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Good Guys and Bad Guys
by Maya Smith
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
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Pub Date
28 Jul 2025
| Archive Date
21 Aug 2025
Description
Like most seemingly perfect places, Jake’s hometown of Asheton hides some dark secrets. His entire life it has been a safe place with good people, where nothing ever seems to go wrong. That is, until his parents suddenly go missing. When he decides the police are just too incompetent to solve such an important mystery, he enlists his best friend Danny to help him discover what actually happened to cause their disappearance.
With help from his grandmother and older sister Hannah, Jake attempts to track down the bad guys responsible, but instead he finds out that his parents may not have been who they said they were. He soon realises that he may be being lied to on a much larger scale, as his own family becomes increasingly under suspicion.
And the world being divided into good guys and bad guys may not be as simple as Jake had originally thought.
Like most seemingly perfect places, Jake’s hometown of Asheton hides some dark secrets. His entire life it has been a safe place with good people, where nothing ever seems to go wrong. That is, until...
Description
Like most seemingly perfect places, Jake’s hometown of Asheton hides some dark secrets. His entire life it has been a safe place with good people, where nothing ever seems to go wrong. That is, until his parents suddenly go missing. When he decides the police are just too incompetent to solve such an important mystery, he enlists his best friend Danny to help him discover what actually happened to cause their disappearance.
With help from his grandmother and older sister Hannah, Jake attempts to track down the bad guys responsible, but instead he finds out that his parents may not have been who they said they were. He soon realises that he may be being lied to on a much larger scale, as his own family becomes increasingly under suspicion.
And the world being divided into good guys and bad guys may not be as simple as Jake had originally thought.
A Note From the Publisher
Maya Smith is a London based writer of English-Bengali heritage. She was fourteen when she started writing this book during lockdown, and has since continued to refine it whilst doing her GCSEs and A levels. With influences ranging from thrilling detective novels to witty sitcoms, Maya tells the classic story of a disappearance through fresh eyes, and puts a new and light-hearted spin on the mystery genre.
Maya Smith is a London based writer of English-Bengali heritage. She was fourteen when she started writing this book during lockdown, and has since continued to refine it whilst doing her GCSEs and A...
A Note From the Publisher
Maya Smith is a London based writer of English-Bengali heritage. She was fourteen when she started writing this book during lockdown, and has since continued to refine it whilst doing her GCSEs and A levels. With influences ranging from thrilling detective novels to witty sitcoms, Maya tells the classic story of a disappearance through fresh eyes, and puts a new and light-hearted spin on the mystery genre.
Available Editions
| EDITION |
Ebook |
| ISBN |
9781836289746 |
| PRICE |
£4.99 (GBP)
|
| PAGES |
224
|
Available on NetGalley
NetGalley Reader (EPUB)
NetGalley Shelf App (EPUB)
Send to Kindle (EPUB)
Send to Kobo (EPUB)
Download (EPUB)
Additional Information
Available Editions
| EDITION |
Ebook |
| ISBN |
9781836289746 |
| PRICE |
£4.99 (GBP)
|
| PAGES |
224
|
Available on NetGalley
NetGalley Reader (EPUB)
NetGalley Shelf App (EPUB)
Send to Kindle (EPUB)
Send to Kobo (EPUB)
Download (EPUB)
Average rating from 2 members
Featured Reviews
Karly B, Reviewer
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
This was a very quick and entertaining read. Captivating characters and an endearing plot. It was fun, fast, and witty.
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
Erica L, Librarian
3 stars
3 stars
3 stars
3 stars
3 stars
GOOD GUYS AND BAD GUYS is a book about a mystery & the child who solves it, but it's also a book about nuance. I liked the concept and the reveal of the mystery. The narration was a bit forced at times, but it's a fun style I don't usually see. Combined with the plot and the takeaways I think this would be a solid readalike for The Mysterious Benedict Society.
All that said, I felt that the pacing was slightly off - Jake's knowledge of what happened was (I think) meant to add suspense, and maybe for a kid it would! But for me, his constant referrals to a "now" and "what we know now that the mystery's solved" were just frustrating. As well, the dialogue felt pretty stilted a lot of the time.
I'll be recommending this to fans of character-driven middle grade mysteries and kids who are looking for a bit deeper, more challenging of a read.
Thanks to NetGalley, Troubador, and the author for the eARC. This is 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 on Goodreads and NetGalley.
3 stars
3 stars
3 stars
3 stars
3 stars
Featured Reviews
Karly B, Reviewer
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
This was a very quick and entertaining read. Captivating characters and an endearing plot. It was fun, fast, and witty.
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
4 stars
Erica L, Librarian
3 stars
3 stars
3 stars
3 stars
3 stars
GOOD GUYS AND BAD GUYS is a book about a mystery & the child who solves it, but it's also a book about nuance. I liked the concept and the reveal of the mystery. The narration was a bit forced at times, but it's a fun style I don't usually see. Combined with the plot and the takeaways I think this would be a solid readalike for The Mysterious Benedict Society.
All that said, I felt that the pacing was slightly off - Jake's knowledge of what happened was (I think) meant to add suspense, and maybe for a kid it would! But for me, his constant referrals to a "now" and "what we know now that the mystery's solved" were just frustrating. As well, the dialogue felt pretty stilted a lot of the time.
I'll be recommending this to fans of character-driven middle grade mysteries and kids who are looking for a bit deeper, more challenging of a read.
Thanks to NetGalley, Troubador, and the author for the eARC. This is 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 on Goodreads and NetGalley.
3 stars
3 stars
3 stars
3 stars
3 stars
