Really fun quick read! It is basically a sherlock holmes in the contemporary world and i really loved it. i Hope we see more of these characters cause by the end i grew to enjoy both characters. So many twists that i did not expect! ( )

Really fun quick read! It is basically a sherlock holmes in the contemporary world and i really loved it. i Hope we see more of these characters cause by the end i grew to enjoy both characters. So many twists that i did not expect! ( )

I listened to this book as an audiobook and loved it. The narrator was great for the role and the story was both exciting and built the characters so that you care about them. I also liked that it left some questions unanswered. Can't wait to read the next one. ( )

Trouble is a Friend of Mine is a laugh-out-loud story about Zoe Webster who is living with her mother after her parents' divorce. By starting the story telling us about an impossible predicament that Zoe is in, the reader is immediately drawn into the action, which rarely lets up. Most of the rest of the story is in flashback, explaining how she ended up in this situation. "Trouble," in the form of Phillip Digby, who recruits a reluctant Zoe into helping him track down a missing girl. The result is a mad-capped adventure into the unusual and unpredictable life of Digby and his quest. There are quite a few poignant moments also, especially when we find out Digby's real reasons for looking for the missing girl.
This story is truly special. Digby is a character reminiscent of Veronica Mars with even more unique, quirky behavior. We are never quite sure what Digby will get himself and Zoe into, but it is always entertaining. The last few chapters offer so many twists and turns, that it is hard to keep up. I really liked this book and hope that there will be a sequel. ( )

Zoe’s life changes when brilliant, annoying Digby shows up at her door and expects her to come along in his schemes. A local girl has been kidnapped, and Digby is determined to get to the bottom of it and the kidnapping of his little sister eight years ago. Digby, Zoe, and a few other friends try to get to the bottom of the mystery, from breaking into a skeevy gynecologist’s office, making friends with a few police officers and getting them to help with their detective work, and investigating the strange cult in Zoe’s neighborhood. Their adventures lead to almost getting shot and being in an explosion, but the answers they find and the friendship they gain might make it all worth it anyway.

Some of the characterization could have been more rounded. For example, Zoe is mostly characterized as sarcastic, friends with Digby, and has issues with her father. Digby is like Sherlock Holmes mixed with manic pixie dream boy. He has a lot of issues, like showing up in Zoe’s room uninvited, that everyone writes off as being “just Digby” instead of talking about how serious that is. He also has mental health issues, but it’s not completely addressed and shows him ignoring his medication instead of treating it in a respectful way. Even though none of the characters are that deep, the interactions between them are hilarious. The banter between the characters makes the story hilarious, even when the action going on is somber. There are some disturbing, creepy events in the book, but the kids manage to solve the mysteries anyway, making it seem like an episode of Scooby Doo or a young Sherlock Holmes story. Sometimes it tries a little too hard to be quirky and the characters could have been more rounded, but readers who want a mystery or crime book with hilarious dialogue and kids solving the mystery will enjoy this book. In spite of its weaknesses, it is always entertaining. ( )