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Daphne and Velma #1
The Vanishing Girl
It's the classic girl detectives like you've never seen them before!
Daphne Blake and Velma Dinkley have a terrifying new mystery to solve - and this time, the culprit is far more frightening than any man in a mask....
Popular Daphne Blake and über-nerd Velma Dinkley are not friends. They aren’t enemies either, but they don't have any reason to speak to each other, and that’s how they prefer it. The two girls grew up together—they’d been best friends since pre-K—but when they hit middle school, Daphne dropped Velma and never looked back.
These days, Daphne’s deep in the popular crowd, daughter of the richest family in town, while Velma’s an outsider, hiding from the world behind her thick glasses. When they run into each other in the halls of Crystal Cove High, they look the other way.
But then Daphne's best friend, Marcy—who happens to be Velma’s cousin—goes missing. A century ago, there was a wave of disappearances in Crystal Cove, and many local people believe that supernatural forces were behind it. Now the whole town believes those same forces are back . . . and up to no good.
Daphne and Velma may be the only ones who can solve the mystery and save Marcy—if they can trust each other enough to try. Especially since the truth might be stranger—and scarier—than either girl can imagine . . .
Daphne Blake and Velma Dinkley have a terrifying new mystery to solve - and this time, the culprit is far more frightening than any man in a mask....
Popular Daphne Blake and über-nerd Velma Dinkley are not friends. They aren’t enemies either, but they don't have any reason to speak to each other, and that’s how they prefer it. The two girls grew up together—they’d been best friends since pre-K—but when they hit middle school, Daphne dropped Velma and never looked back.
These days, Daphne’s deep in the popular crowd, daughter of the richest family in town, while Velma’s an outsider, hiding from the world behind her thick glasses. When they run into each other in the halls of Crystal Cove High, they look the other way.
But then Daphne's best friend, Marcy—who happens to be Velma’s cousin—goes missing. A century ago, there was a wave of disappearances in Crystal Cove, and many local people believe that supernatural forces were behind it. Now the whole town believes those same forces are back . . . and up to no good.
Daphne and Velma may be the only ones who can solve the mystery and save Marcy—if they can trust each other enough to try. Especially since the truth might be stranger—and scarier—than either girl can imagine . . .
262 pages, Paperback
First published March 3, 2020
69 people are currently reading
1080 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 222 reviews
January 16, 2021
make them gay you cowards!!!!!!
(I did really really enjoy this and thought Daphne and Velma's friendship was written really well. And I cried. But I would have given this 5 stars if they were gay and I was so convinced this book would end in them kissing (spoiler: it doesn't) bcos they're so obviously in love with each other!!!!!)
(I did really really enjoy this and thought Daphne and Velma's friendship was written really well. And I cried. But I would have given this 5 stars if they were gay and I was so convinced this book would end in them kissing (spoiler: it doesn't) bcos they're so obviously in love with each other!!!!!)
September 7, 2020
This is absolutely Scooby Doo on Riverdale's brand of drugs and sometimes that was a Bit Much, but I added a whole extra star for the cameo by the Hex Girls cause the nostalgia was real.
Also Velma and Daphne are lesbians, even if the book states otherwise, I refuse to believe it.
Also Velma and Daphne are lesbians, even if the book states otherwise, I refuse to believe it.
May 22, 2023
I surprisingly really liked this one. I've always been mildly a fan of Scooby Doo after being forced by my sis to watch all of the movies, so I liked the spin-off between Daphne and Velma.
It adopts the voices of the characters very well. Reading their dialogue was almost like hearing them speak. And there were some resemblances to the original characters, insofar as their main likes and habits were portrayed.
However, I do think that these characters stray from the original series, in their thoughts and the way they interact. There is a different depth and side that Ruby gives that I don't think comes off in the tv shows. So, as someone without the strongest ties or recollection of the OG series, I really liked the interpretation and spin that Ruby took with the series.
Plot-wise this also read like an episode of Scooby Doo. It flowed really easily, and there was a good amount of mystery but also relational drama between the characters. I really liked the way this spinoff was written.
It adopts the voices of the characters very well. Reading their dialogue was almost like hearing them speak. And there were some resemblances to the original characters, insofar as their main likes and habits were portrayed.
However, I do think that these characters stray from the original series, in their thoughts and the way they interact. There is a different depth and side that Ruby gives that I don't think comes off in the tv shows. So, as someone without the strongest ties or recollection of the OG series, I really liked the interpretation and spin that Ruby took with the series.
Plot-wise this also read like an episode of Scooby Doo. It flowed really easily, and there was a good amount of mystery but also relational drama between the characters. I really liked the way this spinoff was written.
June 14, 2020
4.5 *
Honestly, I love this book. It would be on my list of favorites of all time had SOMEBODY not swapped around who liked who and upset the precarious balance of couples I’d been shipping since I was like 6.
