BOOKS

Let's review what every gal needs for the ultimate autumn read-a-thon, shall we? The coziest fuzzy blanket, the patter of soothing rain against the window, a warm cup of spiced cider—oh yeah, and the perfect book, ofc. 

But if your TBR is running low on mysteries (aka the ~official~ genre of spooky szn), we've got you covered with a read that combines adventure, intrigue and, yes, a healthy dose of family drama.

Enter:The Sherlock Society, the story of sibling kid detectives Alex and Zoe Sherlock (and with that last name, it doesn't take a private eye to suss out why they started their very own mystery-solving club). As they race to find the fabled treasure hidden by gangster Al Capone somewhere in Miami, they uncover a more sinister conspiracy…but the real question is: Can they stop it?

Only one way to find out—add it to your must-read list rn.

We checked in with the master of mystery himself, James Ponti (bestselling author of The Sherlock Society, plus the bestselling City Spies series), to get the inside scoop on the book's memorable moments (no spoilers, dw), underlying inspo and what any budding author needs to know before they pen their first novel. 

Girls' Life: First off, if The Sherlock Society had an epic tagline, what would it be?

James Ponti: "The game’s afoot." Not only is it a classic line from Sherlock Holmes, but also a reminder that, as the reader, [solving the case] will be much more fun if you play along. 

GL: Fill in the blank: "Fans of ___ will adore The Sherlock Society."

James: City Spies. There is no international espionage in Sherlock Society, but the goal from the beginning was to write something that fans of my City Spies books would naturally connect with. 

GL: Which Sherlock Society character was your fave to write? 

James: I love writing Grandpa. A longtime investigative journalist, he knows both the sunny and shady sides of Miami, so he’s invaluable to the team. But it’s his worldview and sense of humor that make him my favorite. 

GL: Do you ever draw on your own experiences when you write fiction? What inspired you to come up with the story of the Sherlock siblings?

James: I grew up in a small Florida beach town, and the vibe of that upbringing is at the heart of the book. As for the plot, however, it’s all make-believe and wish fulfillment of a boy who had an active imagination.

GL: You're a big fan of mysteries in all their forms: books, movies, TV shows. What attracts you to the genre?

James: I love the interactive nature of mysteries. It’s the author’s job to lay out a story with enough clues to give the reader a chance to solve the mystery, but to also give it enough complexity to make that a challenge. My goal is that the reader doesn’t solve it, but then looks back and says, “Of course that’s who did it.” 

GL: Any advice for our readers who might want to write their own mystery novel one day? 

James: Before you get started, it will really help if you figure out two things. First of all, you need an interesting detective or team of detectives to solve the case. Then, I like to figure out the ending first and then write toward it. 

Ready to write your own twisty tale? Get all the inspo and check out bestselling The Sherlock Society here! 

More epic book content, right this way:
📚 WIN! Cozy up with these 16 Amazing Autumn Reads
📚 The secret to achieving your biggest goal (according to Olympic track star, Micha Powell)
📚 Add this teen-founded bookstore to your must-visit list

by GL | 10/2/2024