Geheimagentin Candy und die Schokoladen-Mafia: Kinderkrimi für Mädchen und Jungen ab 10 Jahre

by Lavie Tidhar, Max Meinzold (Illustrator), Ulrike Köbele (Translator)

Nelle lebt in einer Stadt, in der es seit drei Jahren keine Schokolade mehr gibt. Sie wurde verboten, doch es gibt Banden, die die illegale Ware für die Zucker-Junkies in die Stadt schmuggeln. Eines Tages steht der berüchtigte Gangster Eddie de Menthe in Nelles Detektivbüro. Und er hat einen Auftrag für sie. Was sie zu hören bekommt, gefällt ihr ganz und gar nicht.
Ohne es zu wollen, wird sie immer tiefer hineingezogen in die dunklen Machenschaften der Schokoladen-Mafia… Ihr Deckname lautet nun Candy – Geheimagentin Candy.
Eine starke Mädchenheldin ermittelt in einem spannenden Kriminalfall, rund um Intrigen, Schmuggelware und ein Geheimnis, das seit Jahrzehnten gut gehütet wird. Doch Candy taucht immer tiefer hinein in die Abgründe ihrer Stadt, in der Schokolade und Süßigkeiten ein Tabu sind. Ein Kinderbuch für Mädchen und Jungen ab 10 Jahren. Der Titel ist auf Antolin.de gelistet.

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Childrens, Young Adult, Comedy, Crime, Juvenile

228 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

Lavie Tidhar was raised on a kibbutz in Israel. He has travelled extensively since he was a teenager, living in South Africa, the UK, Laos, and the small island nation of Vanuatu.

Tidhar began publishing with a poetry collection in Hebrew in 1998, but soon moved to fiction, becoming a prolific author of short stories early in the 21st century.

Temporal Spiders, Spatial Webs won the 2003 Clarke-Bradbury competition, sponsored by the European Space Agency, while The Night Train (2010) was a Sturgeon Award finalist.

Linked story collection HebrewPunk (2007) contains stories of Jewish pulp fantasy.

He co-wrote dark fantasy novel The Tel Aviv Dossier (2009) with Nir Yaniv. The Bookman Histories series, combining literary and historical characters with steampunk elements, includes The Bookman (2010), Camera Obscura (2011), and The Great Game (2012).

Standalone novel Osama (2011) combines pulp adventure with a sophisticated look at the impact of terrorism. It won the 2012 World Fantasy Award, and was a finalist for the Campbell Memorial Award, British Science Fiction Award, and a Kitschie.

His latest novels are Martian Sands and The Violent Century.

Much of Tidhar’s best work is done at novella length, including An Occupation of Angels (2005), Cloud Permutations (2010), British Fantasy Award winner Gorel and the Pot-Bellied God (2011), and Jesus & the Eightfold Path (2011).

Tidhar advocates bringing international SF to a wider audience, and has edited The Apex Book of World SF (2009) and The Apex Book of World SF 2 (2012).

He is also editor-in-chief of the World SF Blog , and in 2011 was a finalist for a World Fantasy Award for his work there.

He also edited A Dick and Jane Primer for Adults (2008); wrote Michael Marshall Smith: The Annotated Bibliography (2004); wrote weird picture book Going to The Moon (2012, with artist Paul McCaffery); and scripted one-shot comic Adolf Hitler’s I Dream of Ants! (2012, with artist Neil Struthers).

Tidhar lives with his wife in London.

Reviews

[Sonja Rosa Lisa ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nelle ist ein 12-jähriges Mädchen, das in einer Stadt lebt, in der Schokolade und Süßigkeiten verboten sind. Natürlich gibt es aber einige Banden, die die süßen Naschereien illegal verkaufen.

Nelle hat im Gartenhaus ihrer Eltern ein Detektivbüro eingerichtet. Eines Tages taucht Eddie bei ihr auf, einer der Schoko-Schmuggler. Und er hat einen Auftrag für Nelle...

Das war mal eine sehr ausgefallene, schräge Geschichte. Hat mir richtig gut gefallen. Nelle ist ein tolles Mädchen, sehr neugierig und klug, dabei aber auch authentisch mit ihren 12 Jahren.

Und die Geschichte ist einfach sehr originell, schräg und zugleich auch spannend und ein bisschen geheimnisvoll.

