Grady Jones and the Great Detective Game

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About The Book

Glass Onion meets Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library in this laugh-out-loud, “complex, twisty” (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade mystery about an inexperienced detective who plans to solve a local murder to achieve greatness.

Only you can solve the mystery of my murder.

Grady Jones has spent nearly all twelve years of his life trying to find a way to be great at something. So when a mysterious note is delivered to his door, addressed to him, asking Grady to solve the murder of his town’s reclusive millionaire, Grady believes his search is over. He’ll be a Great Detective! The only problem is he is not known for being very observant…or intuitive…or clever.

Oh, and he has no idea how to solve a mystery.

Luckily, he has some friends who have skills of deduction, and together, they might have the chops to figure out the murderer. Then a stranger also named Grady Jones comes to town, and Grady fears the note might not have been meant for him at all. And if that’s the case, how will he ever become Great?

In this hilarious mystery about mistaken identity, one boy must make life-changing decisions, perhaps most important of all: is it more important to be a Great Detective, or a great friend?

About The Author

Photograph by Leslie Kendall Dye
Kerry Douglas Dye

Kerry Douglas Dye is a filmmaker, screenwriter, and amateur baker based in New York City. He’s the author of the middle grade novel Grady Jones and the Great Detective Game. When he’s not writing, he enjoys scary movies, crossword puzzles, and strolling through Central Park with his wife, daughter, and weird little dog, Albert.

Product Details

  • Publisher: Aladdin (September 30, 2025)
  • Length: 336 pages
  • ISBN13: 9781665967099
  • Ages: 8 - 12

Raves and Reviews

"This complex, twisty mystery, a debut by screenwriter Dye, unfolds at a good pace and features wry humor that invites readers to see truths Grady misses."

Kirkus Reviews

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