Meddling Kids

Last updated

Meddling Kids
Meddling Kids.jpg
Author Edgar Cantero
Cover artistMichael Windsor
Genre Horror
Mystery
Comedy
PublishedJuly 12, 2017 (Doubleday)
Publication placeUnited States
Media typePrint (hardcover, paperback)
Pages336
ISBN 978-0-385-54199-2
Preceded by The Supernatural Enhancements  
Followed by This Body's Not Big Enough for Both of Us  

Meddling Kids is a 2017 horror-comedy novel by Catalan author Edgar Cantero, published by Doubleday and Blumhouse Books. It deals with a former gang of children detectives, in the vein of Enid Blyton's Famous Five or Scooby-Doo , who reunite in their mid-twenties to reopen a case that traumatized them as kids and expose a plot of Lovecraftian horror.

Contents

Plot synopsis

The novel opens with a newspaper clip from 1977 featuring the "Blyton Summer Detective Club", a bunch of young investigators aged 11–13, who solved the mystery of an alleged monster haunting the area of Sleepy Lake in Oregon. Thirteen years after solving that last case, the former detectives have drifted apart and lead broken lives, haunted by the memories of the night they spent in the mansion on the lake: budding genius Kerri is an alcoholic tormented by nightmares and has been unable to finish her schooling; nerd Nate is regularly checking himself into mental institutions; tomboy Andy is a vagrant wanted in several states and dealing with aggressive behavior; and golden boy Peter went on to become a successful Hollywood actor whose career was cut short by suicide. Andy has traced all of their problems back to that last case, believing that there was more to it than just a guy in a costume. When the man they exposed as the Sleepy Lake monster makes parole, she assaults him only to confirm that there was something more to the case. Andy then sets off to reunite the surviving members of the gang (including Tim, a Weimaraner descended from the original canine member of the team and Peter as a hallucination that only Nate can see and hear), and together they return to the town of Blyton Hills to solve the case for good.

Background

Cantero first pitched the idea to his editors at Doubleday in 2014 as "Enid Blyton meets Lovecraft". When they did not recognize Blyton's name, he changed that reference to the Scooby Gang. [1] [2] [3] Although the members of the Blyton Summer Detective Club are based in stereotypes present in many children detective series (the team composition of two boys, two girls, and a dog fits both Blyton's The Famous Five series and Scooby-Doo, Where Are You?), the protagonist, Andy Rodriguez, a butch Latina lesbian, was still modeled after George, the tomboy from the Famous Five. [1] Nancy Drew, Trixie Belden, and the Hardy Boys are also referenced in different ways. [4]

The novel also borrows heavily from the Cthulhu Mythos, the fictional universe established by authors publishing their stories in the magazine Weird Tales , and in particular from H. P. Lovecraft's novella The Case of Charles Dexter Ward . [5] The fictional city of Arkham, Miskatonic University, and the Necronomicon are featured. [6]

The title references a catchphrase from the Scooby-Doo series. At the climax, when the heroes have caught the villain and exposed his plot, the villain would often say "And I'd have gotten away with it, too, if it weren't for those meddling kids!"

Tie-in

A scene set in a psychiatric hospital features a brief appearance by A. Z. Kimrean, the lead in Cantero's following novel, This Body's Not Big Enough for Both of Us . The latter novel was already written, but unpublished, in Spanish while Cantero was writing Meddling Kids. [3] [7] A bonus scene at the end of the paperback edition shows Kimrean arriving in San Francisco, where This Body's Not Big Enough for Both of Us takes place. [8]

Reception

Meddling Kids received mostly positive reviews, with critics drawing comparisons with Buffy the Vampire Slayer [9] and "1980s-centric projects" like Stranger Things or Stephen King's It. [10] [11] [12]

Jason Sheehan from NPR qualified it as "a brilliant idea wedded to beautiful and perfectly-pitched execution." [13] Brian Truitt of USA Today gave it 3.5 out of 4 stars and called it "as cleverly witty as its title...filled with high jinks both terrorizing and hilarious." [6] Sam Reader in their review for Barnes & Noble's Sci-fi and Fantasy Blog praised the depth of the story, saying that the novel "isn't really about the mystery (though it's a good one), but the characters investigating it...These characters may be running through a plot that sounds like a parody, but they are anything but caricatures. When they finally do get closure, it means almost as much (if not more) than solving the mystery." [14]

