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Mo & Dale Mysteries #3
The Odds of Getting Even
Humor and action abound in this second follow-up to the Newbery honor winner and New York Times bestseller, Three Times Lucky
The trial of the century has come to Tupelo Landing, NC. Mo and Dale, aka Desperado Detectives, head to court as star witnesses against Dale’s daddy–confessed kidnapper Macon Johnson. Dale’s nerves are jangled, but Mo, who doesn’t mind getting even with Mr. Macon for hurting her loved ones, looks forward to a slam dunk conviction–if everything goes as expected.
Of course nothing goes as expected. Macon Johnson sees to that. In no time flat, Macon’s on the run, Tupelo Landing’s in lockdown, and Dale’s brother’s life hangs in the balance. With Harm Crenshaw, newly appointed intern, Desperado Detectives are on the case. But it means they have to take on a tough client–one they’d never want in a million years.
For everyone who’s already fallen for Mo and Dale, and for anyone who’s new to Tupelo Landing, The Odds of Getting Even is a heartwarming story that perfectly blends mystery and action with more serious themes about family and fathers, all without ever losing its sense of humor.
The trial of the century has come to Tupelo Landing, NC. Mo and Dale, aka Desperado Detectives, head to court as star witnesses against Dale’s daddy–confessed kidnapper Macon Johnson. Dale’s nerves are jangled, but Mo, who doesn’t mind getting even with Mr. Macon for hurting her loved ones, looks forward to a slam dunk conviction–if everything goes as expected.
Of course nothing goes as expected. Macon Johnson sees to that. In no time flat, Macon’s on the run, Tupelo Landing’s in lockdown, and Dale’s brother’s life hangs in the balance. With Harm Crenshaw, newly appointed intern, Desperado Detectives are on the case. But it means they have to take on a tough client–one they’d never want in a million years.
For everyone who’s already fallen for Mo and Dale, and for anyone who’s new to Tupelo Landing, The Odds of Getting Even is a heartwarming story that perfectly blends mystery and action with more serious themes about family and fathers, all without ever losing its sense of humor.
352 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 6, 2015
150 people are currently reading
2054 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 387 reviews
September 14, 2018
Is it weird that I'm really looking forward to this book?
...
I don't even care that I'm 25 years old. I love these books. Mo might be one of the sassiest characters ever. And boy do I have such a crush on Lavender. I'm with Mo...I'd snatch him up and marry him before sundown too.
...
I don't even care that I'm 25 years old. I love these books. Mo might be one of the sassiest characters ever. And boy do I have such a crush on Lavender. I'm with Mo...I'd snatch him up and marry him before sundown too.
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November 13, 2018
November 2015 (Outdated Review)
I'm honestly not even sure if it's possible for me to express how much I absolutely LOVE this book series.
And mean that wholly. I LOVE this book. This isn't a 4.5, or even a 4.7, this is a full 5 stars, period.
So now that I have your interest, you're probably wondering what this book is.
The Odds of Getting Even is the third book in a middle grade murder mystery series. Yes, the characters are 11 year olds, but don't let that turn you off these amazing books. If you've watched the TV show Castle (which I love as well) I would compare this series to Castle for young kids.
There's so many things I want to praise I'm not even sure where to start. I'm honestly terrible at reviewing books I love, so bear with me.
I guess my favorite thing about these books is the snark. Sheila Turnage writes snark so well. Her characters are so witty and the things they say make me genuinely laugh. I wish that she would write some YA next, because I think she could write bad boy love interests extremely well.
Maybe the snark isn't my favorite part, maybe it's the fact that though this book is adorable and quirky and so freaking adorable yet it still has a serious undertone. Those serious bits were done perfectly, just as well as the snark.
It would only take one page for me to go from grinning and then someone would say something that would just break my heart. I don't think I've ever read a book that was simultaneously so cute and so suspenseful.
Sheila Turnage does an absolutely fantastic job at writing lovable characters. She develops each one perfectly to the point where I feel connected to them and want to protect them.
Mo is a fantastic main character. She's complex and sassy and an amazing friend. When she gets older she's going to be a force to be reckoned with. She's an amazing narrator who carries the story and keeps me engaged.
And the side characters are just so well written. We have Dale, who besides being complex and well developed, is the sweetest kid. Harm is absolutely adorable. Lavender is amazing, I wish we could get a book from his point of view.
Basically there's a million characters in this book, and every single one has a distinct personality and is well developed. Everyone has something going on, and every detail is relevant in this book, from what someone says or the way someone looks or reacts to something. Everyone has a story.
I really, really hope I've convinced you to give this book a try. The first book is called Three Times Lucky, and it's phenomenal as well. I'm probably completely overhyping this book, but I really do love it that much. So seriously, go try it!
