intends to use the expertise she has gained from her reading of each and everyone of the Nancy Drew book series.

Tomboy Chiana and her gorgeous step sister Sarah are at odds, a dog named Leroy, step father Ken is besotted with Marg, Chiana’s mom, laughing class and a girl with the name Krystal Masters all serve to move the narrative forward.

Chiana sleuths on trying her best to get to the bottom of puzzle in which she finds herself. Chiana enlists the help of friends, her somewhat languid, albeit cookie crazed bulldog and even her self-satisfied step sister

Writer Whyte has created a venue filled with kid pleasing characters, action and excitement.

Chiana Ryan and her desire to become a murder mystery writer when she grows up is sure to interest girls especially but boys too of the target reading age.

A body that appears, disappears and then reappears two days later, a strange old fellow who spins a hard to believe tale of aliens landing a space ship on the nearby church roof, and a pink handkerchief emblazoned with the letter K all meld in the tale of murder, a cache of drugs and a surprising escape are only some of the amusing escapades centered on screwball clues and red herrings designed to keep the reader turning the page and more than a little confused for who it is exactly that is the perpetrator behind all the chicanery.

Attention-grabbing settings, appealing stratagem and out of the ordinary characters are all part of the mix in this first in the series from Writer Whyte.

Happy to recommend „Chiana Ryan PI: Murder Sucks“ especially for middle grade readers.