Cover Image: Goldie Vance Vol. 1

Goldie Vance Vol. 1

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Member Reviews

5 out of 5 🌟Escapist Wonderland

Goldie Vance is living and working along with her father at Crossed Palms Resort in St. Pascal, Florida. On paper, she's responsible for valet parking but in the meantime, she works as a detective along with her coworkers solving the cases that arise in the hotel. In volume one they're facing the mystery case of Mr. Ludwig and his missing jewelry.

While this novel is designed for the younger audience, I found it a captivating easy-read that brightened up my mood almost instantly. The storyline is fast-paced and funny with multiple plot twists. And oh, the illustrations! The very first thing that came to my mind after opening 'Goldie Vance' for the first time was 'OMG! This is so cute!' (sic!). The cheerful illustrations created by Brittney Williams and colored by Sarah Stern have a bright and colorful style that reminds me of girlish cartoons.

Recently, a few people have asked me about a 'feel-good book' that would cheer them up during the quarantine time that we live in and 'Goldie Vance' is a perfect title for that! Immersing into that lovely graphic world made me forget all my cares, highly recommended!

<i>Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and feelings are my own.</i>

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Cute, middle-grade graphic novel. I <i>adore</i> the art, which is bright, retro, and fun (though I wish I could better tell the ages of the characters -- I would not have known Goldie was 16 if the copy hadn't told me; she looks a lot younger, but she can <i>definitely</i> drive). Love the diversity and queer rep. The mystery plot is kind of whatever -- and gets downright silly at the end -- but the pleasure here is clearly in the setting and, presumably over the course of the series, really getting to settle in with these characters, all of whom are established well here. I feel a little old for it, but would be thrilled to recommend it to kids.

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Goldie Vance is a sweet graphic novel that gives me old school Nancy Drew vibes.

I love a fun graphic novel, especially one with lots of spunk like this one! Goldie lives in her Father's resort, and she's great at getting into shenanigans. She's really good at solving tiny cases, like missing jewelry within the hotel. When a bigger mystery comes about, she decides to help a detective solve it since her curiosity is just too high!

Goldie is spunky and fun, everything you want in a character like this. She reminds me of Nancy Drew, Cam Jansen, and those other fun books from my childhood! Except this time, it's in graphic novel form! I can easily see middle graders, young adults, new adults and just adults loving this story. There's really no set age group - it's just a fun mystery!

The illustrations were spectacular and super colourful. They drew my attention in and kept it there, alongside the excellent story. Throw in that this book also has a diverse cast and is LGBT friendly, and I'm even more excited.

Overall, this story was super sweet and cute!

Four out of five stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Boom! Studios for providing me a free copy of this book in exchange of an honest review.

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The art style and popping color of this graphic novel appealed to me, but the story was rushed and difficult to follow. It may be that some of that is just because it's the first book and is setting up future story threads, but it made for a less satisfying reading experience. Also, the historical fiction elements are more wish fulfillment than reality. Most of all, it bothers me that part of the plot revolved around Operation Paperclip, in which the United States recruited former Nazi rocket scientists to help with the space program. The book includes this element without explaining the dark history behind it, and there is no historical note at the end to provide additional context.

I enjoyed aspects of this book, and I am sure that other people can read it without being as distracted and bothered by the careless historical elements as I was, but my experience with this book doesn't inspire me to read the rest of the series.

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Very quick read, I actually really enjoyed this!

I didn’t realise just how invested I would become in this, and just how much could possibly happen in 114 pages! (Roughly 100 when you take out the end pages and beginning images)

A series I could definitely see myself getting invested in, I’m eager to pick up the rest and see what other adventures Goldie gets up to!

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I loved this graphic novel. Everything meshed up perfectly! Quick summary - Goldie works at a hotel as a valet and an apprentice detective. A jewel goes missing, but Goldie is on the case, until she quickly realizes it may be more perilous than she knows. I love the setting. It takes place in the 1950's and every single panel reflects that retro feel. Goldie was so charismatic and all the other characters felt as if they had their own stories and motives as well. I wasn't expecting the ending, but it does feel relative to the 1950's. I would recommend this title, especially to fans of Scooby-Doo or Nancy Drew, because it does give off that detective/mystery nostalgia.

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I love the Goldie Vance series. I think it is a great cross between Nancy Drew and Veronica Mars set in the 60s. I think Goldie is such a great main character. So full of life and fun. Has a great personality. I love the mystery from this volume and can not wait to read more!

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A short and fun comic about a detective who uncovers a mystery when a necklace was found gone at the hotel that works. Then she uncovers it with a help against an abduction, the Russians and a whole lot of action. Even though it was short, the story was very interesting and captivating that it made me want to read more of Goldie's story as she fights for truth and justice.

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I read this one last year and really enjoyed it. When I saw it on Netgalley I decided to pick it up again as I remember it being a fun and cute read. I've tried to find Volume two with no luck, so why not read volume one again?!

Set in Florida, this story is a fun mystery with an adorable art style and diverse cast of characters. Lots of action and adventure for a middle grade (maybe Y.A.) series, but that's really the norm and the suspense of disbelief is what makes the stories so enjoyable.

Hoping I get to read volume 2 someday soon!

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

A delightful Nancy Drew-esque mystery! Goldie is a fantastic sassy chick that takes matters into her own hands and I love that in a character! It was fun trying to figure out what shenanigans Goldie and her pals were going to get into next. The artwork fits the characters and the story well. I can’t wait for the next volume!

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Far-fetched and derivative of Scooby-Doo, Goldie Vance would probably be fine if I was a little girl but I'm a 35 year old man and didn't find much here to engage me. It's not especially well-written, conceived, or drawn - for the little ones only.