I'm honestly not even sure if it's possible for me to express how much I absolutely LOVE this book series.
And mean that wholly. I LOVE this book. This isn't a 4.5, or even a 4.7, this is a full 5 stars, period.
So now that I have your interest, you're probably wondering what this book is.
The Odds of Getting Even is the third book in a middle grade murder mystery series. Yes, the characters are 11 year olds, but don't let that turn you off these amazing books. If you've watched the TV show Castle (which I love as well) I would compare this series to Castle for young kids.
There's so many things I want to praise I'm not even sure where to start. I'm honestly terrible at reviewing books I love, so bear with me.
I guess my favorite thing about these books is the snark. Sheila Turnage writes snark so well. Her characters are so witty and the things they say make me genuinely laugh. I wish that she would write some YA next, because I think she could write bad boy love interests extremely well.
Maybe the snark isn't my favorite part, maybe it's the fact that though this book is adorable and quirky and so freaking adorable yet it still has a serious undertone. Those serious bits were done perfectly, just as well as the snark.
It would only take one page for me to go from grinning and then someone would say something that would just break my heart. I don't think I've ever read a book that was simultaneously so cute and so suspenseful.
Sheila Turnage does an absolutely fantastic job at writing lovable characters. She develops each one perfectly to the point where I feel connected to them and want to protect them.
Mo is a fantastic main character. She's complex and sassy and an amazing friend. When she gets older she's going to be a force to be reckoned with. She's an amazing narrator who carries the story and keeps me engaged.
And the side characters are just so well written. We have Dale, who besides being complex and well developed, is the sweetest kid. Harm is absolutely adorable. Lavender is amazing, I wish we could get a book from his point of view.
Basically there's a million characters in this book, and every single one has a distinct personality and is well developed. Everyone has something going on, and every detail is relevant in this book, from what someone says or the way someone looks or reacts to something. Everyone has a story.
I really, really hope I've convinced you to give this book a try. The first book is called Three Times Lucky, and it's phenomenal as well. I'm probably completely overhyping this book, but I really do love it that much. So seriously, go try it!
January 27, 2022
Excellent! Really enjoyed it. More to come soon...
February 17, 2021
"At least things can't get worse," I said.
"I wish you wouldn't say that," Dale muttered. "You're always wrong."
Me? Crying because Lavender and Dale Johnson deserve the entire world and I'd do anything for them? It's more likely than you think. 😭
Mo, Dale, and Harm are quickly climbing my list of favorite fictional friendships. I can't get over how much they care about each other, it makes me so soft. This whole book was a rollercoaster of emotions. I'm so attached to these characters and I just want to protect them, man ;-; But as usual it made me laugh a lot, and was just generally cozy and wonderful. This story wrapped up some loose ends of Three Times Lucky while also having its own intriguing mystery. And I loved it.
"I'll check the interior. You two check the trunk."
"No," Dale said. "There could be a body in there."
Dale already feared clowns. Now it looked like he was adding random bodies in car trunks to the list. As best friend, I try to be sensitive. "Okay. I'll take the trunk and you search the car," I said. "I just hope there's not a clown in the backseat."
"I wish you wouldn't say that," Dale muttered. "You're always wrong."
Me? Crying because Lavender and Dale Johnson deserve the entire world and I'd do anything for them? It's more likely than you think. 😭
Mo, Dale, and Harm are quickly climbing my list of favorite fictional friendships. I can't get over how much they care about each other, it makes me so soft. This whole book was a rollercoaster of emotions. I'm so attached to these characters and I just want to protect them, man ;-; But as usual it made me laugh a lot, and was just generally cozy and wonderful. This story wrapped up some loose ends of Three Times Lucky while also having its own intriguing mystery. And I loved it.
"I'll check the interior. You two check the trunk."
"No," Dale said. "There could be a body in there."
Dale already feared clowns. Now it looked like he was adding random bodies in car trunks to the list. As best friend, I try to be sensitive. "Okay. I'll take the trunk and you search the car," I said. "I just hope there's not a clown in the backseat."
February 7, 2019
Every trip to Tupelo Landing is a delight. The mystery may be a bit obvious, but at least it is a real and true mystery, not a means to segue to broader topics. The texture of the town-folk and Mo and Dale's engaging personalities brings me joy.
February 11, 2019
“A rookie thief robbed Creekside Baptist last night,” Dale said. “The Desperados take this personal. We will track this no-talent to the ends of the earth if we can get a ride that far, but hopefully the thief will stay local so we can ride our bikes. Thank you.”
