SOPHIE LI

Hi everyone!

Today I have a mini-review for an older middle-grade book that I really enjoyed. This is one of my favourite MG mysteries, so I am excited to tell you guys all about this book!

Best friends and seventh graders Sophie Young and Grace Yang have made a game out of spying on their neighbors. On one of their midnight stakeouts, they witness a terrifying, bloody scene at the home of their bizarre middle-school counselor, Dr. Charlotte Agford (aka Dr. Awkward).

At least, they think they do. The truth is that Dr. Agford was only making her famous pickled beets! But when Dr. Agford begins acting even weirder than usual, Sophie and Grace become convinced that she’s hiding something—and they’re determined to find out what it is.

Soon the girls are breaking secret codes, being followed by a strange blue car, and tailing strangers with unibrows and Texas accents. But as their investigation heats up, Sophie and Grace start to crack under the pressure. They might solve their case, but will their friendship survive?

Sophie Young and Grace Yang were an adorable pair. They were best friends but not without their differences — while Grace was the leader of the pair, Sophie was the follower and often had trouble finding her own opinion. As the story progressed, their friendship grew, became strained, and strengthened. And Sophie herself started to gain confidence in herself. I loved that this novel focused on friendship in addition to a mystery.

The plot was intense. Despite being a MG novel, The Wig in the Window did not shy away from guns and life-threatening situations, which had me on the edge of my seat! I was surprised by the twists and turns throughout the novel, a lot of it taking me completely off-guard. There were always unanswered questions that kept me interested about what was coming up next. After the 50% mark, I finished the rest of the book in one sitting!

There was also an element of Mean Girls here as Sophie was abandoned by her usual friends and was relegated to the “loser table”. This down-to-earth look at middle school brought me right back to when I was in grade 7.

I loved the theme of the story which was all about challenging your perceptions and having confidence in yourself!

Did I mention that Sophie’s voice was quirky and hilarious?

I actually can’t think of anything here. I’m seeing there is a second book out there so I’m really excited to read it but I wished the series were longer?

The cover art is fun but I felt it misrepresented some of the pretty intense scenes that occurred later on in the novel.

5/5 fishies!

The Wig in the Window was a gritty mystery/thriller full of ups and downs with a good dose of friendship and a dash of middle school. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a fast-paced mystery packed full with intrigue and humour!

Let me know about your favourite mystery novels!

Photo by Alberto Lucas Pérez on Unsplash