Biographer and amateur sleuth Cece Caruso freely admits that she spent her youth idolizing girl detective Nancy Drew, a fantasy that undoubtedly influenced her grown-up job writing biographies of dead mystery writers. But as Cece will discover driving down the highway in her Jackie O. sunglasses and a borrowed baby-blue Cadillac, some fantasies die harder than others. Researching the life of Carolyn Keene, the pseudonymous author of the Nancy Drew mysteries, Cece meets a flamboyant collector of "Blue Nancys," the original books with blue covers. When he finds out that she is taking a road trip to Palm Springs to snoop around at the annual Nancy Drew fan convention, he offers her the use of his swanky vacation house. But the last thing Cece expects to find lying around the swimming pool is one very dead body. In a race against time that takes her from a secret enclave of restored Victorians near downtown L.A. to the driest stretches of California desert, Cece will have to channel her former idol and then some to unmask a sly killer -- before he comes after her. Of course, it helps to have a knockout collection of vintage clothing, though Cece prefers Azzedine Alaïa semigloss knits and Halston silver sequined berets to Nancy's prim suits and gloves. Filled with wit, energy, and clever twists, not to mention one smart, hip heroine, Not a Girl Detective is pure entertainment. Adult/High School–Hip, feisty Cece Caruso is back. Writing biographies of dead mystery authors tends to land her in odd situations, and, as she researches Carolyn Keene, the fictitiously named author of the Nancy Drew books, she is drawn into the murder of a wealthy collector of series memorabilia. Cece has something that the killer wants; while trying to figure out what it is, she finds herself crossing paths with several people who stand to gain from the victim's death. The characters are deliciously drawn, the pace is snappy, and the plot twists and turns will keep mystery lovers satisfied. As entertaining as Cece and the other characters are, the icing on the cake is the depth of Kandel's research. Readers who enjoyed following the teen sleuth's adventures will appreciate the insight into the history of the Stratemeyer Syndicate, the organization responsible for producing numerous children's series. Kandel provides an informative glimpse into 1930s and 1940s book publishing, introducing Mildred Wirt Benson, the author of 22 of the first 25 Nancy Drews; Russell Tandy, the illustrator of the early covers; and Grace Horton, the professional model who was her face. The author blends fact and fiction with assurance, using these real people to set up a plot that ultimately involves Salvador Dali's art. While those who grew up with the girl detective are the ideal audience, Cece's wit and tenacity as she breezes around Los Angeles and Palm Springs make the novel an enjoyable read for anyone in the mood for a lighthearted mystery. –Kim Dare, Fairfax County Public Library System, VA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. In this fluffy follow-up to last year's I Dreamed I Married Perry Mason , CeCe Caruso, writer, vintage-clothes collector, and Nancy Drew fan, manages to combine all three interests while solving a murder. Caruso's writing is specialized: she pens biographies of dead mystery writers. Her latest chronicles the various authors who wrote Nancy Drew mysteries under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene. She's particularly interested in the blonde who posed for the distinctive blue cover art, and wouldn't you know it, she meets up with a Drew collector who shares the same interest and who almost immediately winds up dead. The crime genre seems a bit overstocked at the moment with peppy heroines who take part in over-the-top adventures, and Caruso is yet another in the long line. Still, the action moves along smartly, and the characters, though stock, have some appeal (especially CeCe's cop boyfriend). One puzzler: How much of the information about the Nancy Drew books is accurate? Much of it seems to be, but readers who aren't "Nancy's Chums," as the fan base is known, may wonder. Ilene Cooper Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved “Fact-filled and funny; a worthy successor to Cece’s bright debut.” (Kirkus Reviews) “The action moves along smartly.” (Booklist) “A funny, original, well-plotted murder mystery.” (Entertainment Weekly) “There’s lots of fun Nancy Drew lore in this airy entertainment.” (New Orleans Times-Picayune) “Kandel offers up a race against time, a nail-biting chase and some unexpected twists and turns.” (Denver Rocky Mountain News) “Zany.” (Sacramento Bee) “A cool, refreshingly tart summer read.” (Parade) “Full of comedy, intelligence and knowledge, this is a mystery you want to share.” (Trenton NJ Times) “Not a Girl Detective...is as sparkling as a spilled packet of Sweet ‘n Low.” (Washington Post Book World) “Entertaining quirks...K