Quid Pro Quo

by Vicki Grant

Quid Pro Quo is a high-stakes, fast-moving legal thriller about real people, and funny people at that. Cyril MacIntyre's mother is a twenty-eight-year-old ex-street kid who drags her son to all her law school classes, then proceeds to get herself kidnapped. That aside, Cyril's life isn't too different from that of other thirteen-year-olds. He has all the usual adolescent issues to deal parent problems, self-esteem problems, skin, hair and girl problems. He just has legal problems too. And he's got to solve them if he wants to save his mother's life.

Genres: Mystery, Young Adult, Middle Grade, Fiction, Thriller, Canada, Humor

176 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 2005

About the author

After a long and messy adolescence, Vicki Grant stumbled into writing. She worked her way up from 30-second ads to 30-minute television scripts to full-length novels. She's written sixteen young adult, middle-grade and high-low novels. Her most recent YA novel, 36 Questions That Changed My Mind About You, has been published worldwide in over twenty territories.. Vicki lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Awards:
Arthur Ellis Award
◊ Best Juvenile (2006): Quid Pro Quo
Red Maple Award: Not Suitable For Family Viewing
CBC Young Canada Reads: The Puppet Wrangler.

Reviews

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 very solid stars for Quid Pro Quo, an amusing mash up of an awkward-new-teen middle grade book and a cozy mystery story.

"My name is Cyril Floyd MacIntyre. I'm fourteen. My mother's legal name is Andrea Ruth MacIntyre, but everyone calls her Andy. She's twenty-nine.
You do the math.
Pretty nasty, eh?"

We follow Cyril, a bit of a geeky, yet snarky-ish, young teen who's just trying to fit in (even though his mom is decidedly not like all the other moms) when some rather sudden mysterious happenings begin popping up in his life. First, a strange man shows up at the door, and there's clearly some history between the man and Cyril's mom. Next, his mom goes missing and only leaves behind a very cryptic voice mail. Can Cyril figure out what the heck is going on?

I really liked Cyril -- he was funny and sympathetic, smart without being a jerk about it (at least not most of the time), and just felt very real. The rest of the characters in the book were not as deeply fleshed out, but that didn't much matter for my enjoyment.

This is a quick, fun read that is perfect for anyone who ever muttered under their breath that Encyclopedia Brown was a bit of a brown-nosed know-it-all.

Thank you to NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers for providing me with a DRC of this book.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like Cyral. He is written with a very clever voice.

“You’re probably wondering how I now so much about Atula’s Clients. Simple. My mother’s insane.”

You see, Cyril is working in the law office where his mother works, one summer. He also had to go to all his mother’s law classes, because she is a single mother and couldn’t afford to put him in daycare. So, he knows a lot about the legal system in Canada.

And he peppers this knowledge throughout this mystery. The mystery is slow in coming, until you realize it was building from the beginning, but we just didn’t realize it. Which really, is the best kind of mystery. We had almost all the clues we needed to solve it.

But, for a middle-grade book, it is very well written, and makes you work for your story.

Very short chapters, easy to read, but with lots to think about in each chapter, as he lists a legal phrase, and then defines it, and it always has something to do with what is happening.

Highly recommend this book, as it is a lot of fun, and you might actually learn something.

Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.

[Morgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thirteen year old Cyril MacIntyre started law school when he was ten, (OK, not really), but his crazy mother did drag him to all of her law school classes. When Cyril’s mom gets involved in a dangerous case and gets kidnapped, Cyril will have to use all his detective and legal skills to bring her back. This quirky and humorous mystery from Canada will have readers rolling on the floor laughing! Age 11+.

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fourteen-year-old Cyril lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia with his 29-year-old single mom, Andy, (as he says ‘you do the math’), an ex-street kid with the attitude, and colourful vocabulary to prove it*. When he was ten, she had gone to law school and had taken him with her to every class since their money didn’t stretch to baby-sitters. As a result, he has picked up a great deal of legal knowledge himself. When she graduated, she got him the job as receptionist at the two-woman law firm she works for that deals mainly with poor people .

But all that aside, life is going, if not great, not terrible for Cyril despite being ‘built like a chihuahua’ with freckles and having what he considers a crazy person for a mom. But then a man from Andy’s past shows up, an ex-con who demands her help. Cyril is convinced he must be blackmailing her. When Andy disappears, Cyril must play amateur detective using all his skills, including his knowledge of the law, to find her.

Quid Pro Quo by author Vicki Grant is a fast fun legal thriller aimed at a YA audience but definitely something adults can enjoy. It is chock full of dry humour, quirky characters, and the kind of pacing that has made more than a few reviewers compare it to a sitcom. It would make a nice summer read especially for parents looking for something for their reluctant reader.

*since this is aimed at a young audience, Cyril often mentions Andy’s less than polite verbiage but he doesn’t repeat it

Thanks to Netgalley and Orca Book Publishers for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review

[Mindyleigh · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was provided a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest and fair review.

For a teen book, I thought this one was different. I liked how at the beginning of each chapter there was a legal term defined and the chapter was related to it. The story line uncovered the clues to the mystery and as the situation unfolds all the pieces fall into place. It would be a good mystery story for any teen, especially the ones interested in law!

[Jill Jemmett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story hooked me right from the beginning. It opens with Cyril saying he started going to law school when he was ten years old. But he didn’t really. He went with his mother to her law classes, so he learned alongside her. This was a great way to hook the reader right at the beginning.

I liked the way that Cyril narrated the story. He was sarcastic and funny. It was good to see the story from his point of view, since he had to go on a search for his mother when she disappeared. This story was originally written in 2005. The only thing that was missing from the story were cell phones and the frequent access to the internet, but other than that it could have been set in 2018.

This story was set in Halifax. There were so many references to the city! I have never been there but I have some close friends from there. I recognized things that they always talk about, such as the Donairs, which is a type of wrap that they eat. As soon as Cyril mentioned that, I knew it was set in Halifax.

The mystery of the story was great. I really didn’t know how it would end. With each clue that he found, I wasn’t sure what was going to happen, but I was happy with the ending.

This is an entertaining YA read.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher on NetGalley.

[Roben · Rating 3 out of 5]

Full disclaimer - I recently received this as a review copy from the publisher. I assumed it was a new story but once I started reading it, I realized it was published in 2005. Name-dropping Osama bin Laden may have been fine thirteen years ago but it dates the story. So does the lack of cell phones. While it's possible Cyril and Andy would not have them, it's doubtful NONE of the story characters would own one.

The story is still somewhat compelling - if you start reading it, you will want to know what happened to Andy. It is somewhat humorous in a Carl Hiaasen kind of way. Or Jordan Sonnenblick.

We actually do get requests from patrons for books that have kids interested in the law so this could fill that niche -- but it would need to be more current, I think.

[Grace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read an ARC for the American version (which is being released August 2018) but this book was first published in Canada in 2005. It is very well written and extremely captivating once you get started. Cyril is such a relatable character and I loved being able to see how he thought throughout the book. The short chapters make it more accessible for younger readers and it is censored through the mind of a thirteen-year-old, so there is no profanity outright - only bleeped out bits. It is obvious why this book won awards, I only wish the ending wasn't quite so quick.

[Colleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the review copy.*

A middle grade mystery featuring dynamic characters and a super hard to figure out mystery? Yes, please!

I loved this so much. It was the perfect middle grade cozy mystery (is that even a genre? If not, it is now!),

As with all of Grant’s book this was funny and snappy and the pacing was awesome. I got sucked right in by Cyril’s voice. I highly recommend it.

And I highly recommend that Grant turn this into s book series. It would be [beep]ing awesome.

[Jaymie · Rating 4 out of 5]

[I received an electronic review copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.]

Great mystery. I liked Cyril (although his mom was pretty abrasive) - he’s smart and resourceful. I enjoyed watching him work through the clues to figure out what was going on. I’d say this is for older middle grade readers due to the age of the protagonist, the volume of bleeped-out swear words and some of the nuances of the mystery.

[Ansate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it, and I can see adventure minded tweens feeling the same. It's a solid mystery, with a protagonist who is pretty true to his age. I love that he's not perfect but he learns and cares about people.[return][return]Not recommended for kids who are already stressed about family stability and worried about how reliable their parents are.

[Amanda T · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dated in some of the references and character attitudes. Plus Cyril is just not a nice kid. He's smart but a brat.

I liked the idea of this book and the execution. I just wish the characters were more likeable.

[Galion Public Library Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review by N.O: "This book is full of useful legal terms and is unlike other teen books."

[Debbie Tanner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a super fun mystery about a boy named Cyril who has to rescue his mom, a lawyer, when she disappears. It's fast paced and really funny!

[Joanne MacNevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a lot of fun to read, and a great book for junior high readers.

[Michelle (FabBookReviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terrific fun, very clever and sharp- and maybe perfect for fans of Gordon Korman's books!

[Sen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really really great. A solid fave from childhood that still holds up to reading now and very very Canadian. Lots of settings and places that scream Canadiana and with a solid twist at the end.

[Canlit4ever · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good kids book, appropriate for 9/10/11 years old. Not surprised it won an award.

[Jade Sutton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute book. I really enjoyed how the main character, Cyril, methodically searched for his mom using the information he learned while attending law school classes with her.

