A review by jenn_sveda
Sammy Keyes and the Curse of Moustache Mary by Wendelin Van Draanen

4.0

The Great Childhood Favorites Reread continues! I remember this one being a favorite as a child, but this time I feel like it isn't as strong as the earlier books in this series. The "mystery" is solved almost entirely by luck and coincidence - aside from pulling the blueprints from the real estate agents' car at the Murdoch house, Sammy does very little sleuthing and assembles very few clues. If it weren't for Penny falling into the hidden lab, I don't think Sammy and her friends would have ever solved this one! It's only once Sammy finds the lab (again, by accident) that she is able to put the rest of the pieces together, leading to a quick explanation of the case without the usual process of finding clues, investigating suspects, etc. I wish the mystery had been better developed, because solving the mystery along with Sammy is one of the most appealing parts of these books. However, I love the introduction to Casey (probably why I remember this one as a favorite!) and I think the handling of serious topics like underage drinking, smoking, and drugs is done very well for a middle grade audience.