The Latchkey Twins: Case No. 46: The Twins Solve a Murder

by Kelly Nugent

Child detectives Pesto and Turnpike are twins, but they couldn't be more different!

Fastidious and careful Pesto is happy with the cases they've been solving--what's wrong with cupcake capers and degenerate dognappers? Meanwhile, Turnpike the troublemaker longs for more adventure.

When they stumble upon a murder in their peaceful town of River Valley, the twins embark on a journey unlike anything they've ever experienced. This murder mystery is the spookiest, bloodiest case yet faced by... The Latchkey Twins!

A nostalgic, fantastical romp in the world of vintage children's horror mysteries!

151 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 10, 2025

Reviews

[Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Delightfully campy

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

This a a witty parody of the old-timey serial kids books that I like, a bit Nancy Drew but more The Famous Five. It hits the beats nicely with a few side eyes. (

[Becka D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a freaking treat. Incredibly reminiscent of the horror books my papa would get me from the used book store as a kid. I had so much fun reading this. So much love for Pesto and Turnpike.

[specious_reasons]

"As I remind you in every one of my letters..."

This book can be read as a straightforward kids mystery book, but it's even better as a subtle parody. Crafted with love and understanding of the genre, I really enjoyed this.

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nostalgic and fresh at the same time. It had me at Pesto and Turnpike but this was a delightful read and I can’t wait to share it with my kid when he’s just a little bit older!

[Lindsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

A funny, witty take on a dusty old genre. I really enjoyed this and highly recommend it to anyone who has a spot in their heart for old Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys mysteries. Really fun!

[Laura Sanner · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a cute and fun read! If you are a fan of Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys you will enjoy this modern take on the genre.

I really enjoyed classic tropes being twisted.

I'm a huge fan of the Teen Creeps Podcast and love being able to support one of my favorite creators.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyable!

I loved this absurdist take on the kid detective series that I devoured growing up. It was fun and weird and had a surprisingly poignant heart. I think this book would be suitable for middle grade readers and up.

[Sonya · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a tongue-in-cheek parody book of the old serials like Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Bobsy Twins, etc. and I believe a bit of more recent books like Goosebumps. I enjoyed the parts that were like, as in "The Case of the Missing Socks Caper". It had some funny moments, but was really more children's horror/ghost story leaning than the mystery leaning that I was wanting. I book if you want to poke fun at that nostalgia and a fine read for kids that want something a bit spooky and weird.

[Robert Fontenot · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really fun take on the old kid detective novels. This has a decided "everything but the kitchen sink approach" that is almost exhausting but still manages to be a delight largely due to the witty writing.

[Cec · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been a fan of Kelly and Teen Creeps (many of my reviews mention them or books they have covered) and this was such a delightful book. It reminds me of older Nancy Drew books or those penny deactivate novels but a bit more grown up plus with some supernatural twists. I really enjoyed it

[Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

a fun read! I quite enjoyed it. a good throwback to the child detective stories and tropes i grew up reading.