I So Don't Do Famous

Gr 5—8—Sherlock Holmes Baldwin ("Sherry") is back for another mystery in this fourth installment in the series, and this time she's in Hollywood with her father and her friend Junie, having won an all-expenses paid trip for writing an essay on true love. Also along for the ride is Sherry's deceased mother, whose ghost only Sherry can speak to and who helps solve her daughter's cases. This time, Dear Elle, Hollywood Girl magazine's famed love advice columnist, has had her purse stolen, and the 13-year-old is determined to find the culprits. With the help of Junie, the Beverly Hills police, and some deus ex machina, Sherry is able to nab the thieves while taking in the Hollywood tourist sites, getting closer to her father, healing her broken heart, and meeting a cute new boy (who just happens to live near her in Arizona). The mystery is wrapped up in a neat little package. There isn't much substance here. Sherry and Junie are both flat stereotypes (Sherry is the fashionista; Junie is the brainiac). The contrived plot doesn't move the story in any worthy direction. This book will be popular with fans of the series, but it's an additional purchase at best.—Lauren Newman, Northern Burlington County Regional Middle School, East Columbus, NJ