Rory Branagan

October 1, 2019
You might not guess, but Rory Branagan is a detective. Rory's dad disappeared seven years ago, and no one will tell Rory why--in fact no one tells him anything. Rory lives with his annoying brother, Seamus, and their mom and Auntie Jo (who is actually just a lodger, not their real aunt); his best friend is Wilkins Welkin, the neighbor's sausage dog. When Cassidy Corrigan (or is it Callaghan?) moves in next door, she suggests Rory become a detective and find out the things no one tells him--and she volunteers to be his sidekick. When "Guinea Pig" Gilligan (father to odd neighbor Connor Gilligan) keels over in the street after eating takeout, Rory and Cassidy are on the case. The detective duo checks out the aptly named Deadly Pirate restaurant, where Auntie Jo works. At first, Rory is laughed at, but the mystery deepens...bad guys, poison octopuses, deception, betrayal...and Mom? Can they sort the case and get Seamus to admit Rory really is a detective? British actor, comic, and writer Clover's foolishly fun detective series ably jumps the pond (there are five of a projected seven out in the U.K.), and fans of 13-Story Treehouse and the like will probably jump for joy. Lazar's scribbly line drawings decorate most pages and often amusingly depict Rory's imaginings. Characters present white. Such fun! And, happily, more to come! (Mystery. 6-11)

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January 10, 2020

Gr 1-4-This first entry in a hilarious new mystery series is one that young readers won't want to miss. Three years ago, Rory's father went missing. Rory's mom is keeping secrets, and he has hardly any information to go on. Rory, aided by his friend Cassidy, begins to gather evidence to crack open the case. The pairs' detective work takes a new turn when a family down the street starts to experience a mystery of their own. Working as a team and using their observation skills will be key in uncovering what really happened to Rory's father. Readers new to chapter books will be ecstatic to read and hold such a big book. The excitement of growing as a reader will be evident the moment they pick up this title. The humor and mystery themes will engage even the most reluctant readers. Each chapter builds on the next, incorporating laugh-out-loud moments while placing clues to solve the mystery. VERDICT A new detective series that will have readers laughing out loud and coming back for book two. Fans of Tom Watson's "Stick Dog" or Betty G. Birney's "The World According to Humphrey" series will jump right into this title. A delightful addition to elementary library collections.-Elizabeth Pelayo, St. Charles East High School, IL

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November 15, 2019
Grades 2-4 With considerable assistance from a sausage dog, a venomous blue-ringed octopus, awesomely competent new neighbor Cassidy Corrigan, and a mom who wields a mean cutting board, 10-year-old Rory kicks off both his detective career and an upcoming series of hard-boiled exploits by nipping a planned wave of food poisoning in the bud. It begins when friendly neighborhood stolen-goods fence Guinea Pig Gilligan's sudden illness prompts an investigation, and ends with a series of stunning twists. Presented Wimpy Kid-style, with big, well-leaded lines of narrative and scowling figures in economically drawn pen-and-ink sketches, the caper hurtles along amid wisecracks, tough talk, suspects, and red herrings aplenty. Readers will wonder why Cassidy, who demonstrates martial arts skills and even possible superpowers and schools Rory in spotting clues, declares herself content with being his sidekick, but they'll thrill to the rough-and-tumble action and applaud the triumphant sleuth's closing declaration that he's "actually a detective. Good thing, too, as future puzzles, including the sudden disappearance of his dad seven years ago, are lined up in wait.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2019, American Library Association.)