Was vielleicht zu bemängeln ist, ist die Gewalt zum Ende des Buches hin. Der Showdown hat es schon in sich, und immerhin ist es ein Kinderbuch... Aber da bin ich mir selbst unsicher; es mag noch im Rahmen sein.

[Cristina · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give "Candy" 4,5 stars.
Even though this is intended to younger audiences, I was captivated by this funny, witty and amusing story.
What I love about this detective adventure is the way Tidhar engages young readers with a "serious" mystery that, in the other hand, a more adult audience will find hilarious. It is very difficult to appeal to YAs as well as their parents and I strongly believe that this is THE BOOK that parents and children would love to read together.
I recommend "Candy" to anyone who loves a good, intelligent, laugh-provoking story.
OUGH YEAGH!

[Sonja Lovinbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Geheimagentin Candy und die Schokoladen-Mafia hat mich positiv überrascht. Nelle Faulkner ist Detektivin und für ihr Alter, 12 Jahre, ist sie tatsächlich sehr intelligent und auf Zack. Sie lebt in einer Stadt, in der Süßigkeiten verboten sind. Für mich ja eine absolute Horrorvorstellung. Für die Kinder ebenfalls, denn es haben sich mehrere Schmugglerbanden gebildet, die mit der verbotenen Ware handeln. Aber wie es kommen muss, fordern sich diese bald heraus und Nelle steckt mitten drin. Und ab hier beginnt eine rasante und witzige Jagd auf einen verschwundenen Jungen.
Nelle ist wirklich total pfiffig und ich mochte sie so gerne. Sie lässt sich die Butter nie vom Brot nehmen und selbst gegen Erwachsene hat sie immer eine schlagfertige Antwort parat. Manchmal kam sie mir viel älter vor, aber das fand ich nicht schlimm.
Irgendwie hatte ich während dem Lesen permanent gelüste auf Süßigkeiten. Hier geht es um Schokoladen, da um Waffeln mit Sahne und Karamell. Man hatte ständig irgendwas anderes Süßes vor Augen. Ich fand das Buch wirklich sehr unterhaltsam und für Kinder ab 10 Jahren bestens geeignet.

Ein wirklich tolles, süßes und spannendes Buch, welches für groß und klein perfekt geeignet ist. Allerdings sollte man sich auf großen Heißhunger während dem Lesen gefasst machen.
5 von 5 Punkten

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm about to say something kinda crazy.....

This middle grade gem may in fact, be more enjoyable to adults than young readers.

I said it and I meant it.

It's like when you go back and watch all of your favorite animated movies from childhood, and you realize you are suddenly old enough to catch all of the cheeky jokes you never knew existed. This entire book was a play on the alcohol prohibition of the 1920's and it was ripe with double entendre for the savvy reader's enjoyment.

I laughed at so many lines that weren't even actual jokes. It was like reading a book made up entirely of inside jokes. And really, who doesn't enjoy being on the 'in' side of an inside joke....

So yes, the story was all about kids saving the day Codename: Kids Next Door style and what young reader wouldn't have a blast with that? But this book also "ages" very well.

Thank you to Netgalley and Peachtree Publishing for the opportunity to early read this book before its US release.

[Katie Mac · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an eARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a unique middle-grade mystery set in a universe in which candy is illegal and rival candy gangs are competing for territory in the underground distribution business. I enjoyed following the story through Nelle Faulkner, a twelve-year-old "gumshoe" detective, and the noir-esque setting and dialogue made this a fun read. The side characters are also fleshed out well, and there's some diversity evident in the illustrations.

What gives me pause is the fact that there's a lot more violence in this book than I was expecting (including a scene of an adult with a gun). The ending is also unsatisfying, playing on the recurring theme of "life isn't always fair."

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Mal traduit, intrigue bof bof... Bref, passez votre chemin !

[Deb (Readerbuzz) Nance · Rating 3 out of 5]

Candy is against the law. Nelle is a twelve-year-old detective in the city where candy is illegal. She takes on the case of a missing teddy bear, and her investigations lead her into the heart of the candy mafia in her city.

It's a fun little romp into the detective world with detective speak and mafia speak in the hands of children.