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Goldie Vance was a fun ride and I did enjoy the illustrations and the formatting of the story. However, I found the story line to be a bit confusing and I sometimes didn't know what happened in the beginning. But the more I read from it, the more I understood and I just wanted it to continue once it was over. Goldie is a fun character to follow and I like the LGBTQ+ elements within the story - how it is just normal behavior that everyone isn't straight and that's fine. I wished it would be more from the sidecharacters though, but I guess it'll be in future volumes. I'm curious to see how this story continues and how the relationships between the characters develop.

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I just like one of those series where it's okay to just have a little fun. Goldie Vance does not disappoint despite all the hurdles. You have a competent multi-talent straight out of a pulp. She never hesitates to help others for mutual benefits. Unfortunately that means making enemies like with your rich boss's petty daughter. Considering this takes place in the 50s there are a lot of things people want to keep secret. Like the Soviets trying to win the space race and the spies all around. Even in the right context Goldie could be subject to this scrutiny in regards to her sexuality. There's just a time of people trying to struggle on what they want to be. Especially when the only people who thrive in those times the only people to thrive are the main street economists. In times like those, you have to find someone to confide in.

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What a treat! This was a fun detective's tale with an amazing protagonist. I also really appreciated how diverse the cast of characters was.

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SUPER CUTE: the story, the artwork, the romance, everything. Just adorable all around! Goldie's adventures are perfect for Nancy Drew fans, but I think any young comic readers will enjoy them. The development of the relationship between Goldie and her future girlfriend is handled very naturally as well.

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Detective books are nothing new. In fact, most people love the intrigue and mysteriousness of a good detective story and you surely get one in Goldie Vance.

For those who are unfamiliar with the comic series, it centers around the protagonist Marigold “Goldie” Vance. The 16-year-old daughter of a hotel manager in Miami, Goldie’s dream is to become the establishment’s in-house detective. Some might say that’s a lofty dream for someone so young - however, Goldie is great at what she does. While she works at the hotel doing work she considers mundane, she’s also had the time to help the head detective on-staff, Walter. Although Walter typically finds himself in an exasperated state due to Goldie high-jacking his job, even he knows that the teen is a great detective.

In Goldie Vance (vol. 1), our titular character has to help find a necklace that has been stolen from one of the hotel’s guests, Mr. Dieter Ludwig. While Ludwig tells Walter and Goldie that the necklace is invaluable, upon finding it, Goldie realizes it’s just costume jewelry and not something of great value. However, Goldie notices something strange upon the necklace, something her best friend and co-worker, Cheryl also notices. The duo gets right down to decoding the strange symbol, but in the meantime, Mr. Ludwig goes missing from the hotel. What was once an investigation for a missing necklace is now a missing person’s case, and it’s all up to Goldie to put the pieces of the mystery together.

Written by Hope Larson with artwork by Brittney Williams, Goldie Vance (vol. 1) is a thrilling mystery with many twists and turns to keep the reader entertained. As a reader, there were many moments where you thought you knew where the story was headed, but then you were sent in an entirely new direction. It made for an exciting story that I truly enjoyed. I wasn’t very familiar with the Goldie Vance comic series prior to reading this graphic novel, but I am glad I had the chance to experience it. Larson and Williams do an amazing job with the story and artwork, both paired effortlessly to enhance the book as a whole. Goldie and her friends are utterly relatable, which is something that the intended YA audience is likely to connect with. Couple this with a story that is fun and mysterious - ultimately everything that a detective story should be - and you’ll definitely love this book. I cannot wait to delve into Goldie’s next adventures!

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This was such a fun time! As someone who has enjoyed mysteries since I was a kid, Goldie of course gave me major Nancy Drew and Velma vibes; though it took the young detective trope and put a fresh spin on it. Goldie is smart, caring, and has a take charge attitude. It was nice to see the diversity represented in this story, not only in her, a young woman of mixed race, but also of many other side characters. (There was also a potential sapphic relationship in this story, although it was not specifically stated on the page.)

This graphic novel kept me intrigued the whole way, and I was in love with the art style and the richness of the color palette. My only minor complaint of this story would be that I felt like there were a few plot holes and that a few things were a bit too convenient to keep the story moving along, but aside from that, this really was a joy to read!

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This is a really cute graphic novel that follows a girl in her quest to solve mysteries in the hotel where she works.

Through out this book she has to lie, steal, and gamble in order to find the truth. Like Goldie said she only does those things if it's for a good reason. I like that this book shows some friendship and family bonds. I also love the artistic style that this was drawn in. My biggest qualm is that the ending just seemed too flat and to fit too easily. Either way I'm going to try and read the next books in the series because I'm curious.

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I recieved a free earc from netgalley for an honest review. Goldie Vance is our main character who works at a hotel with her father and does detective work on the side. When a guest comes to her father informing him that his necklace has been stolen Goldie decides she will be the one to find it. We follow her throughout her adventure as she solves this mystery. I absolutely fell in love with this graphic novel and cant get enough of it! I love our female main character and how brave and determined she is. The side characters have amazing personality and positive vibes. I loved the plot as it made you feel like you were on a fun adventure. The illustrations were beautiful and flowed throughout the story. I will continue picking up this graphic novel as they get released.

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First of all, I absolutely appreciate the representation in this graphic novel! I absolutely love the fact that the detective main character is a queer female POC and that many of the side characters are either in the LGBT community or are POC themselves.

This graphic novel was so darn CUTE! It was colorful and bright, and absolutely a page-turner. The mystery was just a bit sensational and ridiculous, and there was a ton of high jinks. It reminded me of the Nancy Drew books I read when I was a kid. I am absolutely here for the side characters, all of the character development, and the budding relationships in this graphic novel. I am ADDICTED and I need to pick up the next volume whenever I can!

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