Platypus Police Squad: The Frog Who Croaked by Jarrett J. Krosoczka (review)

Just when we thought Phineas and Ferb had cornered the market on crime-fighting monotremes, Krosoczka introduces us to Rick Zengo, rookie detective on the Platypus Police Squad of Kalamazoo City. Zengo is anxious to prove his worth when he’s assigned to be the partner of O’Malley, a veteran gumshoe who helped take down Pandini, the kingpin of organized crime in Kalamazoo City, years ago. When a beloved English teacher from the local high school goes missing in what appears to be a botched illegal synthetic-fish deal, Zengo and O’Malley stay hot on a trail that drags them down to the docks and back up through a swanky nightclub where the staff has shady behind-the-scenes dealings. This is true hardboiled crime fiction, platypus-style, with cops who aren’t afraid to pull their boomerangs, philanthropic panda entrepreneurs with their paws in every pie, and unexpected reveals when the masks come off. Krosoczka’s copious use of spot art pulls the story along (not that the lightning-fast plot needs the help), while the tongue-in-cheek appropriation of the tropes of whodunits make this a catch for kids who will want to crack the case alongside Zengo. A final bait-and-switch makes it very clear that Zengo and O’Malley will return to their sleuthing in a sequel. Final art not seen. TA