Charlotte Illes Is Not a Detective

For anyone seeking to satisfy their Harriet the Spy or Encyclopedia Brown nostalgia, this modern, witty debut based on the popular @katiefliesaway TikTok series stars a twentysomething former kid detective who’s coaxed out of retirement for one last case.

FOR CHARLOTTE ILLES (IS NOT A) KID DETECTIVE, CALL 908-318-4612‬‬‬!

The downside about being a famous child detective is that sooner or later, you have to grow up . . .

As a kid, Charlotte Illes’ uncanny sleuthing abilities made her a minor celebrity. But in high school, she hung up her detective’s hat and stashed away the signature blue landline in her “office”—aka garage—convinced that finding her adult purpose would be as easy as tracking down missing pudding cups or locating stolen diamonds.

Now 25, Charlotte has a nagging fear that she hit her peak in middle school. She’s living with her mom, scrolling through job listings, and her love life consists mostly of first dates. When it comes to knowing what to do next, Charlotte hasn’t got a clue.

And then, her old blue phone rings . . .

Reluctantly, Charlotte is pulled back into the mystery-solving world she knew—just one more time. But that world is a whole lot more complicated for an adult. As a kid, she was able to crack the case and still get her homework done on time. Now she’s dealing with dead bodies, missing persons, and villains who actually see her as a viable threat. And the detective skills she was once so eager to never use again are the only things that can stop a killer ready to make sure her next retirement is permanent . . .

Katie Siegel is a former wannabe child detective who eventually realized that writing mysteries was more fun than trying (and failing) to solve them. She is a graduate of Rutgers University, where she did a lot of theatre (and got a Journalism degree in her spare time). Katie has been creating video content on a variety of platforms for over a decade, and is an experienced writer and actor. On TikTok, she’s garnered a large audience for her humorous sketches and creative story concepts. Katie also writes and produces the fantasy radio advice show podcast, Dear Liisphyra. Charlotte Illes is Not a Detective is her debut novel. You can follow her on social media @katiefliesaway (or don’t, live your life).