Ferrets, golden items, a missing teacher! This was oodles of fun!

💖 I really liked Jake, though haha, I just had to adjust to a girl named Jake with a best friend who is a guy named Sterling. I loved how she dug herself in a mystery. Plus, I loved how she talked. Not once did she slip out of her role as a gumshoe from lots of decades ago. Well, OK, maybe sometimes when she had to answer a teacher or explain to her comrades what she meant. Her doing the whole bit of gumshoe made things so much fun and more mysterious. I am curious why she was kicked out of so many schools, but I am guessing it has to do with her going so hardcore after baddies, not everyone likes that. I loved how she kept going even when things weren’t going so hot and I enjoyed seeing her puzzle her way through the mystery.
💖 I was at first worried about Brick but he turned out to be a real swell guy. Sure, he had some rougher tendencies but it seemed a lot of the things that he did/that happened were based on rumours that he spread along with the fact that he is a big guy (though some things are true as proven by the ending, OUCH). I really appreciated that he became part of the team and I loved what he brought to the investigation. I loved how he became much more friendly as the story continued.
💖 Sterling, thankfully wasn’t such a nerdy nerd. I actually liked this guy and I loved what he brought to the table in the investigation. Sure, I did get a bit tired of him being worried or afraid, but for most he showed he really could be a good detective. I also loved his darker side (the hacking, the way he was appreciative of what Brick did).
💖 The mystery was so much fun! Yes, I figured it out from the moment we saw that object but then I was eagerly looking forward to gaining more clues and see how long it would take our team to figure things out! It was a lot of fun seeing the kids go after clues, make lists, make boards, go after suspects, break into the office of the head, talk to people, and more. They leave no stone unturned!
💖 The hideout? I want to be in it for real! Holy crap, that place was awesome. Everyone worked hard on that one and I wanted to step inside the place myself!
💖 Finally a character who likes liquorice!
💖 I liked that Jake figured things out through Deduction Logic puzzles.
💖 The ferret, while we only got to see him for a short while, was adorable and I want more of him. Mr Fuzzypants!
💖 The ending was such fun and I loved how it all came together and see them work things out to challenge the suspect!
💖 The Drakonia backstory stuff was interesting and fun. At times a bit weird because there was such a focus on it, so I would love a previous book explaining more about it. The names for the baddies and goodies reminded me of DragonBall, so good job!
💖 I loved reading about the school and all that went on in there.

😡 But what is with the third act break-up? I mean, that is how I would call it as I have read enough romance BS to know how that looks. Was it all a ploy so we could see Jake’s detective buddies? It felt so weirdly placed and I was just shaking my head.

🙄 Also sorry, but who bathes with their books in bath? I do that with library books or my ebook, but my normal books, HECK nah. I don’t need my books to be minty fresh but I would like them without water, thank you. I guess it made sense for the plot to mention this but it stood out for me.
🙄 I also found it hilarious that she didn’t get it the first time, girl, how did you?

🤨 Also what was up with the difference in cover/inside in regards to the illustrations? On the cover we see three kids and then on the backside of that we get an introduction to the kids. However the rest of the illustrations was VASTLY different. Jake has pigtails and wears a school uniform (as is said in the story), Brick looks more chubby and has wild hair. Sterling looks skinnier taller and way nerdier. Why? Why have two different illustrations? I did like the style but each time we saw the characters I was just like whut.

🤔 I also would have liked more puzzles. I bought a few of these Murdles for my hubby and he has way more puzzles next to the story. I thought this would be the same. Get story. Solve puzzles. But while you can solve things on your own the grid is filled in by the kids. I think it would have been fun if they gave you hints/engaged the reader and then let them fill it out.

Despite those issues I am really glad I got this book and I will definitely be getting the next one when it comes out. I would also love to read Jake’s story with her fellow detectives, the before part! And I would recommend this one~