THE CASE OF THE GREENSBORO GREMLINS

By Eric Martin

Reviewed by Pennell Paugh

August 18, 2024 (San Diego) -- Erik Christopher Martin lives and writes in San Diego, California. In The Case of the Greensboro Gremlins: Dotty Morgan Supernatural Sleuth Blook Three, Gremlins and fashion don’t mix!

Summer vacation before seventh grade Dotty is expanding and her girlfriend, Hannah, is getting taller. Hannah fights in a wrestling championship and is hired in a fashion show to model Parker’s clothes. He’s Dotty’s best friend.

Parker, is competing in a young designer fashion show in Greensboro, the prelude to Fashion Week. After a series of accidents plague the rehearsals, Parker hires Dotty to investigate. Her sleuthing reveals gremlins are behind the mishaps. Worse, someone put them in the theater on purpose. Sabotage!

Here is an excerpt:

Alarmed, Ratch and the others flew back to their cave. Jimmy was suddenly alone. But not for long, someone was coming up the trace. In the months since he found this place, he had never seen another person. He looked around for somewhere to hide.

Jimmy grabbed his basket and his bike. He ducked down behind a fallen log overgrown with brush.

A tall man appeared down the trail. From where he was, Jimmy could only see the man from the waist down; dirty jeans, black engineer boots. The sun glinted off his chain belt and large silver buckle shaped like a “1%.”

The man placed a sturdy metal cage on the ground in front of the crack in the stone wall; it was solid stainless steel with only the narrowest slots. The man emptied the contents of a big Fat Cooker bag into the cage: a half-dozen sausage sandwiches, hashbrowns, and eggs, all smothered with cheese.

“Mmm, that smells good, don’t it? Y’all still in there? You remember me? Your old buddy? Sure, you do,” the man spoke gently, his drawl suggesting he might be local. He sat down on the same rock slab where Jimmy had just been. “It’s okay. I brought you a little something for old time’s sake. Come and get it.”

Something rustled near Jimmy’s foot. A brown rattlesnake slithered through the leaves. Jimmy held his breath and stayed still. The snake paid him no mind and moved past, stopping on the other side of the log where the morning sun filtered through the canopy.

A small head appeared at the cave entrance. One of the creatures inched out toward the food, followed by another and then several more. Soon, a dozen were in the cage, eagerly devouring the Fat Cooker feast. The door of the cage slammed shut trapping them inside.

“Gotcha,” the man said. The things rattled the sides of the cage. “Easy there. I ain’t going to hurt you. Just got some work for you is all.”

Can Dotty solve The Case of the Greensboro Gremlins before Fashion Week is ruined and how will her friends do in their competitions?

This story is full of wonderful characters and their friendships, mysteries, and ethereal creatures — some good, some not so good.

The Case of the Greensboro Gremlins is Martin’s sixth published novel and is the third book in the Dotty Morgan Supernatural Sleuth Series. In addition to writing books for YA and middle-grade readers, Martin’s short fiction for adult readers has appeared on the Tales to Terrify Podcast, Coffin Bell. The Potato Soup Journal, and various other anthologies and journals. Erik is a member of the Society of Children Book Writers & Illustrators (SCBWI) and the San Diego Writers & Editors Guild.

Martin will be at the Orange County Children's Book Festival. On September 22, 2024,10 a.m. – 4 p.m., the festival will be held at Orange Coast College, 2701 Fairview Rd., Costa Mesa, CA 92626. He will have a booth and will be reading aloud on one of the four stages. He will have a limited number of copies of his latest book, The Case of the Greensboro Gremlins to sell and sign. The book's official release is October 25, 2024.

On October 26, 2024, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. look for Martin’s booth at the North Park Book Fair located at 3793 30th Street, San Diego, CA 92104. In addition to enjoying the music and other vendors, come and purchase a signed copy of Martin’s latest book.

For Martin’s book release, he will have promotions on Books Butterfly, Just Kindle Books, Bargain Booksy, Books Librarian, and Shepherd.com. Also, look for his ad for Greensboro Gremlins on Amazon. Editorial reviews will appear in the School Library Journal and The Hornbook. Last, he will be sending Greensboro Gremlins to Kirkus for review.