Platypus Police Squad: The Ostrich Conspiracy by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (review)

Kalamazoo City’s monotreme detectives Zengo and O’Malley are fresh from their last case (The Frog Who Croaked, BCCB 6/13) when the opening of the mayor’s pet project of a massive indoor-outdoor amusement park, the Dome, goes wrong and thrill-seekers get stuck on the fair rides. Their initial investigation suggests sabotage. Is Pandini, sleazy magnate who always seems to be dealing in something shady, behind the shenanigans? Or is it the dream team of savvy tycoons and engineers, strangely hired from rival city Walhalla, who constructed the Dome? Maybe the mayor himself? Neither the plot nor the laughs are as mile-a-minute in this second volume as in the first, but the buildup of the conspiracy is unusually effective for a kooky adventure with animal characters, with plenty of red herrings to keep readers guessing. Nods to noir continue to abound, and Zengo again surfaces as a believably complex rookie, trying to prove himself as independently capable in a way that will resonate with the target audience. With its plentiful spot art and zany appeal, this is a fine follow-up for readers already hooked on the platypus beat.