Elvira Vance and the Monster Mystery

by Kacy Ritter

Overview

Half-siren Elvira Vance doesn’t trust outsiders. Especially not the human detective who’s been hired to investigate the disappearances of a chupacabra and the crown for the Marfa Monster Festival. While humans are convinced the monster skipped town with the crown, Elvira knows there’s more to the story. As the daughter of Vince Vance—founder of Vince Vance’s Vintage Trailer Park Inn for Monsters—Elvira cares too much about her home to let this mystery go unsolved.

With her two best friends, Elvira collects clues and investigates humans, banshees, vampires, and ghosts. But when more creatures start disappearing and antimonster attitudes rise, Elvira realizes that her friends could be in real danger.

Now time is running out, and Elvira must use her siren powers and sleuthing skills to solve this mystery—or lose everything she loves.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780063348578
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	07/15/2025
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.20(h) x 1.30(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Kacy Ritter is a fantasy geek who has lived all across the Lone Star State. She holds degrees from the University of Texas at Austin and the University of North Texas and currently resides in Houston with her partner and their daughter. She daylights as a healthcare professional and loves writing at the intersection of fantasy and Texas Americana.

Editorial Reviews

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.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review)

“An original, fast-paced mystery featuring a strong message about inclusion.” — Kirkus Reviews

"Both a charming story of inclusion and an action-packed, monster-filled mystery, Elvira Vance will delight readers who want every day to feel like Halloween."
— Justine Pucella Winans, award-winning author of The Otherwoods

"Kacy Ritter has delivered another winner! Elvira Vance is a compelling mystery featuring a creative menagerie of monsters in a unique and whimsical setting. Refreshingly original.”  — Matt McMann, USA Today bestselling author of the Monsterious series

"A monstrously good time! With its plucky cast of creatures and thoughtful exploration of friendship and belonging, Ritter knocks it out of the trailer park with this charming mystery." — Tracy Badua, author of Freddie vs. the Family Curse

“Kacy Ritter has created a rollicking mystery bursting with vivid characters set in a fascinating world—a small town in Texas where supernatural creatures coexist as citizens with humans. Even as it mirrors serious real-world issues, this spooky, funny tale will delight young readers as they follow half-siren Elvira Vance on the trail of a missing chupacabra.” — Wendy Parris, author of Field of Screams and Stage Fright

“This fast-paced page-turner will have readers rooting for Elvira from the very beginning, and it is sure to be a favorite of all who enjoy stories full of mystery and adventure.” — Sydney Dunlap, author of the award winning What Happened on Saturday and Racing the Clouds

“Readers will be truly surprised when the caper’s mastermind is at last unmasked.” — Booklist

From the Publisher

2025-04-19
In the West Texas town of Marfa, trouble brews between humans and monsters when the monsters’ prized crown is stolen and chupacabra Calvin Shadevale disappears.

Detective Price seems sure that Cal took off with the sacred crown that the monsters use at the annual Marfa Monster Festival to honor the Monarch of Fright. There are many humans, including the mayor, who are ready to use the crime as an excuse to shut down Vince Vance’s Vintage Trailer Park Inn for Monsters. But 13-year-old Elvira, Vince’s daughter, doesn’t believe Cal is the culprit; she insists he’s a victim. The situation becomes even more suspicious when more monsters go missing. Elvira, who has a racially ambiguous human dad and a siren mom, wishes everyone could get along. Eager to solve the mystery and calm tensions, she joins forces with her human friend (and secret crush) Emilio Salinas, and chupacabra best friend, Maribel Akecheta—together they’re “the best sleuths in Marfa.” Their investigations take them to a mausoleum, the mayor’s office, and a ghost town as they encounter colorful witnesses and suspects, including a banshee, a vampire, a jackalope, and decidedly unfriendly ghosts. As they hurtle toward the finale, the trio discover a duplicitous villain and an unlikely ally. This compelling story offers food for thought about discrimination. Elvira’s humorous and engaging first-person voice flows easily.

An original, fast-paced mystery featuring a strong message about inclusion.(Mystery. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews