Knives Out meets Finding Orion in this funny and heartwarming middle grade mystery by award-winning author Kristin OтАЩDonnell Tubb about a girl investigating the recent death of her uncle only to find the healing power of family.
Chloe Alvarez has never been to the reading of a last will and testament before, but she hopes it is just like the movies. Lies! Intrigue! The reading of her Uncle WillтАЩs will is standard, until he announces his gift for Chloe: his African grey parrot, Charlie.
Uncle Will was ChloeтАЩs best friend. Without him, sheтАЩs left with only her memories of them togetherтАФwhich come to her in snapshotsтАФand her new friend, Charlie. The parrot has a vast vocabulary, and soon Chloe hears her say something odd: It was murder, followed by homicide and cyanide. Chloe becomes convinced her uncle WillтАЩs death was foul play. Why else wouldnтАЩt he have told anyone in the familyтАФespecially ChloeтАФthat he was sick?
With the help of her family, Chloe begins the investigation to uncover Uncle WillтАЩs murderer. The suspects: His nosy neighbor. An ex-girlfriend. A rude landlord. A loan shark. But it all leads to more questions than answers. Did someone really kill Uncle Will? Or could this journey help reunite ChloeтАЩs grieving family?
Kristin O'Donnell Tubb is the author of The Decomposition of Jack; Luna Howls at the Moon; Zeus, Dog of Chaos; the Story Collector series; A Dog Like Daisy; and other middle grade titles. She lives near Nashville, TN, with her bouncy-loud family. Just like her two dogs, she can be bribed with cheese. You can visit her online at kristintubb.com.