Tagged by Mara Purnhagen

Nothing really exciting ever happens in Cleary, South Carolina until the gorillas. First, they appear on the side of a building at school, then on other buildings throughout town and even out of state. These graffitied works of art really are quite amazing; they’re incredibly lifelike and all identical. Everyone wants to know who’s behind the gorillas, but for different reasons. Some people are just in awe of this creative tagging, but others, particularly the police, want to catch the culprit for vandalism. Kate would rather just stay out of the mess so she won’t be labeled as a snitch for being the police chief’s daughter, but as more gorillas pop up, her curiosity gets the better of her. But what happens when all the clues and her instincts point to someone she knows?

Tagged is a cute mystery accompanied by a slight romance and the deeper question of what art really is. The mystery of the gorilla graffiti is a good and interesting one, if rather safe. There really isn’t any danger involved in figuring out the person responsible for the gorillas, which makes the story more innocent and refreshing. The romance isn’t as good as the mystery, mostly because complications leave it mostly up in the air, but it is still sweet. The most important part of Tagged is the questions that the story raises. Protagonist Kate struggles to figure out the difference between vandalism and art and what that means for her own life. The one thing about this book that needs work is the actual writing. Some of the dialogue in particular felt scripted, awkward, and unrealistic. Overall, though, Tagged is a fun and enjoyable read.

Tagged may be enjoyed by fans of She’s So Money by Cherry Cheva and Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty by Jody Gehrman.

Rating: 3.75

Review copy from author Mara Purnhagen