THE CASTLE ON DEADMAN’S ISLAND
by Curtis Parkinson
In this rough-cut, Hardy Boys–style sequel to Death in Kingsport (2007), teen sleuths Neil, Graham and wholesomely libidinous sidekick Crescent repeatedly risk their lives to investigate a mysterious disappearance. Set largely in and around a Canadian castle with the requisite dark history, the plot not only features such customary tropes as a secret passage, oblivious adults, contrived murder attempts and bumbling police, but is positively punctuated with found notes, overheard conversations and conveniently timed revelations. Parkinson trots in new characters at need, has his young folk blithely commit crimes from breaking and entering to manslaughter without guilt or personal repercussions and in the end kills off two bad guys while letting the chief instigator (clumsily modeled on Lady Macbeth) go scot-free. Only the quick pacing is up to even Stratemeyer standards. (Mystery. 11-13)