[Pam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an electronic ARC from Myrick Marketing & Media, LLC through NetGalley.
An interesting take on gumshoe detective novels for the middle grade level. Nelle is a twelve year old detective who solve small issues for other kids. A friend asks her to find a missing teddy bear. This launches her into the middle of the candy turf wars in her city. As she digs deeper to solve her case, the issue continues to get larger. She winds up in the middle of the turf war for selling illegal candy (Mayor banned all sweets) and comes up against adults who are part of a bootlegging operation to bring candy in to the city.
Terrific book to use to introduce Prohibition in the United States. The setting, characters are all similar to what happened during that time in US history. I appreciated this story as an adult but am not sure middle grade readers will. Readers should see the humor and the heavy undertones that play out.
Trigger: Gun use

[Margaret McCulloch-Keeble · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've said it before and I'll say it again....I wish there'd been kids' books like this when I was little. This is film noir in book form for kids. There's a definite nod to Bugsy Malone and it's got enough clout to keep parents happy too. I was lucky enough to meet the author who was unassuming, laid back and funny. I hope he writes more like this.

[Kerry Bossons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great to read as an adult because it has sly nods to golden age noir as well as being able to relive the joy of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Definitely one to be read aloud at bedtime, so long as you brush your teeth afterwards.

[Fede La Lettrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Letto assieme alla mia bimba. Accattivante, divertente, adatto a calamitare l'attenzione dei lettori giovanissimi.

[Jill · Rating 5 out of 5]

The name is Faulkner. Nelle Faulkner. And if you have a case and you need looking into, she’s your person. Don’t be fooled by her age. She may only be 12, but she’s been in the investigating game since she was just a kid. That’s why Eddie de Menthe came to her.

Eddie was the leader of one of the local candy gangs. Ever since the new mayor made candy illegal and closed the local chocolate factory, the gangs have been running candy, selling to the local kids. And now one of the leaders is in Nelle’s office, in the back garden of her mother’s house. Eddie is there, needing help. His Teddy bear was stolen from his office, and he needs someone like Nelle to find it for him.

Nelle starts her investigation at the scene of the crime, and gets a first-hand look at how Eddie and his crew sell their candy on the old playground. She starts to think this case is bigger than just a stuffed bear and starts asking more questions about the candy gangs. She knows Sweetcakes from her last case. Mary Ratchet is something of a bully at school, but as Sweetcakes, she and her Sweetie Pies rule the library. And Waffles supplies the back room of Mr. Singh’s shop, where his son Bobby sells chocolates and gum.

Nelle finds that even after all that, she’s no closer to finding the Teddy bear when she finds out that Eddie himself has gone missing. Add in a break-in to Nelle’s office and her home, a couple of Prohibition officers who don’t seem opposed to breaking laws themselves, and an arson, and Nelle will need all of her wits and smarts to figure out who’s really behind the crime spree.

The Candy Mafia is a witty, fun middle grade novel written with whimsy and intelligence. It’s Willy Wonka meets Sam Spade, and it’s just big fun for everyone. Author Lavie Tidhar brings this story to life, using tropes from hard-boiled crime fiction (but soft-boiled for the younger readers) and the stories from Prohibition as a backdrop to this mystery novel. Illustrator Daniel Duncan adds playful drawings that emphasize the personalities of these characters and add extra sweetness to the story.

I loved every page of The Candy Mafia. I grew up on a series of hilarious mystery novels* that made me an early lover of the genre. I think The Candy Mafia can offer that same experience for today’s kids. If I were still a kid, I would love this book and read it over and over. Now I’m an adult, and I still loved this book. If I didn’t have a TBR pile that could topple and kill me, I’d probably read this one more than once, and love it every time. I strongly recommend this one for kids and for kids at heart!

(*The McGurk mystery series by E.W. Hildick. No longer in print, but you can still find used copies of the old paperbacks if you look hard enough.)

Egalleys for The Candy Mafia were provided by Peachtree Publishing Company through Edelweiss, with many thanks.

