Gumshoe And The Mysterious Mushrooms by Laura Hawks
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Gumshoe and the Mysterious Mushrooms is the first book in the Gumshoe Mysteries series. It is a YA cozy mystery for thirteen- to eighteen-year-olds. The story centers around the character of a young girl named Mia who discovers at the age of fifteen that not only is she a witch but that the stray cat she has been feeding behind her family restaurant is her familiar. The cat likes to be called Gumshoe because he recalls a former life where he was a Private Investigator, referred to as gumshoes in those days. Mia has always known that she can sense things before they happen but it all suddenly makes sense when she learns that she is a witch. When customers who ate at her parent’s restaurant suddenly become violently ill, Mia and Gumshoe set out to solve the mystery of the mushrooms that are reportedly the culprit. Danger lurks around every corner as Mia and Gumshoe start to unravel the mystery of who is responsible for the poisonings.

I loved this storyline and adored the characters of Mia and Gumshoe. Mia is smart, sweet, kind, and talented. She is a talented up and coming chef and loves cooking. Gumshoe makes for a perfect sidekick for Mia. He is clever, funny, wise-cracking, and as one would expect from a PI, he loves to drink and smoke. Together the two are unstoppable and able to crack the clues to solve the mystery. This book is a quick read and takes some twists and turns along the way. It has action, suspense, mystery, magic, familiars, and witty banter. I really enjoyed the ending where Mia helps Gumshoe remember more about his past. The recipes included at the end were a fantastic touch, thank you. I look forward to reading more by this author!

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