Some stylistic choices divided critics: While Publishers Weekly praised the prose as "fast and funny" [15] and NPR said that the language tricks "would be maddening if they weren't so much fun", [13] Christian Bone of Starburst thought that "Cantero's chosen prose style may prove contentious" and that "some might think it suits the playful tone of the story, but it can also be distracting and take you out of the narrative." [16] James Floyd Kelly of Geek Dad warned that the novel was "not for kids: definitely rated R for language, sexual situations, and horror/violence." [17]

The book appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list on its third week after release. [18] It was nominated for a Goodreads Choice Award for Best Horror, and it was listed by Book riot as one of the best queer books of 2017 for its lesbian romance subplot. [19]

Sequel

A spin-off short story titled "The Meddler" was published on the Penguin Random House website on Halloween. It is part of the Spooky Short Stories collection and downloadable for free. Set in the aftermath of the main events in the novel, it follows an aspiring reporter questioning the official version of the incidents that took place in Blyton Hills. Several supporting characters from Meddling Kids appear, but none of the leads. [20] [21]

See also

Related Research Articles

<i>Encyclopedia Brown</i> Book series

Encyclopedia Brown is a series of books featuring the adventures of boy detective Leroy Brown, nicknamed "Encyclopedia" for his intelligence and range of knowledge. The series of 29 children's novels was written by Donald J. Sobol, with the first book published in 1963 and the last published posthumously in 2012. In addition to the main books, the Encyclopedia Brown series has spawned a comic strip, a TV series, and compilation books of puzzles and games.

<i>Scooby-Doo</i> American animated media franchise

Scooby-Doo is an American media franchise owned by Warner Bros. Entertainment and created in 1969 by writers Joe Ruby and Ken Spears through their animated series, Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, for Hanna-Barbera. The series features four teenagers: Fred Jones, Daphne Blake, Velma Dinkley, and Shaggy Rogers, and their talking Great Dane named Scooby-Doo, who solve mysteries involving supposedly supernatural creatures through a series of antics and missteps, while traveling using a brightly colored van called the "Mystery Machine". The franchise has several live-action films and shows.

<i>Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed</i> 2004 film directed by Raja Gosnell

Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed is a 2004 American mystery adventure comedy film based on the animated franchise Scooby-Doo. The second installment in the Scooby-Doo live-action film series and the sequel to 2002's Scooby-Doo, it was directed by Raja Gosnell, from a screenplay written by James Gunn, and stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Linda Cardellini, Matthew Lillard, Seth Green, Tim Blake Nelson, Peter Boyle and Alicia Silverstone, with Neil Fanning reprising his role as the voice of Scooby-Doo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Velma Dinkley</span> Fictional character from Scooby-Doo

Velma Dinkley is a fictional character in the Scooby-Doo franchise. She is usually seen wearing a baggy orange turtleneck sweater, a short red pleated skirt, knee high socks, Mary Jane shoes, and a pair of black square glasses, which she frequently loses and is unable to see without. She is seen as the "brains" of the group.

<i>Scooby-Doo</i> (film) 2002 film directed by Raja Gosnell

Scooby-Doo is a 2002 American mystery adventure comedy film produced by Mosaic Media Group and based on the long-running animated franchise of the same name. The first installment in the Scooby-Doo live-action film series, the film was directed by Raja Gosnell from a screenplay by James Gunn, and stars Freddie Prinze Jr., Sarah Michelle Gellar, Matthew Lillard, Linda Cardellini and Rowan Atkinson. Neil Fanning provides the voice of the titular character. The plot revolves around Mystery Incorporated, a group of four young adults and a talking Great Dane who solve mysteries, who reunite after a two-year disbandment to investigate a mystery at a popular horror-themed tropical island resort.

<i>The Funky Phantom</i> Australian animated television series

The Funky Phantom is an animated television series, produced by Hanna-Barbera Productions, in association with Australian production company Air Programs International for the American Broadcasting Company (ABC). The show was a clone of Hanna-Barbera's popular Scooby-Doo, Where Are You!, with a trio of teenage detectives driving around the country and solving crimes. In this case, the "Scooby-Doo" role was taken by a Revolutionary War-era ghost, voiced by Daws Butler in a manner almost identical to that of Snagglepuss.