[Pop Bop · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sternwood Drive

It seems to me that really good middle grade gumshoe thrillers have to work on at least three levels. First, at a minimum and for starters, you need good characters and a well plotted and told story. Second, you need private eye bits that a younger reader will recognize - stoolies, a fedora, snappy patter, goons, crime bosses, double-crosses, trench coat, and so on. Third, but not strictly necessary, I appreciate some sly shout outs to the great tradition of Spade/Marlowe/noir writing that provides the foundation for the project. I knew we were in business here when the crime boss Waffles had his hideout up on Sternwood Drive, the Sternwood family being the rotten heart of Raymond Chandler's classic "The Big Sleep".

While I was on board, I'm not sure where a middle grade reader would come out. A female private detective is a nice touch. Candy smuggling in a Prohibition Era frame is a fun angle. Lots of criminals, innocent bystanders, con men, goons, crooked cops, and grifters keep things lively. The pace is fast and there are lots of twists and turns that are easy enough to follow. Our heroine keeps it all together and navigates the criminal world with the right kind of Spade/Marlowe style. Banter isn't very edgy, but there are some clever bits and it's all at a convincingly dry and deadpan level.

I love this stuff, but can never predict whether it will click with any particular reader. There are lots of middle grade p.i. books out there, and many are really very good, but for any one book and any one reader, who knows. That said, this struck me as a fine book for testing the waters, and perfectly fine example of the genre.

And, even if you set aside the whole kid-hardboiled noir thing, this is still a fine mystery adventure with an interesting array of characters, an engaging plot, and a good mix of detecting and action. That alone makes it worth a close look.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

[Rajiv · Rating 4 out of 5]

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A BIG Thank You to Netgalley and Peachtree Publishing for providing me with an advanced reader’s copy of “The Candy Mafia” for my review.

I always love reading something completing new in the middle grade genre. Being a fan of old film noir movies, I simply loved reading this book. The author plotted and paced the story very well. What starts off as the mystery of a missing bear soon leads to a bigger conspiracy that Nelle wouldn’t have imagined. I read quite a few mysteries and even I couldn’t figure out where the story was heading. I loved the reveal in the end as to what happened to Mr. Farnsworth and how everything fit together.

Moreover, Nelle is great as the private detective. She is willing to solve the case and will stop at nothing in the process. I also liked the supporting characters, Waffles, Sweetcakes, and even Bobbie. The villains were also well written, where they are menacing and scary, but also a bit ridiculous at times.

The only downside to the story was the way it ends. I am not going to give away the ending, but I wished things had turned out better. Honestly, I expected a happier ending. However, I was glad that the ending felt realistic. Also, some of the themes, particularly with the violence, felt too mature to be mentioned for younger readers.

However, apart from that I loved everything about this story. The author wrote the story very well and you actually feel like you are watching an old film noir movie. Moreover, the illustration by Daniel Duncan are amazing and brings the book to life in a new way. Overall, I personally enjoyed reading “The Candy Mafia” and hope it turns out to be the beginning of a series.

[Cecelia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was fine by all technicality.
That's it.
It commits no atrocities, doesn't deface tradition or reinvent any wild wheels.
It's fine.
The Kirkus Review featured on my edition's back cover says that the story, "Begs to be read aloud." And to be fair, that makes sense. I can see this making a low-stakes-but-still-engaging read loud for a second or third grade class. But in reality, that is the only situation I can see this working in.
It seems that the author decided that to write a Middle Grade mystery, all that was necessary was to fill in a checklist: Determined Main Character (with detective headquarters set up in a garden shed). Quirky Crime. Wacky Suspects with Fun Names. Plot Twist. Action Scene for the Grand Finale. Each of these boxes were checked at the bare minimum, leaving a confusing plot with no option for reader investment.

The entire time I was reading The Candy Mafia, I felt like I was reading farcical script for a pitch meeting gone wrong. The plot is impossible to follow, with elements simply stated, with no introduction, leaving the reader confused. Then, you are presented with a scene that is supposed to initiate surprise or sadness, and are left feeling weirdly emotionless.

The narration type of "Quirky Lead and Funny Town," is a favorite trope of mine (think Wilma Tenderfoot, Sesame Seade, Sleuth on Skates, and Gladys Gatsby of All Four Stars), and I commend Lavie Tidhar for attempting this niche, but I'm not sure he's quite ready to foray into writing books for young audiences yet. The characters, clearly designed to be kid-friendly and fun, seem a little too crazy, and the general theming around candy is cute, but spoken so passionately about that you start to wonder if the entire town is experiencing withdrawals, instead of just wanting justice.

