What if Nancy Drew grew up and started questioning WHY she felt a deep need to solve mysteries, who she would be without them, and what did any of it really matter anyways?

According to Sara Gran, the answer lies with teen sleuth Cynthia Silverton, jaded veteran sleuth Claire DeWitt, and a colorful cast of characters, including a 16-year-old would-be gardener, and a 30-something university dropout and detective lover. In "Little Mysteries," Gran asserts to us that mysteries serve, first and foremost, to help us with making meaning where really, there is none. Sometimes, life just happens - good or bad, and there is not a behind-the-scenes solution or diabolical plot to make sense of it. And this realization can lead us one of two ways: We can lay down and accept that there is no point to anything; that we are, in essence, simply existing. Or we can create meaning for ourselves, with our community and the world around us. The choice, in the end, is our own.

"Little Mysteries" was a delight to read. A truly accessible lit fic anthology, each short story grabbed my attention, and I rarely felt as if the anthology was dragging. Gran is a master of metaphors and quick-witted writing, carefully revealing each mystery and revelation for her characters as they develop over the course of the book. If anything, there were moments I wished the book were longer, or felt it was a bit "on the nose."

What I Really Loved About This Book:

This story is told from the point of view of multiple characters throughout multiple vignettes and short stories, including a second-person narrator that consistently breaks the fourth wall. The jump in POV's and narrator kept the book lively and entertaining as I worked through the mysteries.

Because of the short story setup, the book doesn't need to worry (as much) about pacing, but still effectively moves towards its tidbits of life lessons and revelations for characters in a way that feels natural and engaging.

The callbacks to Nancy Drew mysteries and hallmarks of detective/mystery novels throughout the stories was really fun as a mystery reader, and cleverly done for those who haven't read too far into mystery novels before. As someone who read every Nancy Drew book as a child, I loved Gran's satire and her teen sleuth, who maybe doesn't always have it all together with titian hair and a perfect boyfriend.

If you're a fan of Nancy Drew, life-lesson lit fic, or tongue-in-cheek narration style, this book will definitely entertain you. I was so happy with this book and cannot wait for it to be published!

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamland Publishers for this ARC for an honest review.

Publication Date: February 10, 2025

The last mystery, number ten, is alone worth the price of this book. I loved Sara Grans book Come Closer and the last chapter reminded me a little bit of the writing style in her previous book. I would love to have this book in my collection and try the mysteries in all my friends. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.