I’m assuming the main reason more people haven’t read this is because it came out in the middle of quarantine, and they didn’t get the chance to properly advertise this book to its target audience. Namely me. Who did not know this book existed till yesterday, who bought this book the second she saw it, and read it the very next day.
This book is great. It’s not very deep or lengthy, so don’t expect anything highbrow. But for a quick fun read, it’s perfect. It’s a good plot, solid writing, well developed character. But most importantly, it captures the heart of a Scooby Doo mystery perfectly.
Honestly, I love this book. It would be on my list of favorites of all time had SOMEBODY not swapped around who liked who and upset the precarious balance of couples I’d been shipping since I was like 6.
I’m assuming the main reason more people haven’t read this is because it came out in the middle of quarantine, and they didn’t get the chance to properly advertise this book to its target audience. Namely me. Who did not know this book existed till yesterday, who bought this book the second she saw it, and read it the very next day.
This book is great. It’s not very deep or lengthy, so don’t expect anything highbrow. But for a quick fun read, it’s perfect. It’s a good plot, solid writing, well developed character. But most importantly, it captures the heart of a Scooby Doo mystery perfectly.
December 9, 2020
I absolutely adore Scooby Doo! This was such a treat.
July 19, 2020
I really enjoyed listening to the audio of this book and getting to know Velma and Daphne. Once they were best of friends but then the sharing of a secret pulled them apart. For a number of years the two girls didn’t even talk to each other but now they have been thrown together and they must solve a mystery. This is very much the old type of mystery and detective story but in a modern time.
Daphne’s best friend Marcy goes missing; the Police believing she is runaway but Daphne knows Marcy would never do that without telling her first. So Daphne starts investigating Marcy’s disappearance. There is talk of ghosts and a few suspects too. The timing is 100 years after other people went missing so everyone in Crystal Cove is worried that something supernatural is happening but the girls work together to solve the mystery.
Shaggy plays his part too, although the focus really is on Daphne and Velma and their relationship.
There was a sense of nostalgia as I listened to the story, and a feeling that I was reuniting with a couple of old friends. I’m certainly going to be looking out for the next book in the series. Though aimed at Young Adult readers, I see no reason why younger tweens wouldn’t enjoy this book.
Daphne’s best friend Marcy goes missing; the Police believing she is runaway but Daphne knows Marcy would never do that without telling her first. So Daphne starts investigating Marcy’s disappearance. There is talk of ghosts and a few suspects too. The timing is 100 years after other people went missing so everyone in Crystal Cove is worried that something supernatural is happening but the girls work together to solve the mystery.
Shaggy plays his part too, although the focus really is on Daphne and Velma and their relationship.
There was a sense of nostalgia as I listened to the story, and a feeling that I was reuniting with a couple of old friends. I’m certainly going to be looking out for the next book in the series. Though aimed at Young Adult readers, I see no reason why younger tweens wouldn’t enjoy this book.
March 30, 2024
They are NOT straight they are IN LOVE!!!!!!
February 22, 2020
This was a fun look into a cartoon that has been a part of my entire life. To get into the heads of Velma and Daphne was cool. Also that “jinkies” moment when the last clue is found and you know who the bad guys are, was just as satisfying in this book as it is watching the cartoon. If you love(d) Scooby Doo, definitely give this a shot. I’m here for all future Scooby Doo novels. Can’t wait for the next mystery Velma and Daphne solve.
June 25, 2020
Jinkies, this was such a fun book! If you’re a fan of Scooby Doo, or quick cozy mysteries, I can’t recommend it enough. Getting to know more about the girls from Mystery Inc was such a lovely experience, the book adds more depth to their backstories, particularly family lives, and helps us understand why and how people can be so different and yet somehow so perfect for each other!
⠀
As kids Daphne and Velma were the best of friends, in high school they are decidedly not. But when Daphne’s new best friend Marcy goes missing after claiming to have seen a ghost at the local theme park where Velma works, the haunted village, these two long lost friends are forced to find a way to come together and overcome their differences in order to solve the case. A good sleuth will be able to pick up on the clues scattered throughout the book and see where it’s mystery is heading, just like in any Scooby Doo episode, but predictability aside it was just such a nostalgic and enjoyable read. My one and only complaint is that I would have loved to see more involvement from the other members of the group. Don’t get me wrong I’m all for girl power - but it just didn’t feel like a complete Mystery Inc investigation without Scooby and the boys and all the shenanigans they bring to the table. Still, this was a delightful and satisfying mystery with two strong female leads unique in their own ways. I’m really excited for the next book and I honestly can’t wait to see Daphne and Velma uncover the next mystery!
