Author’s Note
The Disease Detective covers epidemiological concepts rarely found in books targeting Middle Grade audiences. It is a crossover between Nancy Drew and Contagion, only substituting tactful bathroom humor for mortal peril. Elyse Fritschel wrote The Disease Detective as the contemporary mystery novel she wished was available when she was younger.
She hopes this book inspires and empowers readers to become more engaged in public health matters within their communities.
The day after Brown Intermediate’s annual field day festival, three of Rosie’s classmates are out sick. The next day, three more students are missing from class, and then another the following day. While the rumors fly, nobody knows what is making the students sick.
Luckily for Rosie, her Aunt Liv is an epidemiologist—a disease detective. Rosie learns that unraveling the mystery gets more difficult as time passes and the stakes grow higher. It is up to Rosie to grab her best detective fedora, lean into her curiosity superpower, and join forces with friends (and an arch-nemesis) to reveal the illness’ true identity.
Readers will follow Rosie to school, a disastrous softball game, and even a public health laboratory as she learns more about both epidemiology and herself on her first adventure as a disease detective.