The Candy Mafia has flaws, but all in all, it's a fine book. It's an adventure, you don't need to worry about getting up in the middle of it for fear of suspense, and could easily keep a group of nine year olds happily entertained for a few hours. If you view it as it is, you have nothing to lose from The Candy Mafia, besides a potential sugar craving.

[Nick · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I could give this story a higher rating, because it was remarkably clever and weird, rather a cross between the writing of Roald Dahl and Mario Puzo.
The thing is, the characters are twelve, although they randomly act much younger or much older in some scenes. The story starts off with a humorous setting, in a city that has banned the manufacture and sales of candy and sweets, seemingly a health campaign started by a new mayor. Never mind the fact that the city's main manufacturing business seems to have been a candy factory, somehow the adults voted in favor of this ban that put a lot of them out of work. But that's the setup.
Nelle has created a detective agency, to earn pocket money. Fifty cents a day plus expenses, and you get her to work as your gumshoe, complete with a hat and a trench coat. One of the tough guys, another kid her own age who has gone into the candy smuggling racket, hires her to find...a teddy bear?
Weirdly, this leads into encounters with the dark world of candy smuggling, and the kids who operate the associated rackets, like clandestine high-stakes marbles games. And...that's when it gets a little too weird. Weird even compared to three kids having a pie fight at an adult party, with no one moving quickly to break it up, which really does happen in the story...
Suddenly, the story involves corrupt cops, arson endangering the life of the father of one character, and various other violence better suited to a book for an older audience, and the resolution involves the bad guys getting away with most of their crimes because, you know, things aren't always fair.
What? How does this fit with the opening of the story, or even the cover of the book, which is aimed at kids even younger than the characters?
It felt like too big a jump from worrying about girl bullies kicking the spokes of your bike to dodging actual bullets fired by a crooked police detective.
The artwork, by Daniel Duncan, was very good, and went well with the story that started out being told, but not so great for the guns and fire direction that it went later.

[Kate Waggoner · Rating 4 out of 5]

@Kidlitexchange

Thank you to @peachtreepublishing for sharing an advance copy of The Candy Mafia by @lavietidhar and illustrated by Daniel Duncan with the #Kidlitexchange network. This middle grade novel was released on September 1, 2020. All opinions are my own.

Twelve-year-old Nelle Faulkner is a detective in a city where candy is outlawed. Since the prohibition went into effect, kid candy smuggles and gangs have popped up around the city. The three largest gangs are ran by Eddie de Menthe, Waffles Mackenzie, and a girl called Sweetcakes. When Eddie shows up on Nelle's doorstep asking her to find a missing teddy bear, Nelle believes she's starting an innocent investigation. She soon discovers that she's investigating something far more sinister than a missing a teddy bear. Soon after Eddie goes missing, Nelle's office is ransacked, and two detectives start hassling her. In order to find Eddie and get to the bottom of all that is wrong in her town, Nelle will have to unmask the real candy smugglers.

The Candy Mafia is a fun middle grades mystery. I like that it has old school gumshoe vibes. It's also full of delicious sweet and corny puns. The narrative is easy to get into and full of humor. There are twists, turns, and action scenes. The book is also illustrated. I really enjoyed the illustrations and Duncan's style. While there are modern elements, the illustrations add to the throwback vibes of the narrative and make me think of old school detective stories. I I would definitely describe this book as young. While it is a mystery and it's fun to follow Nelle's investigation the plot isn't overly complex. The chapters are fairly short and written with an engaging and fun narrative voice that draws the reader in and makes the book a fairly quick read. This would be a great book for a reader who enjoys a good mystery, but who is also looking for a bit of humor.

[Gmr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nelle is coming off a three month break after cracking the Sweetcakes case wide open, and creating an enemy in the process but that's a tale for another day...or at least a different part of the story. She's high on time, low on funds, and her afternoon sweet stash is running out. Eddie's case seems perfectly timed and fairly open shut. He's had something taken, he wants it back, and he's prepared to not only pay, but give Nelle access to do her due diligence to retrieve this beloved item. What it is, I'll leave a mystery, but the why it's so important is the TRUE truth hidden in plain sight that needs to be solved. Things are going to get a whole lot more murky before they get even a smidge better. Nelle and her friends, acquaintances, and informants, will have to face very REAL danger before they ever even get close to evening the score, and once the source of everything is uncovered, there's still more truths to uncover that will change more than one life for good.

