Casey’s Cases: The Mysterious New Girl by Kay Healy was read via an online reader’s copy, but I will not be reading it or getting copies of it in as a finished copy, as it just did not “click” for me.
First, Casey is around 11-years-old. And while I know that is still a young age, she acts much younger than that. In fact, I would not be surprised if it was revealed that she was also neurodivergent as what she does “get” is literal or not what we would expect. And in fact, she almost does not “get things” at all. I think it was meant for humor, but it comes off slightly annoying for me as an adult reader. After all, when she gets a hat that is supposed to look like Sherlock Holmes’ or receives the Nancy Drew book (and doesn’t know who either are) and she thinks herself a detective, it does not come out as funny, but honestly, a bit sad. 
Also, everything Casey encounters is labeled a “mystery.” And for the most part, they are not really mysteries in the usual sense or for a girl her age. The chapters are mostly broken up a chapter per mystery, but sometimes a question overlaps within the chapter. Then there is the artwork. This is almost abstract in nature. At the very least it is distracting and off putting. Things are almost as if they were meant to give you an idea of what was wanted but not actually the finished product. Now, I have trouble drawing stick figures, so I am not saying I could do better (I cannot) but I would have preferred something more real even if it was cartoonish.
I am not saying this book is bad. In fact, it could really work for the younger reader or a reader who needs some content but text needs to be simpler. It just was not a book for me. Due mid February 2025