[Wayne Tsang · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my own opinion, I consider the novel "quid pro quo" an excellent book with a humorous and intriguing plot.It's written for a young adult audience, but clever, suspenseful, and funny enough to keep adults reading until the end. the story line of the novel is quite interesting, with a lot of suspense, and well-plotted legal trills. The author had also done a great job putting all the pieces of the crime scenes together to make the suspect the suspect. Although the novel is about solving mysteries and doing "legal puzzles", it doesn't bored people at all because of its humor and drollness, which is also a part the author had done a great job with. She manages to make the book serious while having humor inside that will make the readers die out of laughter. For example, "I spent the whole night getting ready. I tried to think what I needed. A knife? A crowbar? A cat-o'-nine-tails?" The novel also has some clever plots that will make you feel surprised and shocked. After saying all that, there are still few things that I dislike about the novel, one Involving the journey Cyril went to find his mother. In the journey, the author included some unnecessary stuff that doesn't have to be mentioned, including looking for the old law office customers and going through all the troubles just to find a definition of a word. I believe all those shouldn't have been in the novel, it will just bored the reader, and make the plot weaker by using uninteresting materials in the novel. For example, in the novel, Cyril was trying to figure out the definition for the word "Estoppel", so he went through all the makes ups, and disguise just to get to the library without anyone noticing him, where he could've just search it on a computer. Summing up, the whole novel was just fantastic, it gave me a lot of knowledge about legal laws and rights, while keeping me awake and laughing on the floor. Highly recommended to every teenagers 11 and up.

[Cherie · Rating 4 out of 5]

All of a sudden Cyril MacIntyre is being dragged along to law school by his irresponsible twenty-eight year old mother, Andy. But when she finally graduates and gets a job at a law firm, she just vanishes! Cyril must put the pieces together and find Andy before she's gone for good....if she's not already. As he searches for clues, he has to face many barriers. In this life threatening situation, his knowledge from law school is put to the test.

I picked up this book because I was at the library with a friend and she recommended it to me. I read the summary and it looked pretty interesting so I gave it a try.

I finished this book because it was really funny/hilarious and it was the first time I've ever read a book like this. Unlike many other books I've read, which are all similar to one another. It was also easy to relate to Cyril, one if the main characters because we are the same age.

I would recommend this book to Joyce and Nancy because I think they would like the plot as well as the characters. I also think it would make them laugh.

[Shannon Evans · Rating 2 out of 5]

At the time I was reading this, I was in Grade 5 I believe. At the start of the book, I found it quite boring, and didn't really have a storyline. As I got more into the middle of the book, I started to enjoy it more, and was able to want to read the rest easily. I finished the book, and I have to say it was okay. But I did not like how it took a while to get interesting. Just my opinion

[Jess Van Dyne-Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, I really liked this. It's written for a young adult audience, but clever, suspenseful, and funny enough to keep adults reading until the end.

I'm looking forward to reading the other book (s?) in this series.

[W W · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't mind this story, but found myself annoyed at the main character's overly dim responses to some of the clues in the story. I also thought the ending was to predictable, which is never a great way to end a book.

[Tyson Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I normally do not read books meant for middle-schoolers, but I have interest in law and it was free. This an enjoyable story and it is easy to understand. It is a good book for a young person. It is a mystery story that is appropriate for youth. Although I thought the ending was anti-climatic.

[Serena · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loked how the book was in Cyril's perspective. He is really funny because he always has a sarcastic remark about Andy. I can't believe he had to go to law school!

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've always got time for Cyril! Great character. Great story.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Although this isn't my first time reading the book, it was just as enjoyable as when I picked it up the first time.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. It was definitely a quick read and is suitable for middle grades. I liked the mystery and how it unfolded as the book went along.

[Faith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quid Pro Quo by Vicki Grant is an amusing children's chapter book with a great first line: "I started going to law school when I was ten years old." Cyril, now 14, is being raised by his young single mother who found bringing him to evening classes with her was easier (and cheaper) than lining up childcare. Through attending classes and quizzing his mother Andy for exams, he absorbs no small amount of law information.

When a stranger arrives at their home and begins living with them and has mysterious conversations with Andy out of hearing, Cyril realizes there are details of his mother's past that are unknown to him. When his mother disappears, he begins to investigate on his own to get to the bottom of what happened (he isn't interested in foster care, so he doesn't want to report her disappearance to the police).

There is adventure and intrigue (and some suspension of disbelief would be appropriate), but never did I doubt circumstances would be resolved positively. It's not a literary masterpiece, but it is a fun, amusing read. I suspect this book will appeal widely, and it would be just the book to grab the interest of a struggling reader; he or she can cheer on Cyril as he faces dangerous situations and manages to get to the bottom of the mystery.

(I was given a digital ARC from NetGalley and Orca Book Publishers in exchange for my honest opinion.)