This was a cute middle grades mystery novel. It reminded me of Treasure Hunters in that there was an element of mystery surrounding the parents. I enjoyed the mystery elements and thought that the plot built well. It would keep the interest of middle grade readers.

This was a fun read that youth will enjoy. There was good character development and youth filled adventure throughout. This is a book which I would recommend to the middle school age group.

Minerva and Heck Keene live in Chicago while their parents, who claim to be university professors, travel the world giving presentations. They are minimally watched by their cousin, Bizzy. After watching the movie The Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Minerva is obsessed by the idea that her teacher (and the sponsor of the detective club) has been replaced by someone else. She has some decent reasons to believe this, but approaches the mystery in a frantic way, mistaking a basement full of CPR dummies for dead bodies, etc. She's also dealing with brash newcomer Zoe Quick who claims to have already been admitted to the University of Chicago and is trying to take over the detective club. Minerva and her friend Silent Santos, aided by an amazingly responsive Detective Taylor, embark on some questionable tactics to prove that her teacher is not who she claims to be.

I really enjoyed Minerva Keene's Detective Club (I bought two copies), but this book was completely different. Instead of having a well plotted mystery that bordered on murder, it was just a series of anecdotes centered around Minerva's belief that her teacher, Claire Voyant, had been replaced by someone else, with forays into questioning her parents' jobs. I'm sure there will be another book addressing the parents situation, but I'm not entirely sure I will purchase this second book.
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/2023/05/minerva-keenes-detective-club.html

My nephew absolutely Jane’s Patterson books for younger readers and this book does not disappoint.

He loved it. Laughed while reading it.
And as his aunt I love Pattersons “ big people” books lol. It was pure joy to sit down and both of us read together!

My family and I are longtime fans of Keir Graff's middle grade books and of James Patterson's thrillers. We were thrilled to see two of our favorite authors join forces. The results do not disappoint. Graff's middle school characters are relatable and fun in all the best ways. They're witty and sensitive and adventurous. We cheer when they find another clue, and we groan when they make any number of bad (and relatable) tween decisions. The first Minerva Keen book was lightning-paced and tremendous fun. Double Trouble is just as fun but read more like a traditional mystery with plenty of clues and hijinx for middle school readers to sink their teeth into before the satisfying reveal. My son adores this series, and really loved the addition of the rival detective Zoe in this installment. We hope she's here to stay. This series is a dream for any middle school reader who wants to feel like they're part of a true detective club. We can't wait for the next MK, especially with the many seeds planted at the end of Double Trouble for another layered mystery in Minerva Keen's wacky world.

Enjoyed this book by James Patterson and Keir Graff. Enjoyed the characters, plot, and pacing. Will need to find and read the first book in this series. #MKsDetectiveClubTheDoubleTroublePuzzle #NetGalley

This was a strong start to the MKs Detective Club series, it had that mystery element that I was looking for and enjoyed the overall feel of this. I thought it had that writing style that I was hoping for and was hooked from the first page. James Patterson and Keir Graff had a great writing style for this world and am excited for more.

Note: I received a DRC from NetGalley in exchange for a review.
“Discover Nancy Drew for a new generation, packed with thrills, chills, and even laughs—from #1 bestselling mystery maven James Patterson.

Minerva Keen is the absolute best kid detective Chicago has ever seen, and she’s hungry for a new mystery to solve with her friends. But a know-it-all new girl, Zoe, tries to take control of MK’s detective club. Worse still, Ms. Claire Voyant, who has always had a soft spot for Minerva, takes Zoe's side. It’s clear to Minerva that someone…or something has taken over her favorite teacher.

Add in terrifying nightmares, the return of Minerva’s parents (who come home with more dangerous baggage than just their luggage), and some shocking developments—MK’s Detective Club just might have more mysteries than they can solve. With nowhere to turn, the club walks right into danger…and the stakes just might be deadly”.

The first book in the series was fun, but I found this book to be a very disappointing sequel. The book took some generic ideas and made a story out of them that still isn’t fun or interesting. The ending of the book was fun, but the beginning of this book just dragged on for ages. I'm not a big fan of the new character, Zoe, either. Also, I thought that Minerva constantly thinking that her teacher was actually someone else due to watching a scary movie was really annoying, and the reveal that this was true made me roll my eyes. I really wanted to like this book, but compared to the first, this felt generic and annoying, even if it became a fun read in the last 100 pages or so. Kids will love this book, but I can’t see anyone else reading this.
⭐⭐1/2