<i>A Pup Named Scooby-Doo</i> American animated mystery comedy television series

A Pup Named Scooby-Doo is an American animated mystery comedy series produced by Hanna-Barbera. It is the eighth incarnation of the studio's Scooby-Doo franchise and depicts younger versions of the title character and his companions as they solve mysteries, similar to the original television series. The series was developed by Tom Ruegger and premiered on September 10, 1988, airing for three seasons on ABC and during the syndicated block The Funtastic World of Hanna-Barbera until August 17, 1991.

<i>Scooby-Doo! and the Witchs Ghost</i> 1999 animated film

Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost is a 1999 American direct-to-video animated supernatural horror comedy film, and the second of the direct-to-video films based upon Scooby-Doo Saturday morning cartoons. It was produced by Hanna-Barbera Cartoons and Warner Bros. Animation. The film was released on VHS on October 5, 1999, then on DVD on March 6, 2001.

<i>Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island</i> 1998 American animated film

Scooby-Doo on Zombie Island is a 1998 American direct-to-video animated mystery comedy horror film based on the Scooby-Doo franchise. In the film, Shaggy, Scooby, Fred, Velma and Daphne reunite after a year-long hiatus from Mystery, Inc. to investigate a bayou island said to be haunted by the ghost of the pirate Morgan Moonscar. The film was directed by Jim Stenstrum, from a screenplay by Glenn Leopold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edgar Allan Poe in popular culture</span>

Edgar Allan Poe has appeared in popular culture as a character in books, comics, film, and other media. Besides his works, the legend of Poe himself has fascinated people for generations. His appearances in popular culture often envision him as a sort of "mad genius" or "tormented artist", exploiting his personal struggles. Many depictions of Poe interweave elements of his life with his works, in part due to Poe's frequent use of first-person narrators, suggesting an erroneous assumption that Poe and his characters are identical.

<i>Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins</i> American TV film

Scooby-Doo! The Mystery Begins is a 2009 American made-for-television comedy horror mystery film directed by Brian Levant. It is based on the cartoon series Scooby-Doo by Hanna-Barbera and is a reboot to the films Scooby-Doo and Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed. The film reveals how the Mystery Inc. gang met and the events of their first case. The live-action cast features Nick Palatas as Shaggy, Robbie Amell as Fred, Hayley Kiyoko as Velma, and Kate Melton as Daphne. Scooby-Doo was created using computer-generated imagery and his voice is provided by Frank Welker, who was a cast member of the original animated series. A sequel, Scooby-Doo! Curse of the Lake Monster, was released in October 2010.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leslie S. Klinger</span> American attorney and writer (born 1946)

Leslie S. Klinger is an American attorney and writer. He is a noted literary editor and annotator of classic genre fiction, including the Sherlock Holmes stories and the novels Dracula, Frankenstein, and Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde as well as Neil Gaiman's The Sandman comics, Alan Moore's and Dave Gibbons's graphic novel Watchmen, the stories of H.P. Lovecraft, and Neil Gaiman's American Gods.

<i>Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated</i> American animated television series

Scooby-Doo! Mystery Incorporated is an American animated horror comedy television series serves as the eleventh incarnation of the Scooby-Doo media franchise created by Hanna-Barbera, as well as the first that was not originally run on Saturday mornings. The series is produced by Warner Bros. Animation for Cartoon Network UK and premiered in the United States on Cartoon Network on April 5, 2010, with the next twelve episodes continuing, and the first episode re-airing, on July 12, 2010. The series concluded on April 5, 2013, after two seasons and fifty-two episodes.

<i>Scooby-Doo! and Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery</i> 2015 film by Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone

Scooby-Doo! and Kiss: Rock and Roll Mystery is a 2015 direct-to-DVD animated crossover comedy mystery film, and the twenty-fifth entry in the direct-to-video series of Scooby-Doo films. It was released digitally on July 10, 2015, and was released on DVD and Blu-ray on July 21, 2015. The design of the film is inspired by Jack Kirby's comics.

Edgar Cantero is a Spanish writer and cartoonist working in Catalan, Spanish, and English. He is best known in Catalonia for his award-winning debut Dormir amb Winona Ryder, and abroad for the New York Times best-selling horror-comedy novel Meddling Kids (2017).