Yep, still a full five stars; The Odds of Getting Even is everything I love about this series in full force.
The plot of this one centers around Dale’s dad, Macon, escaping from prison and being suspected of committing various crimes around Tupelo Landing, though Dale is sure this cannot be his father’s handiwork.
I think this is the one that balances the hilarity and darker topics the best of the four. The sass is turned up to the highest level, but it also offers a fantastic presentation of how having an abusive and deviant family member takes a toll on those in their life or related to them.
Dale studied the graveyard, the river. The quiver of his chin put him a heartbeat from crying. He knows his daddy's shoe size good as I do.
It’s hard being a good son to a bad man.
...
Dale never mentioned moonshine shopping with his daddy. But Dale never mentioned a lot of things.
The dynamic within Dale’s family is much more at center in this novel, and it’s a real strength within this series. Seeing how Lavender and Rose both desperately want to escape and remove themselves from Macon compared to Dale, still young and hopeful that he can do something to earn his father’s love, is heartbreaking. It shows how kids can oftentimes have to deal with the mistakes of their parents, Macon’s actions never being explained away as anything other than the mistakes of a bad man. I rarely see middle grade novels attempt to portray such a complicated family situation.
Buildings are like people: Nothing destroys them like emptiness.
Tupelo Landing and its people continue to be a highlight. We learn more about Lana and the Colonel, Harm cements himself as a fantastic addition to the cast, and Capers is an interesting newcomer.
The only plotline I was a bit iffy on was the puppy thing. As someone who encourages rescue and spay and neuter above all else, it makes me cringe a little knowing that kids who read this book are likely going to want to imitate Dale and allow their dog to have puppies so they can give them to all of their friends. Also, the way Mo and Dale go about giving the puppies away is a whole mess, not to mention the fact that Mo literally tells someone ‘thanks for choosing adoption’...even though it’s not adoption?
Other than that minor pet peeve, this book doesn’t miss a beat. The series reminds me a lot of charming films I watched as a kid , and there is nothing I would love more than to see these films on screen, being that they already have such a cinematic feel to them. Mo is such a fierce and tenacious female character, and I feel like she could be such a great role model to young girls. I need to see this as a movie series, stat.
We balanced on a silence rocky as a rowboat on a choppy creek and I searched for just the right words. Nothing came. I went with what I had.
“Your cat is ugly,” I said, very cool.
Anyway, this series is criminally underread and underrated. Being that this one is my favorite of the four, it makes me even more sad that I can’t gush about it with everyone simply due to the fact that so little people have read it. If you at all enjoy middle grade, I cannot recommend this series enough!
June 29, 2023
I love this series!
July 20, 2022
Dale hung up. "Mama can't come, but I can," he told Miss Lana. "Her new boyfriend's keeping her company. I'd feel like a spare tire around them anyway."
"You mean a fifth wheel, honey," she said.
The Desperados are at it again! I loved reading this new adventure from Mo and Dale. This one felt a bit more serious than the other two, probably because of the potential for murder. But the book was still just as lighthearted and silly as the rest of the series. It gets a big thumbs up from me!
"If you don't stand up for the glimmer of good left in somebody, how will it ever be more?" He side-armed a stone across the water. "Rhetorical," he said. We sat by the river and waited for stars.
"You mean a fifth wheel, honey," she said.
The Desperados are at it again! I loved reading this new adventure from Mo and Dale. This one felt a bit more serious than the other two, probably because of the potential for murder. But the book was still just as lighthearted and silly as the rest of the series. It gets a big thumbs up from me!
"If you don't stand up for the glimmer of good left in somebody, how will it ever be more?" He side-armed a stone across the water. "Rhetorical," he said. We sat by the river and waited for stars.
December 28, 2022
4.5 stars
Like "Three Times Lucky", this book was absolutely lovely. I loved the message, loved the characters, loved the twists. Everything was great.
The reason I knocked off half a star was that the mystery wasn't quite as intriguing this time around... and the whole book felt slower than book one. But other than that, this book was great. Looking forward to the final book!
Like "Three Times Lucky", this book was absolutely lovely. I loved the message, loved the characters, loved the twists. Everything was great.
The reason I knocked off half a star was that the mystery wasn't quite as intriguing this time around... and the whole book felt slower than book one. But other than that, this book was great. Looking forward to the final book!
December 15, 2024
I love these books. Sometimes I need a sweet, southern fried, middle grade mystery to cleanse my palate. I’m so bummed that there’s only one left.
May 18, 2021
I love these quirky characters even more with each new story! This is the best one, so far!
