When his sister is shot and killed in a gangland drive-by shooting, Teddy plots revenge, and the tension of this gritty and violent story lies in just how he will do it. Los Angeles gang leaders are like Pied Pipers of the inner city, luring people into their fold, and Sitomer explores the dynamics of the gangs—why they’re attractive, how they operate and what societal factors contribute to their growth. Unfortunately, the well-meaning text too often sounds like an angry social worker expounding on the ills of society, to the detriment of the story itself. The character of Teddy is sometimes secondary to social analysis, and at other times he’s too much the superhero to seem real—a consummate street fighter, a world-class computer hacker and a handsome, smart boy with a penchant for trouble. However, the fast-paced plot and lurking threat of violence will capture readers’ attention, and older readers will find this a satisfying conclusion of the Hoopster trilogy. (Fiction. YA)
