Darlene Foster's Blog

It’s not easy being a kid detective.

You can’t make a citizen’s arrest, you can’t beat up the villains, you can’t interrogate suspects. The usual cozy mystery detective’s posse of police, doctor, lawyer won’t talk to you unless they’re your parent. And you can’t even track bad guys if it’s after your bedtime.

Sure, the adults in your life seem content to let you roam free, following criminals and risking your life.

When the bad guys catch, gag, and tie you up—and they will because they’re bigger, faster, can drive legally, and don’t have to get home in time to finish their homework—there’s only one thing you can do. (Well two things, if you forgot, again, to do one of them before you left home.) You can bang for attention. Surprisingly often, kid sleuths find themselves tied up and often gagged. Nancy Drew did it so often, it’s amazing her…