Honestly, I really enjoyed this one and admit fully to reading it with a bit of old school detective swagger in my voice throughout the story. Oh come on! It practically SCREAMS to be read that way, and being privy to the case as it unfolds makes it all the sweeter! I loved the characters from Nelle to Eddie, Sweetcakes to Waffles, Colin to the butler, and even the bad guys in between! In fact, some of the baddies are reason enough to follow through because you just know that they're going to get their just desserts! Tag along as Nelle does what she does best and see if you can solve the mystery before she does...even if you do, they'll be surprises along the way from good guys, bad guys, and plot twists you won't want to miss!


**copy received for review; opinions are my own

[American Mensa · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Candy Mafia is about a girl named Nelle who is a 12-year-old private detective living in a city where the mayor banned candy. A lot of kids do not like this, and they are smuggling candy. One of the biggest candy gangsters, Eddie de Menthe, visits Nelle because he wants her to find a lost teddy bear. One night, somebody broke into Nelle’s house to give her the teddy, but now Eddie has gone missing!
To find Eddie, Nelle must meet up with other notorious candy gangsters named Waffles and Sweetcakes who are enemies of each other and Eddie. Also, to find him, Nelle has to solve the 80-year-old mystery: What happened to the candy man named Mr. Farnsworth, whose family has been making candy for generations? The mayor needs to find him to have him sign a document so he can knock down his factory. But nobody has any clue as to his whereabouts!

I give this book 5 out of 5 stars because it has a great story and is really exciting. There is also a lot of suspense in the book. For example, the end of every chapter makes you wonder something new about the mystery, as the author continues to leave the reader more clues, without giving away the ending. Finally, even though there are a lot of characters, the author fills you in with a brief description of each and it is very easy to follow. This makes for an enjoyable read for readers ages 9-13.
Reviewed by Logan P., 12, Greater New York Mensa

[Mrs. Mazzola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nelle is a 12-year-old private detective working from her mother's garden shed and in desperate need of a new case when Eddie de Menthe (notorious candy smuggler) seeks out her services to find a lost teddy bear. When it turns out that the teddy bear may belong to the owner of the closed candy factory (a Prohibition on candy caused the factory to shutter its doors), the case begins to get very interesting.

There is a slow burn in the beginning that leads to some fun and intense action sequences at the end. I love stories where there is a villain, and the villains here are definitely bad and threatening and the mystery has a quite a few red herrings, which will definitely be interesting to mystery readers. Unfortunately, the language and setting are a throwback to old film noir / hardboiled detective stories, and unless you have that as a frame of reference (something that I know many of my students will not have), it just feels weird and disengaging to read. Will not be purchasing at this time.

**Thank you to Netgalley and Peachtree for a digital copy. All opinions are my own.

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

First sentence: The sun was bright through my office window in the backyard of our house.

Premise/plot: Imagine a city where candy is outlawed--aka prohibited. Nelle Faulker, our twelve year old heroine, lives in such a place. Her occupation--every child seems occupied somehow--is private detective. Her current case has her investigating the whereabouts of a stolen teddy bear belonging to one Eddie de Menthe. de Menthe is one of the big players in this candy mafia. Remember how I said all the children seemed to be occupied somehow--well many of the children are involved in the delivering, distributing, and selling of illegal candy brought into the city. Nelle's investigation is anything but simple and it takes her much closer to the mafia than she's comfortable with...

My thoughts: I really enjoyed this one! I loved the narrative. I loved the characters. I loved how the plot comes together. (I didn't love, love, love the cover though I liked the interior illustrations better.) It was a fun way to spend a couple of days. Definitely recommended.

This one was originally published in Great Britain in 2018. The first American publication is September 2020.

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets film noir in this funny, clever crime novel for middle graders. Nelle Faulkner is a young detective trying to figure out what's going on in the newest crime conduit in her small city-the bootleg candy trade. With Prohibition making all candy and sweets illegal 3 years past, the kids of Nelle's town are getting restless and finding themselves in deep trouble when they start doing all they can to sneak candy into the city limits.