⠀
As kids Daphne and Velma were the best of friends, in high school they are decidedly not. But when Daphne’s new best friend Marcy goes missing after claiming to have seen a ghost at the local theme park where Velma works, the haunted village, these two long lost friends are forced to find a way to come together and overcome their differences in order to solve the case. A good sleuth will be able to pick up on the clues scattered throughout the book and see where it’s mystery is heading, just like in any Scooby Doo episode, but predictability aside it was just such a nostalgic and enjoyable read. My one and only complaint is that I would have loved to see more involvement from the other members of the group. Don’t get me wrong I’m all for girl power - but it just didn’t feel like a complete Mystery Inc investigation without Scooby and the boys and all the shenanigans they bring to the table. Still, this was a delightful and satisfying mystery with two strong female leads unique in their own ways. I’m really excited for the next book and I honestly can’t wait to see Daphne and Velma uncover the next mystery!
February 21, 2021
This book was so much better than I thought it was going to be! To be honest I didn’t really have high expectations for this, but I’m glad I read it. I absolutely loved seeing all of the characters from Scooby Doo, although Fred didn’t play as big of a role in the story. I also loved reading about the friendship between Daphne and Velma. I will definitely be reading the second book!
May 28, 2024
This is a first in a trilogy about Daphne and Velma from the Scooby gang. In this book they were friends but are now more… not enemies not quite Frenemies… at the beginning. They’re both 16 and driving and when Daphne‘s friend Marcy goes missing she’s going to need Velma‘s help to solve the case. We get glimpses of other members of the Scooby gang, but they are not big players in the story. The author started the series off where it can stand alone for those who don’t know, Scooby Doo, but enjoyed by those who have always been fans of Mystery Inc. This book is geared towards high school, but it would be appropriate for upper elementary and on. However, it’s a bit hard to find. Book one can still be found in various places, book two can be attained through interlibrary loan, but book tree is only available as an e-book. Is that due to bad storytelling or lack of publishing… I think it’s lack of publishing. If I hadn’t tripped over this at Barnes & Noble, I would’ve never known about it. And while it’s not the best mystery in the world, it was still a fun ride that I thoroughly enjoyed. I’m happy to see books in the world of Mystery Inc. catered toward older kids and younger adults and I look forward to reading the next two books.
October 29, 2021
Series: Daphne and Velma #1
Rating: 5 stars - I loved it!
Daphne Blake and Velma Dinkley used to be best friends when they were kids. Now as high schoolers, they have gone their separate ways. But when Daphne’s best friend, who is also Velma’s cousin, disappears, these two team up to solve the mystery.
Well this book was a surprise. I expected to like this book because I loved Velma as a kid but this was ten times better than I expected it to be. I was instantly hooked on Daphne and Velma’s high school life and their fractured relationship. Velma is the smart kid who doesn't have any friends really, which I related to a lot. Daphne is the popular girl in school who is constantly being reminded of her mother’s success. I enjoyed their internal monologue and their struggle to cope with family and friend issues. Also, watching them repair their friendship was very well written and I love that it wasn’t an easy repair. They worked at it and made more mistakes along the way.
One of the things that I found surprisingly great about this book was the side characters. I loved that Shaggy, Scooby, and Fred all are seen throughout this book. Also, my childish self was extremely excited when the Hex Girls appeared because they were one of my favorite characters from the cartoon. The mystery aspect of this book was great in my opinion. I didn’t realize who the bad guys were until right before they were revealed so I call that a very successful mystery plot line.
Overall, this was a wonderful mystery with two of my favorite childhood characters. I mean what’s not to love about a series focusing on just Daphne and Velma! I am really looking forward to reading book two now, especially since it will be dealing more with Shaggy.
Content Warnings: brief references to parent with depression
You can also find my reviews at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
Rating: 5 stars - I loved it!
Daphne Blake and Velma Dinkley used to be best friends when they were kids. Now as high schoolers, they have gone their separate ways. But when Daphne’s best friend, who is also Velma’s cousin, disappears, these two team up to solve the mystery.
Well this book was a surprise. I expected to like this book because I loved Velma as a kid but this was ten times better than I expected it to be. I was instantly hooked on Daphne and Velma’s high school life and their fractured relationship. Velma is the smart kid who doesn't have any friends really, which I related to a lot. Daphne is the popular girl in school who is constantly being reminded of her mother’s success. I enjoyed their internal monologue and their struggle to cope with family and friend issues. Also, watching them repair their friendship was very well written and I love that it wasn’t an easy repair. They worked at it and made more mistakes along the way.
One of the things that I found surprisingly great about this book was the side characters. I loved that Shaggy, Scooby, and Fred all are seen throughout this book. Also, my childish self was extremely excited when the Hex Girls appeared because they were one of my favorite characters from the cartoon. The mystery aspect of this book was great in my opinion. I didn’t realize who the bad guys were until right before they were revealed so I call that a very successful mystery plot line.
