After giving the first two books in The Sherlock Society series 5⭐️, I was so excited to pick up this third one, especially with the awesome cover! I look forward to these books every year because I really enjoy the characters—a middle-grade mystery-solving team led by 12-year-old Alex, his sister Zoe & friends (Lina & Yadi), and his retired reporter grandpa Pete! I’ve read A LOT of mysteries and thrillers written for adults, and I have to say that this series is just as intricate & unpredictable as the best of them! I haven’t been able to fully solve any of these mysteries before the characters do. All of the mysteries in the series happen in the Miami area, and with every new book, I feel like I’m learning something new about the city, its districts, and history. This time, the story takes us into the world of street art and graffiti, using real Miami art districts and locations. The story is told from the 1st-person POV of 12 y/o Alex, and after getting to know him and the entire crew in the first 2 books, I felt like I’d never left this world right from the start. The story opens with a dramatic prologue where Alex is arrested for spray-painting a building, but he quickly lets us know that it’s all part of the plan. Then it jumps back a few weeks to see how it all started. He and his crew now have their own investigation company and take on an assignment from developer Turner-McGee to track down the mysterious Funky Munky, an anonymous graffiti artist whose viral artwork has been appearing throughout Miami. The developer wants Funky Munky to create a mural for a new development and offers Alex’s crew a $20,000 finder’s fee—but they have to crack the case ahead of Miami Art Week! Just like the previous books, the investigation begins with the crew dividing up the 5 Ws—Who, What, Where, When, and Why—and I loved watching each member approach their piece of the puzzle. From there, the mystery gets complex, introducing a cast of suspicious characters from the art world, podcasters, social media personalities, local politicians, and even suspicious law enforcement figures! I had no idea where this story was heading most of the time and kept jotting down clues as I listened—and even created my own mystery board, but it still wasn’t enough for me to figure out either the identity of Funky Munky!! 🤣 A major reveal happens much sooner than I expected, and the story has a darker mystery for Alex and his team to solve! Loved it! The pacing is relentless, and almost every clue/discovery sends Alex and the team somewhere new to investigate. Memorable characters who helped the team in earlier books make reappearances, which I really enjoyed! Alex’s parents also become more involved as the mystery unfolds, especially his mom, who’s a lawyer with some tricks up her sleeve. And Grandpa Pete continues to be one of my favorites. He continues developing in every book, and while he’s still charismatic, intelligent, funny, and invested in helping the kids solve their cases, we also get to see another side of him—especially with his relationship with a new character, Marisol! 😍 At 320 pages (under 6 hours on audio), you can finish this in a day, just like the previous books. I also love that every chapter has a unique, fun title that gives you hints of what’s coming next, adding a bit more suspense. The final chapters give satisfying closure while leaving some intriguing possibilities for where the next investigation could take the Sherlock Society! If you enjoy intricate, fast-paced mysteries with memorable characters, I highly recommend this series! You’ll be surprised, even if you’re an adult reader who doesn’t normally pick up middle grade, by just how entertaining, immersive, and puzzle-like these books are! Don’t hesitate if any of this sounds intriguing to you!