Review: Trouble is a Friend of Mine by Stephanie Tromly

Expected publication: August 4, 2015
by Kathy Dawson Books

I could easily see someone saying to Digby, "Trouble is your middle name." It never gets said outright, but it certainly seems true. Digby is the first person that Zoe Webster meets on her first day of school in the suburbs. And trouble soon follows. They both end up in detention for being late and are assigned to work on a project together. 

It becomes clear though that Digby has his own projects in the works and they pretty much aren't school related. Unless you think looking for a missing teen is vaguely school related. Digby thinks her disappearance could be somehow linked to the abduction/disappearance of his sister back when he was little. He recruits Zoe to help him in his hunt. Along the way, his friend Henry gets involved. By the end of the book, a few others have gotten swept along in Digby's wake as well.

Digby comes across as a sort of cross between Sherlock and Ferris Beuller. Zoe complains, "He's rude, he doesn't take no for an answer, and he treats you like a book he's already read and knows the ending to even if you yourself didn't yet." If nothing else, the word eccentric could describe Digby and his behavior. 

Zoe's parent's split up before the book starts. Zoe and her mother move away from New York City to a quieter suburban city. At least it appears quieter when they first move there. As soon as Zoe gets involved with Digby, the underbelly of the city starts to be exposed. Life is less than smooth with Digby, but it is much more interesting. Up until Zoe meets Digby, she appears to have been a lot quieter and generally well behaved.

I really enjoyed the book. I loved the characters, especially Zoe and Digby.The plot progresses at a steady pace for the most part with periods of intense activity as they get into trouble. The sense of humor is enjoyable, kind of snarky and sarcastic for the most part. The writing is well done. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. If you like the sound of Digby, it's worth checking out. 

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. The quote comes from an ARC and may appear differently in the final copy.