Overall, this was a wonderful mystery with two of my favorite childhood characters. I mean what’s not to love about a series focusing on just Daphne and Velma! I am really looking forward to reading book two now, especially since it will be dealing more with Shaggy.
Content Warnings: brief references to parent with depression
You can also find my reviews at Red-Haired Ash Reads.
November 24, 2020
What a joy! Having the 2 female members of the Mystery Inc gang be the focus of this book and having their characters get fully fleshed out was such a treat to read. This story alternates between both Velma and Daphne's POV as they navigate a destroyed friendship while also trying to solve the mystery of a missing girl. If ghosts aren't real then what has everyone been seeing and where is Daphne's (new) best friend? And can these two repair a friendship when they both have so much unresolved anger?
I really appreciate that Velma and Daphne are no longer one dimensional characters but realistic teen girls with flaws and feelings. Their complicated relationship felt genuine and made me remember all the drama of friendship at that age (and even now sometimes). I can't wait for the sequel!
Bonus: Very few appearances of Fred Jones and a hot Shaggy which is as it should be in my opinion.
I really appreciate that Velma and Daphne are no longer one dimensional characters but realistic teen girls with flaws and feelings. Their complicated relationship felt genuine and made me remember all the drama of friendship at that age (and even now sometimes). I can't wait for the sequel!
Bonus: Very few appearances of Fred Jones and a hot Shaggy which is as it should be in my opinion.
July 19, 2020
I found this on a kindle discounts list and decided, "Sure, why not?" Scooby Doo was a childhood favorite show, and I was delighted with this book. It had all the old favorite bits -- the characters were described just as remembered, with Velma's glasses and turtlenecks, Shaggy and Scooby's love of food, and Daphne's fashion taste, it featured a haunted theme park, and even "Jinkies" and "meddling kids" were mentioned! And it added some new, and appreciated, elements: the girls pretty much solved the mystery themselves, and they had realistic interactions with each other and with their families and friends.
I will consider checking out the next installment when it comes out.
I will consider checking out the next installment when it comes out.
September 23, 2023
This book was a nice little mystery that gave me nostalgic feels for the old Scooby Doo movies and show, especially when the Hex Girls made an appearance! There is a lot of angst in the lives of Daphne and Velma, though quite understandable in their circumstances. Also I prefer this Shaggy over the old school Shaggy.
October 23, 2025
I loved this book so much! The revelation of the culprit wasn’t surprising but the book did such a good job of being entertaining while also staying true to the characters and the vibes of their original setting that it made for a very enjoyable reading experience even without a shocking revelation.
May 15, 2020
This was fine, nice easy-to-listen to mystery.
It didn't need to be a Scooy Doo book though.
It made me decide that I'm going to watch the live action Scooby Doo film this weekend.
August 13, 2020
Oh my goodness, this was so cute! It had all the nostalgia of the Scooby Doo characters we know and love, but with an angsty twist. And the story line was actually really good!
Read
August 25, 2021dnf @17% i just couldn’t anymore. i love scooby doo, but this was nothing like i thought it was going to be. honestly gives me riverdale vibes
May 12, 2023
This book makes me so happy 💕 it was so good! Finally teenagers acting like teenagers! The topic of friendship was so well written 👌
March 25, 2024
Daphne and Velma are iconic wlw FOR A REASON!
This book was really cute, and the alternating POVs were done well. I'm wondering a bit why Fred never really made it into the story, but there ARE two sequels, so maybe we'll see him there.
This book was really cute, and the alternating POVs were done well. I'm wondering a bit why Fred never really made it into the story, but there ARE two sequels, so maybe we'll see him there.
April 10, 2020
I think if I didn't have a soft spot for all things Scooby Doo I wouldn't have given this three stars. Daphne and Velma's characters had some growth throughout the story which saved their beginning characterizations of being generally awful human beings. Even as a teenager I don't remember being that stuck-up. Regardless, I mostly see this story as the opportunity for more in the future, hopefully involving more Shaggy, Scooby, and Fred. While Shaggy and Scooby had secondary roles, Fred was practically nonexistent. The ending also tied up way too quickly and without the usual fanfare and complicated shenanigans that are some of my favorite parts of the Scooby franchise movies and shows. But I liked it for the most part.
February 5, 2020
Fans of Scooby-Doo will fall in love with this book. Daphne Blake and Velma Dinkley used to be best friends, but at 10 years old they had a falling out and went their separate ways. Now in high school Velma's family is struggling along. Her dad is depressed, her mom is working the night shift at a theme park, and they are living in an apartment. Daphne's parents are divorced. Daphne lives with her dad in a nice house and is well off, but her dad has to go on a trip and so her estranged mom and stepdad along with her "new kids" are coming to stay. Weird things start to happen at the "Haunted Village" where Velma's mom and she work. Marcy saw a ghost, a week or so later she disappears.
