3.5 stars

This story was part comedy, part mystery and part romance. Mavis is a single mom who is actually doing just fine, although sometimes she doesn't feel like it. She and her daughter live with her dad, who is a big help and has no serious health issues. She has a non-profit job, although she puts out way too much effort for an employer who overlooks her contributions and continually passes her over for promotion. Her daughter's dad is an engaged parent, even though his job keeps him traveling.

Mavis is wary of getting sucked into the PTA world at her daughter's school, commanded by an absurdly entitled White, overbearing, passive aggressive bully. So when the principal disappears one night and Mavis just happens to be walking her dog and witnesses the PTA bully in highly suspicious activity, she starts investigating. Mavis is a strong articulate Black woman and the game playing that the White moms dance around with is hilarious processed through Mavis's eyes. She recognizes instantly after complaining about the lack of juvenile book diversity what might happen, and sure enough, pretty soon she is tapped for DEI committee chair -- because, she's Black.

Her partner in crime solving is the hot young school psychologist. Mavis doesn't think she wants to get romantically involved, but she recognizes in her attraction to him that she is lonely. She does meet a couple of like-minded moms and has a supportive best friend.

The plot is a bit over the top, but fun. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I've read Elise Bryant's YA novels, which I really like, and this first go at an adult mystery was really fun! The mystery itself was great - I did not see that ending coming! The book was both funny and poignant - the life of a single African-American mother navigating all the stresses and challenges felt very real. The supporting cast was well-developed and interesting.
I will recommend this to readers of cozy mysteries and books with diverse representation.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!

I really enjoyed this book! It was such a comfort read for me. I enjoyed Mavis. I found her chat to be very relatable. The plot was entertaining. I love me a good cozy read and this one did not disappoint!

It's Elementary is a delightful trip through the wild world of elementary school politics!
Mavis Miller might not be a PTA mom, but she's about to dive headfirst into the chaos of school committees, mysterious disappearances, and yellow rubber gloves. With a feisty daughter, a demanding job, and a multigenerational household to manage, Mavis has her hands full. But when she finds herself in charge of the school's DEI committee, she's determined to make a difference—even if it means uncovering some unexpected mysteries along the way.
The author's quick wit and sharp humor shine in this fast-paced read that will keep you guessing until the very end. With twists and turns aplenty, It's Elementary is a must-read for anyone who's ever navigated the treacherous waters of parent-teacher meetings and PTA drama. So grab your detective hat and get ready for a rollicking good time!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

It’s Elementary, a fun and twisty mystery, proves that Bryant not only excels at YA stories but can also write for the adult audience. Mavis, a single working mom with a sassy daughter, living with her retired lawyer dad (who just discovered True Crime podcasts), and a brand new puppy is not a PTA mom! When Mavis, as one of the only moms of color, is asked to run the DEI committee- her first thought is No Thanks. Bullied into accepting the position by the Trisha, the fierce PTA president- but at the first meeting- the school principal vanishes under suspicious circumstances . Mavis is determined to get to the bottom of his disappearance. But with the hot school psychologist helping her, and her ex back on the scene, Mavis’ world is about to get very interesting. Filled with snappy dialogue, laugh out loud scenes, quirky characters, a solid mystery, and a dash of romance, let’s hope we get more stories about Mavis and her gang.

This book was so much fun! It was like watching a comfort movie and just rooting for the MC who you feel like you’ve known forever.

The plot of this moves pretty fast and the mystery element is fun to keep up with. Where I think this book shines though is in those small moments where Mavis (the MC) is wondering if she’s a good parent, or is angered by her job passing her up for a promotion, or being confused about her coparenting situation, or feeling defeated by being a fully grown adult living with her dad, and of course fully knowing that her 7 year old would still be asking her for snacks even if she was on her death bed. Those small, and so very realistic moments, show some of the thoughts others of us have had in our lives.

One of the stars on the book is definitely the PTA Facebook group. Why is it so accurate??

Yea. Read this book.

Any book that has multiple law and order references is a book that will forever be on my recommended list! So yes, I loved all of the Stabler & Benson references in this.