I honestly liked the premise of the novel and thought it had a quick paced start to it. Immediately the readers are thrown into the mystery and introduced to a number of characters. However, I thought the ending veered a little too adult was somewhat sudden. I had honestly been leaning towards 4 stars until the last 20 pages or so of this novel. Still, I think most upper elementary and middle grade students will get a kick out of this, as it's a fun and entertaining crime mystery.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book VERY inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, to the point of aping the art style, having a CHOCOLATE FACTORY, and having one of the characters hum "an old song, something about a golden ticket"... hm... The most obvious departure from the same is the book is more Who Framed Roger Rabbit? in that it's about candy prohibition (!!!?), although the ending is unsatisfying in that it has a very 2018* taint to it, that the "bad guys" basically get off with a slap on the wrist and the victim (the factory owner) gets screwed out of everything (although prohibition ends).

*date of publication

I'm also a little confused about where it's supposed to take place, though, since it uses VERY British English ("tyre", "go to hospital") but there are TWO references to England as a different place ("I would have gone back to England")... I'd say India, but only one family is obviously Indian vs. white/whitish... Generic Not-England-But-Still-Under-Its-Influence Town?

[Alexandria · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by publisher.

A well-told detective story for middle-grade readers that will keep them guessing! Candy has become illegal. Town kids begin to smuggle it in and start up mafia-type operations to combat the order of the mayor. When one child shows up in the office of Nelle, a young girl aspiring to be a detective, in search of a missing teddy, it is up to her to crack a case bigger than she imagined.

The tone of this book made me feel like I was right in the middle of an on old detective movie. Tidhar does a great job at weaving together a fun mystery that makes worldly issues relatable to children. After all, what child doesn’t have a candy that they love? He displays how to stand up for what is right, and hold strong to who you are even when others try to make you feel small.

[Jaymie · Rating 3 out of 5]

[I received an electronic review copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

3.5 stars - Good+
A fun premise to this one - Noir detective tropes with a candy prohibition/mafia setting. There are some good twists to the mystery here. I felt like the characters could have been developed a little more and maybe a stronger motive for the villain.

I loved the hints at how much of their childhood the kids had lost because of prohibition and their smuggling. I would have loved to have seen that teased out more.

I think this would make for a fun read-aloud!

[Erin Buhr]

This MG mystery is quite unlike any others I have read. Nelle Faulkner is the twelve year old gumshoe who readers follow into the complicated and wild world of a candy prohibition. Think actual prohibition with dueling mafias and black market sales but chocolate coated and full of pranks. What starts as a simple assignment - find a missing teddy bear - evolves into something much bigger. At times comical. At times mysterious. Always intriguing and twisting, this is an entertaining read for mystery fans.

[Paula Lyle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a fun middle grade story with young characters and a plot about candy being illegal. I'm not sure that kids will really get what a mafia is, but they will get how candy is truly important. There is quite a bit of bullying, both from children and from adults, so I would offer it to more mature readers as an option. A huge theme seems to be that none of these children (or adults) are really good at making friends. I would spend some time with that if I was sharing with children. Cute pictures.

I received an eARC through NetGalley.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Candy Mafia is book for all ages, including adults. It is a light read, a combination of comic and mystery. Nellie Faulker and her friends live in a city where candy is outlawed. A candy gangster, Eddie de Menthe asks Nellie to locate a lost teddy bear. Eddie goes missing and Nellie and her friends descend into underworld of candy smugglers and from there things begin to happen.

The story teaches kids about business, monopolies, crime and its consequences. Delightful read that you will enjoy.

[Tristan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is the absolute most fun MG! I read it so quickly, not just because it's MG length but because it was so entertaining! I did not want to stop reading until the case was solved! I highly recommend this one. I think it would be a great one for kids to read themselves, or to read together with an adult! Everyone can enjoy this book.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Peachtree Publishing Company for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Jacque Stengel · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun detective book for those MG readers! Mafia and candy and smuggling and missing teddies? It read like an old fashioned detective story, complete with a trench coat! The mystery is totally aimed for kids! It also has a great message hidden within the mystery! Would be great for those kids who love some mystery in their reads! Recommend for all (there's also some sneaky funny bits).
Thank you NetGalley for a copy for honest review!