In true Mystery Inc. style the girls come back together to solve this mystery and find Marcy. Told in alternating voices of Daphne and Velma the book keeps you coming back for more. True sleuths will be able to pick up on the clues and know where the book is heading.
December 25, 2020
This was cute. I almost didn't read it because I thought it was a tie in with that 2018 daphne and velma live action movie. Its not. A lot of the reviews are calling it scooby doo meets riverdale and I see it. Its was a fun easy read. I wonder if fred will get a bigger part in the next book. He's just kinda there. But it's not his story. Shaggy got a bigger role but also not his story. As th3 title suggests this about velma and Daphne. Also cameo from the hex girls. With is always good
Edit: this was my 100th book. I spend a good amount of time deciding if I'd up my goal to 125. Spoiler I did. And I hit that goal Christmas eve
Edit: this was my 100th book. I spend a good amount of time deciding if I'd up my goal to 125. Spoiler I did. And I hit that goal Christmas eve
December 2, 2021
Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
August 1, 2020
brakowało mi czegoś,,, może to z sentymentu - tyle obejrzanych odcinków scooby doo... głównie jednak dlatego, ze ta historia nie zostanie ze mną na długo, miłe czytadło:)
December 25, 2022
I loved every word of this book
June 18, 2021
It was very cool to see the scooby doo world through the lens of YA fiction and ill definitely be looking for more of these.
March 24, 2020
It never fails to fascinate me how much of a cultural impact Scooby-Doo has had over its 51-year-and-counting history. The fans don't just love the series, they're passionate about it. If you need proof (and you have no human decency) just pop into any message thread and ask "Which series was your least favorite?"; within minutes people will be lobbing their ascots and lavender pumps at each other.
So, YA novel Daphne and Velma: The Vanishing Girl by Josephine Ruby comes with the pleasure of, and responsibility for, a built in audience with predisposed emotions for the lead characters. In case you don't know, Ruby is a pseudonym for an as yet unidentified author (or authors). But even with no previous titles associated with Ruby, I'm happy to say the writing carries both the air of professional experience, and a love of the source material.
Scooby's more visual tropes don't translate well into written format, and Ruby is wise to make sure the story works as a YA novel first before selecting which familiar elements to throw into the mix. For example, the dog makes several appearances but only communicates through barking; thus grounding itself in more of a reality than we've seen before.
Minus a prologue and some scattered interlogues, the narrative alternates between Velma and Daphne's perspectives. The voices are distinctive; and unlike last year's (dare I say unwatchable?) live-action DVD movie which focused on these characters, the cornerstone of the plot is their conflict.
We've seen Velma's insecurities before, but here they're on display in full glory because sixteen year old Velma doesn't have a successful track record to lean into. She's confident in her mental prowess but she doubts her ability to follow through. From the opening paragraphs, you hear her voice. This is the seed that's going to grow into the woman who will stare down her hero Ben Ravencroft. At her core, Velma has an intellectual thirst for truth, and this is the period in her life where it hurts her with the most regularity; when she's alone.
On the other hand, this version of Daphne is a bit of a jarring flavor. She's much further from her familiar(ish) personality that the franchise can't ever quite nail down. This Daphne is a mean girl. Not unsympathetically so. A combination of circumstance and the fact that adolescence is a hormonal circus, this Daphne can't stop herself from erupting. It's a painful, sometimes literally tear-jerking character arc she goes on. And it's poetically heart-breaking every time she refers to herself as a monster hiding behind a mask.
If there's a weakness to the novel, it's that the mystery takes a back seat. I don't think it's a bad thing; I was happy spending the bulk of the pages getting to re-know these old friends of mine. If you're coming into it purely for the mystery elements you might find yourself having to flip through the first hundred pages before the vanishing girl actually vanishes. But that's not the heart of the book. Like the title reads, it's about Daphne and Velma before it's about the case of the week. As this series continues, I hope those priorities continue.
Final thoughts: Ruby is an author with a legitimate spark. She's willing to take some risks with the characters, and her ability to manage the fallout is admirable. The Scooby franchise doesn't have a rigid canonical timeline, so don't try to force this into one 'verse or the other. Ruby seems to take most inspiration from the Mystery Incorporated series, while possibly answering why Daphne thought she might be going to hell in the Supernatural crossover. It's a YA book, so there's some mild profanity that I'm kind of surprised the WB allowed, but nothing to make it feel not-Scooby. And there's a nice surprise appearance in the third act that I won't spoil here.
In the end, I recommend both reading the book and supporting the series. The second installment is due in July, and all signs point to this being a deeply satisfying journey.
