It's Elementary will have you captivated this summer

When it comes to beach reads, most people think of romance books or fun yet light-hearted reads but It’s Elementary by Elise Bryant is something entirely different.

If you’re looking at the author and wondering where you know her from, Elise Bryant also writes YA novels. Her other works include Happily Ever Afters, One True Loves, and Reggie and Delilah’s Year of Falling which all have the same cover style and are just utterly adorable.

While I’ve heard great things about her YA stories, I was super excited to read something adult from this author. However, I never thought I’d be picking up a cozy mystery from her but I can only hope she decides to branch out into writing some adult romance.

With that being said, I’d like to thank Berkley for sending me an ARC so I was able to read this one early.

It’s Elementary is an utterly delightful mystery from Elise Bryant.

It’s Elementary starts with our main character Mavis as she’s taking her daughter to school and she’s running late which results in her having a run-in with a guy she assumes to be a parent. She also ends up getting roped into being part of the PTA, a responsibility she’s been able to avoid for most of her daughter’s life.

However, as chair of the DEI committee, Mavis is responsible for ensuring things are diverse and inclusive. Things go awry at the first PTA meeting as the new principal is missing, the PTA president is at school after hours and Mavis sees something she shouldn’t. I don’t want to give too much away but the mystery ends up being more involved than what the synopsis shares.

Without giving too much away, It’s Elementary is a fast-paced, smart, and hilarious entry into the cozy mystery genre. From Mavis playing amateur detective to her budding friendship/romance with the school psychologist, Jack, this book has absolutely everything you can expect from a cozy mystery while also speaking on issues that most of these books don’t touch on.

If this is the writing I’ve been missing out on from Elise Bryant, then I am sorely disappointed in myself. The way she wrote these characters and plotted everything was delightful. Plus as soon as you get into the story, you won’t be able to put it down. If anything, it makes me want to go back and read some of her YA offerings.

Whether you’re someone who has read Elise Bryant before or not, It’s Elementary will have you angry, laughing, and sad all within one page. The other thing I have to mention is how much I enjoy Mavis’ daughter, Pearl, and Mavis’ relationship with her Dad. Both of these relationships play a crucial role in the story and it makes things even more realistic.

I will say that I did not predict the ending and how things played out. Either way, I do think it was odd the kind of conclusions Mavis would jump to but that’s part of the fun of these books. I think that if you’re looking for a beach read, then It’s Elementary is it.

It’s Elementary by Elise Bryant is out now where books are sold.