You Vs. The Poison Plot by Josh Hicks

Since we started on the mystery path yesterday, I decided to continue on! Today's read is in 'Choose Your Own Adventure' style. So, I'm curious how it does because I was a huge fan of these as a kid.

Get ready to make some decision and collect those clues!

YOU VS THE POISON PLOT

A Choose Your Path Mystery

by Josh Hicks

Candlewick

Middle Grade Mystery

224 pages

ages 8 to 12

COMING OCTOBER 13th!!!

Can YOU solve the biggest crime of the century (or at least of the after-school talent show)? With multiple choose-your-own paths, suspects to investigate, and endings to uncover, this fresh and funny whodunit—the first in an interactive series—puts readers in control.

When Mr. Rosso, the drama teacher, is found unconscious before the big school talent show, the theories for what happened are plentiful—and it’s up to the reader to solve the mystery. Through an exciting, page-hopping format, readers themselves decide how the story progresses. Should they question Levi, the popular kid with the voice of an angel? Investigate the crime scene with Allie, the sharp-eyed school newspaper photographer? Dig up dirt on Ms. Lynch, the nervous teaching assistant? Following the clues however they choose, readers might get caught in a wild goose chase or sleuth their way to the clever solution—in any case, the witty storylines paired with lively cartoon art make this an unforgettable DIY romp.

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Each turn of the page might disclose new information as the reader does their best to get to the bottom of this mystery.

Mr. Russo, the drama teacher, falls unconscious right before the annual talent contest, and that while several contests are with him. As the school's journalist, there's no way you can let this huge story slide...but to be a great article in the school's paper, first you need to figure out what happened. With the paper's photographer at your side, the two of you try your best to figure out what is going on, but the more clues you discover, the foggier this mystery grows.

The choose-your-own tale style adds a nice layer to the mystery fun, especially since this one takes place in a school setting...something readers can easily sink into. There are quite a few suspects, and the search for clues leads to surprising locations. The clues take some thought to thread together because the answer isn't obvious even as the reader (main character) takes notes. Some decisions lead to unhelpful moments, while others uncover something big, and it's not always clear which choice heads where. So, this book keeps the reader in the pages.

Instead of leading the reader through a direct line of pages (depending on choices), the author sometimes uses central points to branch off and return to. For example, when Mr. Russo is discovered with various suspects present, each suspect leads to a different page-chain before returning back so readers can choose someone else or carry on. So, the adventure is never overly short. Also, if a wrong choice is made that would, normally, mean the end of that chosen tale direction, a 're-do' possibility is usually offered to reverse that wrong decision and continue with the tale. This gives the entire thing a buffered feel. 

This mystery fits the mid and lower end of the age group nicely and works well for even sensitive readers, since there isn't a murder and nothing grows dark. The plot is rather straightforward without giving much on the deeper, side-plots end outside of some lighter, possible motives from the suspects. There is a bit more dialogue than I've often seen in this type of book, which gives the reader some personality traits. So, while the reader is addressed with 'you' and makes the decisions, there is a main character-ish vibe about it, too. 

It's an entertaining read, which doesn't deliver the clues in a way to make the solution obvious, and there's a lighter atmosphere to keep everything from even thinking about nodding toward a dark direction. It also practices those reading skills, since it's not overly quick or short. The illustrations add to the mystery and help with the delivery of the clues. Summed up, it's an entertaining read.

And here he is...

Josh Hicks is a writer and illustrator based in Cardiff, Wales. He is the creator of the graphic novels Glorious Wrestling Alliance: Ultimate Championship Edition; Hotelitor: Luxury-Class Defense and Hospitality Unit; and Minecraft: Out of Order. When he’s not making books, Josh Hicks writes and directs for animation.