We've got some work to do now.

Author : Edgar Cantero
Title : Meddling Kids
Published : 03/04/2018
Pages : 322
Genre : Mystery Fiction
Publisher : Titan Books

     1990. The former detectives have grown up and apart, each haunted by disturbing memories of their final night in the old haunted house. There are too many strange, half-remembered encounters and events that cannot be dismissed or explained away by a guy in a mask. And Andy, the once intrepid tomboy now wanted in two states, is tired of running from her demons. She needs answers.

     I still remember Saturday morning cartoons as a kid, sat in front of the t.v avidly watching whichever cartoon series happen to be on at the time.  My favorite being scooby-doo, I guess this is probably where my love of mystery stories started. So when I heard of a book that was sort of loosely based and update of this formula I a little intrigued. Now there is always this thing about going back to your childhood, I remember the horror show that was the recent films.  While in the original things were hinted at or implied, When people come to redo them they push it to the fore ground, for me at least it always feels like it falls flat. 

     While all the face you would expect to see are here, all be it by different names. The years have not been kind to them. With the fame of there exploits long faded they have sort out new ways to fill the void. It's interesting to see how the author imagined what would become of each of them. To me, it seems like a logical place for each of them to have landed up. The damage done from fame and dealing with matters beyond there years has wreaked havoc. And for some has left them at rock bottom. Scattered to the four winds a need to settle accounts on their last case brings them back together for one last trip on the road. It's a strange thing to witness people who have been separated for so long try and put there lives into perspective and compare it to others. It is however within these interactions that I found depth and connections with his cast of characters. Some time awkward and sad and at other times enough to make me laugh out loud. He shows that this merry band of mystery hunters has plenty more life in them yet.

     This book is chock full of pop culture references and nostalgia, it felt like the author had taken all these elements I had loved from my childhood and given them a new home in an adult world. Too often I think this is done in such a forceful way, but here the author chose to do it with reverence for its source material. But with all this, the book stands out as its own being, if you have never seen these shows I think it stands out as a good mystery horror novel. The book is well plotted and delivers plenty of twists as our heroes try peaces together fragment memories and heal old scars. While the horror elements for me didn't necessarily induce a feeling of dread they were creepy and did add some fun to the mix. The ending felt like not only completing a circle back to where they all started but a new beginning for this group and the possibility of something more. 

     With a good story and a great cast, this is a good book to spend a few evening with. And I felt my self-racing through to get to the end.