This was an enjoyable cozy mystery that I liked! I really liked Mavis as a character, though I’m not a mother, she still felt relatable and down to earth, which I can always appreciate. The whole idea of a missing school principal missing and having the lead PTA president as a suspect feels like a fun comedic sitcom, it works so well in a story. I thought all of the PTA were great side characters and the facebook group dialogue was killing me, it was hilarious.

I was a little disappointed that there ended up not being a morder, but that’s more of. personal preference.

Absolutely loved this one! It was a good thriller with well thought out characters! I appreciated the layout and setup of the story, as well as the whodunit aspect.

This had everything that I was looking for from the mystery genre. The characters were everything that I wanted and thought the overall feel of the story worked with them. I enjoyed how everything worked together and it left me wanting more. Elise Bryant has a great writing style and has a great overall feel to it.

I knew I'd love this book from the title—Elise Bryant's jump into adult mystery is a total joy, with the signature warmth, community, and slow-burn romance that I've come to love and expect! The on-point commentary on PTA politics and current crucial school board debates kept it fresh and biting, and the hijinks and mystery did not disappoint. Can't wait for more—that ending makes me very intrigued by the possibility of a book two love triangle! 👀

What a fun read! I loved the drama, the inflated drama of the PTA, the stereotypical characters that are just one notch extra. This book was such a great cleanser for me after reading a few really heavy novels. I think any teacher, parent of an elementary schooler, or single mom can relate to this book. It’s cute, laugh out loud funny (I definitely did!) and a quick read. Perfect for beaches and airports!

A terrific book to hand to your readers who love contemporary cozy mysteries that feature younger characters. Mavis is doing her best to not get involved in the PTA at her daughter's school -- she is far too busy, and it's not really her thing. But she gets more involved than she thought she would when the principal turns up missing -- a case for her to solve. Great setting, fresh and appealing characters, and enough of a puzzle to keep readers turning the pages. I look forward to recommending this title.

This book was funny, entertaining and I enjoyed it thoroughly FRESH AND COZY MYSTERY!!! DEF RECCOMEND .I didn't see the ending coming which is what I love when I read mysteries and thrillers. Just so happy I got to red it early. good read from a different perspective.

I've been wanting to read this book since it was announced--and it was everything I'd hoped for and more.

It's fresh and fun cozy mystery with a lot of depth. I absolutely loved this book and hope we're getting more like it from Elise Bryant!

wow this was such a fun read! Mavis is so awesome she was such an easy character to love. The mystery was interesting and I was really pulled into the story. I had a great time reading this!

Single mom Mavis is doing alright — she’s happily parenting with long-distance support from her ex and in-house support from her dad, works at a nonprofit that could maybe appreciate her more but is tempting her with a promotion, and she mostly stays out of elementary school parent politics. Then her daughter’s principal goes missing and Mavis has to wonder, did she see what she thinks she saw?

This could be your run of the mill mystery, but for the fact that Mavis is awesome. If you read this book, be prepared to wish this fictional character was real so she could be your friend. Four stars because character development was exceptional, but minus one star because I knew who had done it the whole time and the “why” felt hasty and out of place. I will definitely recommend this.

i love elise bryant's young adult books so this was an easy pick for me and it was truly so amazing!!!!! i loved every single second of it!

Oh my goodness, I had so much silly fun with this one!

I adored Mavis!! She was so real! Juggling all of the things, all the time. Her relationship with her daughter Pearl was incredibly sweet. I love when young children are written realistically in regards to how they act and what they say.

This book has so much to enjoy. There is the dramatic moms element, where Mavis reluctantly joins the PTA filled with typical lulu lemon mommies with lots of opinions. We have a potential romance plot. Mavis is a single mom and she isn’t sure she is ready to be dating with so much on her plate, but there is such a pull to a school staff member who becomes her partner in crime… solving! There is also a fun mystery plot that we get throughout where Mavis flexes her amateur sleuth skills to find out what happened to the missing school principal.

I really loved Mavis. She was funny and engaging. The humor sprinkled through this book was perfection. Such a fun read.

This might be a bit too “real”/everyday life for me. I found myself bored and stopped after chapter 1 (6%). I’d imagine three stars for the target, four to five for the right readers. That said, MORE DIVERSE CHARACTERS AND AUTHORS, PLEASE. I love the diversity coming up in publishing.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for the ARC.