Searching for Lucky #3002: A Ben and Blue Mystery

By Keith Garton, 2024

Genre: Chilldren’s Fiction

Pages; 168

Note: We received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Questions. Curiosity. Confusion. Secrets. Telling the truth, even when it hurts. A dastardly villain. The best detective dog in the world. You’ll find all this and more in Keith Garton’s new novel for middle grade readers, Searching for Lucky #3002: A Ben and Blue Mystery.

The Basics

A school project turns into a nightmare when Benjamin “Ben” Zither, “almost ten,” has to come up with some answers for his class’s Family Project. His best friend Caliope (isn’t that a great name?) “Claire” Cooper, has divorced parents. Ben has a mom. She’s a psychiatrist, “the kind of doctor for sad and worried people.” But Ben doesn’t know who his dad is. Not even his name. When asked, Mom says she found Ben’s dad “in a bank.” That only leads to more confusion as Ben tries to sort out who he is and who his dad is. The only thing Ben really knows is that his dad had green eyes.

Deflecting some tricky questions about Dad, Mom suggests getting a dog (Kimber: Always a good plan!). So Mom and Ben head to the Furry Friends Animal Shelter. Ben meets a “droopy-faced dog.” Turns out Blue the Basset Hound needs a family, too! Meanwhile, Ben is still sweating about his Family Project. He wonders to Blue if he’ll even recognize his dad if he ever sees him. Not to fret. Ben and Cooper team up with Blue and determine to search for clues about Ben’s dad.

Operation Snoop

During Operation Snoop, Blue finds… Oh, wait. You’ll have to read the book yourself to find out about that. Meanwhile, questions linger. Can Ben, Blue and Cooper crack the case of Lucky #3002 before his class project is due? How? Why does the usually gregarious, friendly Blue go shy and quiet whenever an elderly lady named Pearl shows up? And why is Pearl so interested in Blue?

But…

Now, it would’ve been easy to make this book about IVF and just include the science. But Garton doesn’t do that. Instead, he creates and sustains a wide variety of emotions including fear, anxiety, confusion, loyalty, and hope. There’s also suspense, intrigue and a Sherlockian vibe rippling through the pages, plus a generous dose of gentle humor.

More Than One

Without giving too much away, let’s just say that our Intrepid Trio has more than one mystery to solve. So there’s plenty to keep middle grade readers engaged, entertained, and turning pages.

After All…

Briskly paced with pitch-perfect timing, Searching for #3002 is a quick and clever read. The writing is solid. Characters are memorable. The action snaps, crackles, and pops like a bowlful of Rice Krispies. We especially appreciated the sensitive manner in which a sensitive subject is approached. Ditto how Blue is treated as a member of the family. After all, what’s not to love about the best detective dog in the world?

Our Rating: 4.0

 

 

 

 

 

Detective ace photo credit: Public domain