Skye Starling is an 11-year-old who lives in the small town of Seagull’s Nest with her cool grandma, Sheila. There are some things about the town she likes: egg sandwiches, her cat Admiral Mittens, writing mystery stories about star detective Red Fox, spying on suspicious townsfolk with her new friend Bailey, and the Annual Squawk Awards.
And there are some things Skye doesn’t like at all about Seagull’s Nest: Winston, the Mayor’s chicken (he pecks!), her freshly finished novel being stolen, the crime in her novel happening in REAL LIFE!, everyone in the town acting suspiciously, and being the only one who can find the real criminal.
Will Skye uncover the culprit in time to save the town?
I loved Australian author Kelli Anne Hawkins’ middle-grade debut The School for Talking Pets and her second book Birdbrain. So, I was more than excited to get my hands on Copycat, Hawkins’ latest funny and thrilling mystery.
Hawkins has worked as a journalist, and clearly knows how to reel a reader in. The first chapter is cleverly titled ‘The End’, revealing our protagonist’s journalistic desires and introducing readers to her quirky tone of voice; I was hooked from the get-go.
There’s a sudden criminal wave in Seagull’s Nest, and it’s up to Skye to solve it – after all, it is her fictional crimes that have come to life, even if she’s not the one committing them. It’s an interesting premise, and I can picture the most reluctant readers tearing through the pages. This is a cosy mystery at its finest.
You get to know the townsfolk of Seagull’s Nest very quickly. There are a colourful and interesting cast of characters, and everyone is a suspect; but sometimes knowing everyone too closely makes detective work more difficult. The rapid immersion into small-town life gives the novel quite an interactive feel. I often felt like I was Skye, trying to solve each clue alongside her. It makes this a fast-paced read, despite wanting to savour each moment, clue and red herring thrown your way.
As with other popular detective fiction, like Nancy Drew, I enjoyed the mystery tropes scattered throughout: disguises, sleuthing and solving. And Copycat shows this in multiple ways. There’s solving the town crime at hand, but it’s also personal. Skye is on a journey to solve parts of her life that have been missing: friends and family – most importantly the sudden disappearance of her parents three years ago. Through these mysteries, Skye learns about herself and we learn how loud and important the quietest voices can be.
I recommend this for children aged 8+ and any fans of thrilling mystery fiction. I read this in one sitting and I have no doubt a whole slew of readers will, too. Copycat is a fantastic addition to my growing collection of Kelli Anne Hawkins’ books, and I can’t wait to read what she delivers us next.
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