So, YA novel Daphne and Velma: The Vanishing Girl by Josephine Ruby comes with the pleasure of, and responsibility for, a built in audience with predisposed emotions for the lead characters. In case you don't know, Ruby is a pseudonym for an as yet unidentified author (or authors). But even with no previous titles associated with Ruby, I'm happy to say the writing carries both the air of professional experience, and a love of the source material.
Scooby's more visual tropes don't translate well into written format, and Ruby is wise to make sure the story works as a YA novel first before selecting which familiar elements to throw into the mix. For example, the dog makes several appearances but only communicates through barking; thus grounding itself in more of a reality than we've seen before.
Minus a prologue and some scattered interlogues, the narrative alternates between Velma and Daphne's perspectives. The voices are distinctive; and unlike last year's (dare I say unwatchable?) live-action DVD movie which focused on these characters, the cornerstone of the plot is their conflict.
We've seen Velma's insecurities before, but here they're on display in full glory because sixteen year old Velma doesn't have a successful track record to lean into. She's confident in her mental prowess but she doubts her ability to follow through. From the opening paragraphs, you hear her voice. This is the seed that's going to grow into the woman who will stare down her hero Ben Ravencroft. At her core, Velma has an intellectual thirst for truth, and this is the period in her life where it hurts her with the most regularity; when she's alone.
On the other hand, this version of Daphne is a bit of a jarring flavor. She's much further from her familiar(ish) personality that the franchise can't ever quite nail down. This Daphne is a mean girl. Not unsympathetically so. A combination of circumstance and the fact that adolescence is a hormonal circus, this Daphne can't stop herself from erupting. It's a painful, sometimes literally tear-jerking character arc she goes on. And it's poetically heart-breaking every time she refers to herself as a monster hiding behind a mask.
If there's a weakness to the novel, it's that the mystery takes a back seat. I don't think it's a bad thing; I was happy spending the bulk of the pages getting to re-know these old friends of mine. If you're coming into it purely for the mystery elements you might find yourself having to flip through the first hundred pages before the vanishing girl actually vanishes. But that's not the heart of the book. Like the title reads, it's about Daphne and Velma before it's about the case of the week. As this series continues, I hope those priorities continue.
Final thoughts: Ruby is an author with a legitimate spark. She's willing to take some risks with the characters, and her ability to manage the fallout is admirable. The Scooby franchise doesn't have a rigid canonical timeline, so don't try to force this into one 'verse or the other. Ruby seems to take most inspiration from the Mystery Incorporated series, while possibly answering why Daphne thought she might be going to hell in the Supernatural crossover. It's a YA book, so there's some mild profanity that I'm kind of surprised the WB allowed, but nothing to make it feel not-Scooby. And there's a nice surprise appearance in the third act that I won't spoil here.
In the end, I recommend both reading the book and supporting the series. The second installment is due in July, and all signs point to this being a deeply satisfying journey.
June 10, 2023
2023 Reread: Still really good, still entertaining. It contains a lot of important life lessons and human insights as well. A colourful, clever, funny, quick and enjoyable holiday read.
Everything in my original review below applies and supplies; nothing has changed.
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
I don't know why I had only recently become suddenly, inexplicably quite obsessed with this femme pairing. Maybe it was from seeing toys belonging to my adorable little nephew and niece, and it brought on nostalgia feels. I mean, 'Scooby-Doo' is an absolutely massive franchise, and must be a part of everybody's childhood to some degree, but it was never a big thing for me (not like 'The Simpsons', which was my obsession). I just remember it as being one in the long line of Hanna-Barbera cartoons that were always on on Saturday mornings when I was very young, and not much more. A toon megacorporation from when I was growing up, that I'm surprised to see is still very popular after several decades.
But there's something about the two leading lady detectives - Daphne Blake and Velma Dinkley, two complete opposites in personality who have undergone various incarnations since the sixties. To me, a feminist pop culture and girl power fanatic, they are enticing; delightful; enchanting.
Before reading 'The Vanishing Girl' (Daphne and Velma, #1)', for context I bought and watched several 'Scooby-Doo' animated films (my favourites are 'Zombie Island' and 'The Witch's Ghost'. Yeah, the mysteries that are the very antithesis of 'Scooby-Doo''s original premise of the supernatural being fake and that the real monsters you'll encounter in life are merely people. I don't care, they're very good films, and good animated films are my jam). I watched the 2018 live action 'Daphne & Velma' film, and I actually enjoyed it; shocking news concerning any live action adaptation of a cartoon, I know. I've also now finished reading this book's sequel, 'The Dark Deception', and in my opinion, it isn't anywhere near as good as the first. The mystery element is rubbish, obvious and incomplete, plot threads and characters are dropped and go nowhere, it's rather boring, and I swear there is queerbaiting - in a 2020 publication! YA authors, make the main leads queer - don't limit yourselves to the very, very minor characters. Why are Daphne and Velma so hung up on boys? Why ram home how straight they apparently are? Ugh, why!?
