Elvira Vance and the Monster Mystery

Thirteen-year-old Elvira Vance lives with her human father and siren mother in the mostly-monsters trailer park they manage in West Texas. When the sacred Monarch of Fright crown—the jewel of the massive Marfa Monster Festival, which culminates on Halloween—is stolen, the human investigator on the case, Detective Price, thinks that missing chupacabra Cal Shadevale, one of the Vances’ residents, is the culprit. Worse, the prejudiced human town mayor threatens to close the park, citing it as “a cesspool for monster crime.” With the support of her bestie, blue-furred chupacabra Mari Akecheta, and her crush, geeky human Emilio Salinas, Elvira initiates an inquiry that takes them to a vampire mausoleum, a literal ghost town, and, scariest of all, a government office filled with monster-hating humans. Simultaneously, Elvira becomes increasingly reliant on using her newly manifested siren powers to manipulate the investigation. Even as Elvira navigates the townsfolk’s prejudice alongside personal conflict surrounding her identity, Ritter strikes an upbeat tone using clever twists, a rollicking plot, and delightfully gruesome monster horrors, resulting in a lively paranormal mystery with thoughtful depths. Elvira cues as white; supporting characters are racially diverse. Ages 8–12. Agent: Emily Van Beek, Folio Literary. (July)