<i>Lego Scooby-Doo! Haunted Hollywood</i> 2016 American film

Lego Scooby-Doo! Haunted Hollywood is a 2016 American animated comedy mystery film. It is the twenty-sixth entry in the direct-to-video series of Scooby-Doo films, and the first based on the Scooby-Doo brand of Lego. The first trailer was released on February 23. The film was released on DVD, Blu-ray and digitally on May 10. This is the first non-TV Scooby-Doo themed production to feature Kate Micucci as the voice of Velma Dinkley, following Mindy Cohn's retirement from the role in 2015, with Micucci having assumed the role in Be Cool, Scooby-Doo! the same year.

<i>The Scooby-Doo Project</i> 1999 live-action/animated hybrid comedy Halloween television special

The Scooby-Doo Project is a 1999 American live-action/animated found footage horror comedy television Halloween special satirising The Blair Witch Project and the Scooby-Doo franchise. It aired during Cartoon Network's Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! marathon on October 31, 1999, broadcast in small segments during commercial breaks, with the segments re-aired in their completed form, with an extended ending, at the end of the marathon. The special won an Annie Award.

<i>Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo!</i> 2022 American film

Trick or Treat Scooby-Doo! is a 2022 American animated direct-to-video supernatural horror comedy mystery film produced by Warner Bros. Animation and distributed by Warner Bros. Home Entertainment. It is the thirty-seventh direct-to-video Scooby-Doo film and was released digitally on October 4, 2022, and was released on DVD on October 18, 2022.

References

  1. 1 2 Brhel, John (December 12, 2017). "First Fright Featuring Edgar Cantero". Cemetery Dance Online. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  2. ↑ Cantero, Edgar (June 26, 2017). "Meddling Kids Author Edgar Cantero on Writing Without a Blueprint". Unbound Worlds. Penguin Random House. Retrieved June 10, 2018.
  3. 1 2 Spacek, Nick (July 24, 2017). "Interview: Edgar Cantero talks his new novel, Meddling Kids". Cinepunx. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  4. ↑ Flatt, Jason (May 29, 2018). "Interview with Edgar Cantero: Author of Meddling Kids (2017)". Retro Zap. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  5. ↑ Cantero, Edgar (May 29, 2018). "Meddling Kids and the Mystery of the Stolen Material". Unbound Worlds. Penguin Random House. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  6. 1 2 Truitt, Brian (July 12, 2017). "'Scooby-Doo' Fans Will Dig Cantero's 'Meddling Kids'". USA Today. p. 5D.
  7. ↑ Cantero, Edgar (February 2, 2018). "& Blanc". Punk Ahoy!. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  8. ↑ Cantero, Edgar (2018). Meddling Kids. New York: Anchor Books. p. 323. ISBN   9781101974445.
  9. ↑ Higgins, Jim (July 14, 2017). "'Meddling Kids' a clever Scooby-Lovecraft horror humor mashup". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  10. ↑ Rice, Keith (November 1, 2017). "Books for Movie Lovers: Meddling Kids by Edgar Cantero". Signature. Penguin Random House. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  11. ↑ Trombetta, Sadie (November 10, 2017). "13 New Books Like 'Stranger Things' For Fans Who Just Can't Wait 'Til The Next Season". Bustle. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  12. ↑ Ciesla, Carolyn (June 1, 2017). Meddling Kids . Retrieved June 10, 2018– via Booklist.
  13. 1 2 Sheehan, Jason (July 15, 2017). "In 'Meddling Kids,' The Scooby Gang Grows Up – Hard". NPR. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  14. ↑ Reader, Sam (July 11, 2017). "Meddling Kids Is Much More Than a Metafictional Mashup between Scooby Doo and Buffy". B&N Sci-Fi and Fantasy Blog. Barnes and Noble. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Meddling Kids". Publishers Weekly. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  16. ↑ Bone, Christian (February 23, 2018). "Meddling Kids". Starburst Magazine. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  17. ↑ Kelly, James Floyd (July 11, 2017). "'Meddling Kids' Isn't About Who You Think". Geek Dad. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Print Hardcover Best Sellers". The New York Times. August 6, 2017.
  19. ↑ Ellis, Danika (December 6, 2017). "Best Queer Books of 2017". Book Riot. Retrieved June 8, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Spooky Short Stories". Penguin Random House. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
  21. ↑ "The Meddler". Punk Ahoy!. October 16, 2018. Retrieved April 8, 2019.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.