December 20, 2015
I really do love Mo and Dale. I love their offbeat and somewhat eccentric family and friends, the rather oddball but endearing residents of Tupelo Landing, and definitely everything about the way all of them jump in feet first to solve the latest mystery, which of course we all know from the two previous books, will be solved by Mo and Dale and not the police. I love everything about this town and its people that I almost want to move there. Well, almost. I've lived in small towns before and every chance I got I was hightailing it to the city to go to a bookstore, have an expensive coffee drink (yes I know I'm addicted!), see a movie, and eat ethnic food. So as much as I love them all, I don't think I would last long in Tupelo Landing. But I do hope that the author keeps writing a new installment every year or two as I really need something to take the place of the Sammy Keyes series that ended last year. I have been going through serious withdrawal since then and this series is definitely helping me get through it.
October 28, 2015
I thought this book was just a rehashing of book one, but the voice and tone was more grating and wearisome than charming this time around. I had such high hopes too because I LOVED The Ghosts of Tupelo Landing. I thought that this series was only going to get better. Alas, that was not to be.
March 24, 2016
I just love this series. Mo is full of humor and insight, but is also just so delightfully kidlike and naive. I did think it was kind of weird that there is no mention of the ghost from the previous book; like Turnage just kind of threw that in the last book and forgot it happened. But I will continue to keep up with this series by listening to the well-narrated audiobooks.
May 7, 2016
This is such a fun series. Anyone with 3rd to 6th graders who like to read mysteries would be comfortable giving their children these books (this was #3) about the Desperado Detectives. And adults like me get a kick out of them too!
March 13, 2018
This was by far my favorite of the three. This series would make a fantastic TV show.
“‘If you don’t stand up for the glimmer of good left in somebody, how will it ever be more?’ He side-armed a stone across the water. ‘Rhetorical,’ he said. We sat by the river and waited for stars.”
“‘If you don’t stand up for the glimmer of good left in somebody, how will it ever be more?’ He side-armed a stone across the water. ‘Rhetorical,’ he said. We sat by the river and waited for stars.”
February 7, 2017
I absolutely adore this middle grade series! I was sad to finish #3, but rumor has it that #4 is in the works. I can't wait!
May 10, 2019
Maybe Mo and Dale are growing on me. :-) I enjoyed this book more than the previous two.
May 16, 2020
Several years behind on this one, because the last time I checked it out from the library my mom's dog ate it before I could finish. True story.
December 5, 2019
My favorite in the series by FAR! I really enjoyed this read, mainly because it was more like the first one (murder/crime) whereas the second one was not as interesting. This book was a great end[?] to the series! I really enjoyed reading and trying to figure out who was the bad guy/girl. Of course, it was the girl who came into town and was friendly with Mo and seemed like she was just a reporter coming to town and enjoying her self, well YOU GOT IT WRONG not really though. So definitely read this series and enjoy your self.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 4, 2018
Gee the turn of events in this one were sooo unexpected. But I now love Tupelo Landing and the characters even more (if that's possible). I can't wait for book 4. Maybe Mo's mom really is somewhere out there and will show up eventually.
February 13, 2018
I just love these books! Humor, mystery, and some good life lessons. Mo and Dale always crack me up and they are just so much fun. I listened to the audiobook for this one and the reader was great. I often have trouble with audiobooks because I get annoyed with the narrator but this one kept me interested and really fit the book and characters.
November 24, 2019
This series is so good!
February 18, 2021
I appreciated how this one had ties to the first book. Even though the ending was somewhat foreseeable, Turnage always impresses me with her twists in plot.
March 15, 2019
Gave up on it. It drags on. I finally skipped to nearly the end to find out how it ended.
October 25, 2019
I love these books and their characters! So funny and heart-warming!
April 25, 2025
4 stars. The desperados have my heart. I am enjoying the return to the people of Tupelo Landing as things continue to develop slowly.
May 21, 2022
childhood fav (reread)
August 23, 2016
I love this series so much. The plots, themes, characters, setting, language--everything is just so well written and such a delight to take in. The mysteries kept me guessing to the very end, and the resolution did not disappoint. I would recommend these books to anyone.
Also, considering how difficult it can be to name a book, The Odds of Getting Even is pretty much one of the coolest titles ever.
Also, considering how difficult it can be to name a book, The Odds of Getting Even is pretty much one of the coolest titles ever.
July 9, 2017
I am probably biased, but I loved this book (and series)! This is the third installment of the Mo and Dale Mysteries. It lives up to the other stories. Mo and the wonderfully wacky characters of Tupelo Landing save the day again. Their voices are witty and sometimes sassy--that's what I love the most. Not sure if it qualifies as a cozy mystery, but there is no blood, language, or uber violence. These series is a great way to cut teeth for heavier mysteries.
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