Anyway, on to the charm and modern female power of 'The Vanishing Girl':
Daphne and Velma, so different in high school social hierarchies and cliques, nonetheless compliment each other emphatically in anything they appear in. At least in this YA novel, they represent two sides of the same coin in terms of female strengths: Daphne, the slender redhead in purple and green, is the queen bee, the fashionista, the "pretty" and popular girl, who is smarter and more observant, cunning and savvy than she lets on; and Velma, the frumpy, freckled brunette in orange, is the straight-up "smart" girl, with the glasses and social awkwardness, and just wearing whatever she wants, not caring what people think of her, but still endowed with insecurities. Both of them are. They are teenagers, after all. And both are intelligent in their own way; Daphne is street-and-people-and-trends-smart, and Velma is a science geek and bookworm, for instance.
Daphne - Extrovert. Velma - Introvert.
To be frank, they complete each other. They would work as a couple, in every sense of the word.
I have to say this for Velma, too: Her entire concept says that a girl who is super smart is a good thing. Smart girls are cool. It doesn't matter what she looks like - she is to be respected, as a detective and a character in her own right. How progressive for the sixties.
In the first in a planned trilogy of YA books about the dynamic, dynamite diva duo, it is established that this is a prequel of sorts to how the Mystery Inc became official. Daphne - rich, cool and confident - and Velma - nerdy and mystery-loving child of impoverished immigrants - live in Crystal Cove, famous for its history of unsolved mysteries, hauntings and legends. The girls were best friends as children, but a heart-breaking fallout, where all sorts of complicated life busts happened for both of them, had left them bitter and mean enemies up to high school. When Daphne's fellow popular mean girl friend Marcy starts acting strange and aloof, and then disappears the day she'd meant to confess all, Daphne and Velma reunite, after many years, to try and find her. And other missing girls. More and more people are claiming to have seen a ghost haunting Crystal Cove's tourist attraction theme park, the Haunted Village.
Daphne and Velma are each going through family issues (Velma had lost her home a long time ago and is living in poverty, and her father is suffering from depression; Daphne is still processing her parents' divorce, and is refusing to emotionally let in her estranged video game designer mother, and her stepfather and younger half-sisters, etc.). But together, they are going to crack the case! Solve one mystery out of a multifold in Crystal Cove.
Shaggy, who is funny and awesome here, tags along to help out occasionally, too, along with Scooby (who, in a contemporary and "realistic" incarnation, is a relatively normal and friendly Great Dane who doesn't talk). Fred barely appears. An extra special highlight is the presence of the Hex Girls, who it turns out are valuable to the plot and not merely fanservice cameos (Thorn even has a crush on Velma!).
Major props for Velma being half-Mexican from her mother's side; it carries such significant, meaningful and relevant diversity rep in this American novel.
I won't reveal much detail about 'The Vanishing Girl', a mystery story, in my review. I don't wish to spoil anything! However, a single minutiae I will mention is the inclusion of a universal fact that men tend to avoid tampon boxes like the plague, and so this makes them perfect places for women and girls to hide anything they need to. Just one life lesson out of loads to take away from a book prominently starring Daphne and Velma from 'Scooby-Doo'!
And Velma's cat is named Jinkies. This is noteworthy to me because I love cats. No other reason.
'The Vanishing Girl (Daphne and Velma, #1)' - recommended, and not solely for nostalgic reasons. It's brilliant to see two girls, unalike yet alike in their loneliness and insecurities, in a complicated relationship, who grow and form a bond, and care deeply for one another. They work in a relationship that will help to make their community and overall society better and safer for everyone. They're a pair who exude innovation and warmth and charm. They deserve credit for their mystery solving skills.
Seriously though, I totally ship Daphne and Velma. Someone make it canon, in something, anything.
Final Score: 4/5
Everything in my original review below applies and supplies; nothing has changed.
Final Score: 4/5
Original Review:
I don't know why I had only recently become suddenly, inexplicably quite obsessed with this femme pairing. Maybe it was from seeing toys belonging to my adorable little nephew and niece, and it brought on nostalgia feels. I mean, 'Scooby-Doo' is an absolutely massive franchise, and must be a part of everybody's childhood to some degree, but it was never a big thing for me (not like 'The Simpsons', which was my obsession). I just remember it as being one in the long line of Hanna-Barbera cartoons that were always on on Saturday mornings when I was very young, and not much more. A toon megacorporation from when I was growing up, that I'm surprised to see is still very popular after several decades.
But there's something about the two leading lady detectives - Daphne Blake and Velma Dinkley, two complete opposites in personality who have undergone various incarnations since the sixties. To me, a feminist pop culture and girl power fanatic, they are enticing; delightful; enchanting.
