Okay, this is not a horror story. Even a little bit. It is funny as heck though when we follow along with a sleepover that starts to get weirder and weirder and scarier for the kids involved. This book reminded me of how my mind worked as a kid though. I was convinced one night a witch was in my room and if I took the blanket off my head, she would be able to attack me. I swear at one point I felt her long dagger like nose poking at the top of my head. I kept convincing myself it had to be that my poster had fallen over and that was jabbing me in the head. I woke up the next day (when the sun rose all monsters and witches could not come into my bedroom) I found out that the poster was still up on the wall. So what poked me in the head? Yeah I was a mess as a kid. 

I thank Cantero for the nostalgia this story brought and the Harry Potter references. I maybe died at the whole, so you're what? A woke Slytherin? 

This post is about the audiobook edition of this book which I'm too lazy to add.

Going to be brief here, this is one of those books that's all about the concept, if it's up your alley, you'll like the book.

The Blyton Summer Detective Club was a group of kids who met up on school breaks in a small Oregon town from their various homes/schools who solved mysteries à la the Hardy Boys, Three Investigators, Nancy Drew and most importantly, Scooby and the gang. Time after time, they'd uncover the solution to a mystery plaguing the community -- usually resulting in finding a man in a rubber suit, explaining everything. Meddling Kids asks the question: what if the solution to the mystery wasn't (just) a man in a rubber suit? What if the kids stumbled on to something actually mystical, real monsters, etc.?

Following their last case, the gang's lives went in separate ways -- mostly downhill. Incarceration, mental health treatment, academic struggles, addiction, and so on. Finally, more than a decade later, the Detective Club reunites to return to the scene of their last triumph to see just what they missed (or suppressed).

Cantero's execution of this premise was spot-on, early on he left the satirical component/pop culture commentary behind (pretty much), and just told the story, using that as a foundation. Really not much more to say then that.

Kyla Garcia's narration was pretty good. A time or two I had a little trouble following it, but I think that's reflective of the text -- which doesn't seem like the easiest to translate to this medium (not a slight on Cantero or Garcia's talents there). On the whole, though, she did a fine job bringing this book to life and I'd enjoy hearing another book she narrated.

An entertaining celebration of the genre, a rousing adventure, and a pretty creepy story. Pretty much all you could ask for.

I read the title, and I wanted to read this book. I read the blurb and I wanted to read this book now. I signed up for the giveaway, then I checked my local library; they have it in Overdrive, so I immediately checked it out to my Kindle. But my Kindle is at home. When I said "now", I meant "give me total instant gratification, damnit". So I also sent it to my phone.

And then I had to quit by the time they arrived at the scene of their crime-solving. That last case was closed, but the experience deeply wounded each of the four kids in completely believable ways. All of them broken and alone.

And I wouldn't pick it up again because it's a good book, the characters, setting, it's a good straight book and I wanted a light-hearted comedy, and right now I just couldn't give it the time, or seriousness, or respect it deserves. Probably I can't until my children are in their thirties, the sadness is too overwhelming.

Library copy.

This was a very interesting premise for a book with the characters and the cover constantly reminding me of the cartoon show, Scooby Doo. I remember watching Scooby Doo on Saturday mornings growing up and immediately requested the book.

That being said I found this book very humorous on several fronts. The story was filled with comments from the dog (Tim is pretty hilarious, I know he would say for himself) as well as inanimate objects which made me crack a smile and at times, laugh out loud.

For the most part, this book was a pretty good read, however, after a while I kind of got over the premise and found the story grating. I did finish the book and like I said, for the most part I found it entertaining. I think it had a good premise, however it being sometimes hokey and very cheesy, but there is only so much cheese I can take. 

Thanks to Doubleday Books and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.

Scooby-Doo meets H.P. Lovecraft.  With an absolutely fantastic cover.

If you want to read someone singing praises of this story it's not hard to find (NPR: In 'Meddling Kids,' The Scooby Gang Grows Up — Hard, USA Today: 'Scooby-Doo' fans will dig Cantero's 'Meddling Kids').

My reactions are a bit muddled, and probably more in line with the Kirkus review.

Is the book fun?  Undoubtedly.  Familiar enough to evoke Scooby-Doo, but different enough to skirt violation of intellectual property.  Even better, Cantero has injected some actual diversity and complexity to the characters.  In true Scooby-Doo fashion, even as they encounter horrors from the gates beyond, the story holds fast as an adventure rather than a horror or thriller.

My copy was a pre-publication galley, so I'm not sure how much has changed in the final publication, but as I still lack access to the final piece, I have to go forward with the above caveat.  Cantero has chosen to drop in and out of narrative voice and style, with parts of the book written as a script instead of as a novel.  Other parts the narrative includes run on sentences masquerading as paragraphs that make my eyes cross.  I truly hope those parts received excessive editorial attention.

The whole story has a fun, tongue-in-cheek aspect in regards to action movies, particularly those it appears to be a script for.  It definitely gives some fun moments.

My biggest response to this  novel is "how can I turn this into a Call of C'thulhu scenario?"  This would be loads of fun to play as a game, and only require minimal juggling to make it work (the biggest issue is probably how to balance attention to players with Peter's ghost, and possibly to consider Nate "mythos hardened" against certain things).

So, overall, the book was fun, but when I sit back it lacks something.  Elements of fun, but I felt I was promised something with more substance and creeping horror.

I still absolutely adore the cover though.

Advanced Reader Copy courtesy of Doubleday; differences may exist between uncorrected galley text and the final edition.