The Candy Mafia by Lavie Tidhar

Synopsis:

“In a city where candy is a crime and sugar is scandalous, Nelle Faulker is a 12-year-old private detective looking for her next client.

When notorious candy gangster Eddie de Menthe asks for her help to find a missing teddy bear, Nelle Faulkner is on the case. But as soon as the teddy turns up, Eddie himself goes missing! As a seemingly innocent investigation unravels into something more sinister, Nelle and her friends quickly find themselves swept up in a shady underworld of sweets smugglers, back alley deals, and storefront firebombs.

If Nelle has any hope of tracking down her missing client, first she’ll have to unmask the true faces behind the smuggling ring. Can Nelle and her friends find a way to take the cake? Or will they come to a sticky end…?

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets Bugsy Malone in this page-turning mystery from World Fantasy Award-winning author Lavie Tidhar. With moody spot illustrations by Daniel Duncan, readers will be sucked into the action-packed narrative as Nelle pulls the curtain back on the black market candy rings.”

Review

The Candy Mafia by Lavie Tidhar is such a fun read! And a perfect title to share with kids who love Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl or The Candymakers by Wendy Mass.

Although this story is filled to the brim with characters, I was still able to easily follow the storyline. Our heroine, Nelle was on the case dodging candy gangs, two very suspicious detectives, and adding up the clues. I loved the film noir feel of the book, with shadowy figures, dark-colored cars following people around, and red herrings galore.

I also liked that along with the adventure and intrigue, Nelle grapples with the idea of right vs. wrong and the law. Eating candy in her town is illegal, but is eating a little wrong? And how sometimes life isn’t fair. But, that feeling of righting wrongs, and fighting injustice is important.

Additional Thoughts

This would make a perfect book to pick up right about as we move into October. Plus, Halloween is right around the corner! You might need to have a little candy on hand as you read – this book is mouthwatering!

Also, this was the most fun ARC that I’ve ever received! The publishers sent this one in its own box with a secret compartment that hid illicit candy!

Need to Know:

Title: The Candy Mafia
Author: Lavie Tidhar
Illustrator: Daniel Duncan
Publisher: Peachtree Publishing Company, Inc.
Publication Date: September 1, 2020
Page Number: 300 pgs.

A perfect library program tie-in would include a game of Lifesize Candyland!