Shirley and Jamila are both trying to escape summer camps their respective families want to send them to. They manage to talk their moms into a solution: the girls will be allowed to hang out at the local basketball court as long as they stay together, which makes them both happy. Jamila can practice shooting hoops, and Shirley can use a court bench as her office, as she is a kid detective who solves many small mysterious and petty crimes brought by other neighborhood children. The majority of this story involves the mystery of a missing gecko, stolen from a pair of kids who brought it to the local pool. Shirley Bones is a miniature Sherlock Holmes, down to her keen observations and bad social skills. Jamila acts as her Watson, jumping to conclusions and puzzled by the evidence. The end is a charming and lighthearted resolution (no geckos are harmed in the story). This book is a good mystery for a young reader; as an adult I wanted a little deeper character development, but I think there's likely to be a sequel so I will look forward to that!