This is Marlene Burger daughter of Phoebe Burger she is a student in the town of New Portaferry. She is dance student of Ballet with her teacher Zenyatta Dressage and works part time at the Snack Shack. She is a freelance teen meddling detective, which brings her into contact with Police Detective Connie Lamb. She does have keen eye and mind for details. She launches her own investigations about mysteries around her town.
She drags her friend Ethelred Cromwell, the hedgehog, on Marlene's quest. While Marlene considers herself a teen age Sherlock Holmes, Ethelred considers herself a patsy and easily led by her friend. She keeps her case book which she has to hide not only from any crook but her mom and the police. She sometimes thinks she has the mystery solved, yet the mystery turns out to be something else entirely.
Her dance skills are good and if she applied to her dance studies, she could dance professionally. Yet she is climbing around the buildings, sneaking around various warehouses, and dark places of New Portaferry. Though she considers herself a good detective, she is still an over confident teenager. She has blundered in situations were she is way over her head. Though she is resourceful and seems to be able to escape from whatever perils she faces. Though her mother wishes and tries to stop her nightly sojourns.