Cover Image: The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo: The Tangled Web

The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo: The Tangled Web

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Member Reviews

The third Margo Maloo adventure is full of heart and humor, and introduces some new drama. Monsters' hiding places are being discovered and they're being run out by ghost-hunting teens, kids, and developers, who want to raze old buildings to make way for expensive new luxury housing (sound familiar?). There's tension building between Margo and Charles, her assistant in monster ambassadorship, because Charles's background as a monster journalist makes him a little sus in her eyes. A setup leads to a big misunderstanding between the two friends, but they have to put their differences aside when a family of giant spiders need to be saved from a factory about to be blown up!


Drew Weing has given us such fun, insightful characters in the Margo Maloo stories, and manages to address very real-world problems in the frame of a fantasy. He's addressed diversity and prejudice in previous Case Files, and takes on gentrification and affordable housing this time around. Even Echo City's human residents are feeling the stress as Charles's superintendent dad fixes up the apartments in their building, expecting the rents to go sky high and price them out of their homes. Readers will be happy to see familiar characters, including Kevin Charles's neighbor and friend, and Marcus, the Battlebeenz-playing monster. Drew Weing also starts an interesting new subplot that brings a shady new element into the story and causes strife between Margo and Charles. I can't wait to see how this develops. Don't miss this fun series.

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Margo Maloo is a consistently solid series. Weing finds the balance between frightening and humorous. It helps that the characters take their mission seriously. They aren't cracking jokes. They genuinely want to help the monsters live a quiet life in their world. The humor is more subtle and incidental. Each volume tells a complete story while also contributing small elements to a larger continuing story line.

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Another great Margo Maloo book. The undercurrent of gentrification issues from the previous books come to a head when the giant spiders are threatened by a building demolition. I loved seeing more details of the monster society.

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A fantastic delight, just like the others in the series. I love how Margo and Thompson both grew as character, and I absolutely adored the world building in this one. It expanded so much, and we've still got the mystery of who Eldritch Truth is to propel us forward. A lovely addition.

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This volume comes from the middle of the series, but I didn't have any problem getting into and enjoying the world of Margo Maloo. The themes of secrets, friendship, not judging by appearances, and gentrification are pretty intense for a short comic, but I felt like it worked well. The art style is cartoonish enough to make the horror elements scary but not too scary. Maro's life as the mediator between humans and monsters is stressful, but the idea of hidden knowledge for kids is really appealing.

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This is the third installment of the Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo and you definitely need to read the first two books to understand this story. Margo and Charles are still trying to help the monsters who live in Echo City but it's becoming increasingly harder due to an anonymous person, or persons, sharing the location of monsters with teens in the city. More and more monsters are forced out of their homes, and this anonymous person is trying to pit Margo and Charles against each other. This book is full of action, monsters, and friendships. The art is great, as is the story. I really enjoyed this book, as well as the two previous ones, and think kids looking for monsters and adventure should check it out.

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Thank you to NetGalley and First Second for an eARC of this title.

The Creepy Case Files of Margo Maloo is a graphic novel series that I adore. It is a funny and whimsical series about kids trying to help monsters while the monsters live hidden in the human world. This newest installment adds in a nefarious mystery person who is purposely trying to make the monsters leave their homes. For any little monster loving kid, or adult, will absolutely love this series.

The art is colourful and vibrant. Each character is distinct and the monsters are fantastic! I mean, giant spiders and vampires and all kinds of monsters are represented and so amazingly drawn and depicted. I also find that the plot was so fast paced and exciting.

Rating: 3.5/5

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The Tangled Web delves deeper into Echo City's mythos. Charles is spending more and more time assisting Margo with adventures around the city involving monsters, but it appears someone - or someTHING - might be influencing the strange patterns of children discovering the creatures' lairs. It explores important themes such as gentrification and homelessness through the lens of both humans and creatures, as well as those discussed in the previous books such as dementia, friendship, and helping others.

Note: I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley. I was not compensated in any other fashion for the review and the opinions reflected below are entirely my own. Special thanks to the publisher and author for providing the copy.

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I'm Up for the Downside

This is the third book in the Margo Maloo series, and it is a fine addition. The idea of Margo being a mediator between monsters and humans, and a protector of hidden monsters, is unique and refreshing. Margo is a bit high maintenance and prickly, but that's understandable given that she's under a lot of pressure to save monsters, which makes this series a bit more than just a funsy monster fantasy.

This time around there's a lot of tension between Margo and her "assistant" Charles, and in many ways this book is really Charles' story. That's fine since Charles is a character with whom readers can easily identify. In addition to saving a bunch of spiders who live below a building that's about to be demolished, we have a larger unresolved arc involving a secret villain who is trying to expose the hidden monsters. So it's clear we have more books to come. In any event our two heroes get to visit the "Downside", which is monster central, and the art work here is very imaginative and engaging.

This is a fast paced adventure series with some odd and creative touches, and I'm happy to stay in touch with Margo and Charles as their adventures continue.

(Please note that I received a free advance will-self-destruct-in-x-days Adobe Digital copy of this book without a review requirement, or any influence regarding review content should I choose to post a review. Apart from that I have no connection at all to either the author or the publisher of this book.)

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An advanced copy of this book was my introduction to Margo Maloo, and I was charmed by the illustrations on the cover. I enjoyed the mixed media files including typed sheets and notes, photos, and line-drawings.

I was not prepared for the sheer energy and break-neck speed that Margo set to zoom through the city! You may have guessed the secret; there are monsters...hiding... everywhere! But they distrust humans, and only accept Ms. Maloo because of her tireless efforts to help them remain hidden.

Something is wrong in the city, and Margo Maloo can't do everything herself anymore. Looking for clues and continuing to spread understanding and diplomacy between humans and monster-kind is spreading her energy too thin.

Thompson, her new partner, is sincere and stalwart in their secret mission, but Margo is used to working alone and slow to trust.

This is book 3 of the series, and it begins with chapter 6, but the story is clear enough for a stand-alone. The drawings are well composed, scenes are varied and clever, and it gives more of an impression of a movie than any graphic novel or comic book I've ever seen. The artist shows talent as a director!

Bonus: Monster sketches and specs at the end of the book add special details and margin notes.

The entire book is fun from beginning to end!

I am a new fan of Margo Maloo and her friends, and I plan to add this series (and writer/artist, Drew Weing) to my personal library.

*If there hadn't been one incident of cursing at the beginning, I could have whole-heartedly given this book 5 stars.

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Drew Weing has proved himself again as a master storyteller with this spooky-fun third installment of our favorite monster-filled mystery-adventure in the Margo Maloo series!

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A great read! Filled with adventure, mystery, friendship, and creepy cases, this is a fun read! The third book in the series, this graphic novel is perfect for anyone looking for an interesting read!

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