A review by starrysteph
The Undetectables by Courtney Smyth

adventurous funny mysterious tense medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

The Undetectables was a charming & sweet cozy mystery. Though it had its weaknesses, I loved the dynamic & healthy friendships, the fibromyalgia representation, and the often comedic writing style. 

A trio of witch friends are reunited after the first case arrives on the doorstep of the investigative agency they attempted to start as teens: The Undetectables. Their task? Find the killer whose magical whistling causes their victims to choke on their own tongues. Clever and forensically-minded Mallory is navigating life with fibromyalgia, flirty Diana is ready to socially engineer any potential witnesses, and bug expert Cornelia has to try to see clearly through her hatred of police. And Theodore - whose murder was the first they ever witnessed - is eager to assist in ghostly form. He’s also perennially stuck in a cat costume, but don’t mention it. With no leads and no obvious motives, the team has to pull it together and catch The Whistler before they strike again.

The world, lore, and different systems of magic were simple/not super developed, but definitely interesting. I also appreciated the queernormative world and range of identities. 

I really enjoyed our quartet of main characters. They’re all smart, they all care about each other, and they’re all doing their best to be good, supportive, accepting friends. However, their characterization was cartoonish at times, with Theodore’s dramatics, Diana’s never-ending parade of ex-girlfriends, the fact that they said things like “unalived”, etc. The characters did feel very young and immature for early 20s, and the humor felt a bit young as well.

I was so happy about the inclusion of fibromyalgia - and an exploration of what it means to have a chronic illness in a magical world. Also what it means for someone who has worked hard to become knowledgeable struggle with brain fog, someone who prides themself on their independence to ask for help and support from friends, and so many more little relatable tidbits. 

My biggest stumble was the overarching mystery. I think it was too long and too slow. The villain was frustratingly obvious, and for a trio that was so clever and scientifically advanced it was disappointing that they didn’t manage to put ANY of the pieces together. I felt like I was twiddling my thumbs and waiting for them to catch up to my thought process, which wasn’t super fun. 

Finally, one moment that has stuck with me involves the main character doing something needlessly cruel. I understood why it was happening in the moment/it narratively made sense, but in my opinion it was NOT resolved well at all - especially for a book with a lot of plot points around good friendship. 

I am overflowing with questions from the ending - and I think I would pick up the next book (if there is going to be a next book) to see how some of the remaining mysteries shake out.

CW: murder, death, animal death, animal cruelty, chronic illness, grief, kidnapping, gore, confinement, toxic relationship, ableism, fire

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(I received a free copy of this book; this is my honest review.)
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