Before reading 'The Vanishing Girl' (Daphne and Velma, #1)', for context I bought and watched several 'Scooby-Doo' animated films (my favourites are 'Zombie Island' and 'The Witch's Ghost'. Yeah, the mysteries that are the very antithesis of 'Scooby-Doo''s original premise of the supernatural being fake and that the real monsters you'll encounter in life are merely people. I don't care, they're very good films, and good animated films are my jam). I watched the 2018 live action 'Daphne & Velma' film, and I actually enjoyed it; shocking news concerning any live action adaptation of a cartoon, I know. I've also now finished reading this book's sequel, 'The Dark Deception', and in my opinion, it isn't anywhere near as good as the first. The mystery element is rubbish, obvious and incomplete, plot threads and characters are dropped and go nowhere, it's rather boring, and I swear there is queerbaiting - in a 2020 publication! YA authors, make the main leads queer - don't limit yourselves to the very, very minor characters. Why are Daphne and Velma so hung up on boys? Why ram home how straight they apparently are? Ugh, why!?
Anyway, on to the charm and modern female power of 'The Vanishing Girl':
Daphne and Velma, so different in high school social hierarchies and cliques, nonetheless compliment each other emphatically in anything they appear in. At least in this YA novel, they represent two sides of the same coin in terms of female strengths: Daphne, the slender redhead in purple and green, is the queen bee, the fashionista, the "pretty" and popular girl, who is smarter and more observant, cunning and savvy than she lets on; and Velma, the frumpy, freckled brunette in orange, is the straight-up "smart" girl, with the glasses and social awkwardness, and just wearing whatever she wants, not caring what people think of her, but still endowed with insecurities. Both of them are. They are teenagers, after all. And both are intelligent in their own way; Daphne is street-and-people-and-trends-smart, and Velma is a science geek and bookworm, for instance.
Daphne - Extrovert. Velma - Introvert.
To be frank, they complete each other. They would work as a couple, in every sense of the word.
I have to say this for Velma, too: Her entire concept says that a girl who is super smart is a good thing. Smart girls are cool. It doesn't matter what she looks like - she is to be respected, as a detective and a character in her own right. How progressive for the sixties.
In the first in a planned trilogy of YA books about the dynamic, dynamite diva duo, it is established that this is a prequel of sorts to how the Mystery Inc became official. Daphne - rich, cool and confident - and Velma - nerdy and mystery-loving child of impoverished immigrants - live in Crystal Cove, famous for its history of unsolved mysteries, hauntings and legends. The girls were best friends as children, but a heart-breaking fallout, where all sorts of complicated life busts happened for both of them, had left them bitter and mean enemies up to high school. When Daphne's fellow popular mean girl friend Marcy starts acting strange and aloof, and then disappears the day she'd meant to confess all, Daphne and Velma reunite, after many years, to try and find her. And other missing girls. More and more people are claiming to have seen a ghost haunting Crystal Cove's tourist attraction theme park, the Haunted Village.
Daphne and Velma are each going through family issues (Velma had lost her home a long time ago and is living in poverty, and her father is suffering from depression; Daphne is still processing her parents' divorce, and is refusing to emotionally let in her estranged video game designer mother, and her stepfather and younger half-sisters, etc.). But together, they are going to crack the case! Solve one mystery out of a multifold in Crystal Cove.
Shaggy, who is funny and awesome here, tags along to help out occasionally, too, along with Scooby (who, in a contemporary and "realistic" incarnation, is a relatively normal and friendly Great Dane who doesn't talk). Fred barely appears. An extra special highlight is the presence of the Hex Girls, who it turns out are valuable to the plot and not merely fanservice cameos (Thorn even has a crush on Velma!).
Major props for Velma being half-Mexican from her mother's side; it carries such significant, meaningful and relevant diversity rep in this American novel.
I won't reveal much detail about 'The Vanishing Girl', a mystery story, in my review. I don't wish to spoil anything! However, a single minutiae I will mention is the inclusion of a universal fact that men tend to avoid tampon boxes like the plague, and so this makes them perfect places for women and girls to hide anything they need to. Just one life lesson out of loads to take away from a book prominently starring Daphne and Velma from 'Scooby-Doo'!
And Velma's cat is named Jinkies. This is noteworthy to me because I love cats. No other reason.
'The Vanishing Girl (Daphne and Velma, #1)' - recommended, and not solely for nostalgic reasons. It's brilliant to see two girls, unalike yet alike in their loneliness and insecurities, in a complicated relationship, who grow and form a bond, and care deeply for one another. They work in a relationship that will help to make their community and overall society better and safer for everyone. They're a pair who exude innovation and warmth and charm. They deserve credit for their mystery solving skills.
Seriously though, I totally ship Daphne and Velma. Someone make it canon, in something, anything.
Final Score: 4/5
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