A welcome addition to the teen-sleuth genre
In order to catch a serial killer, a quintet of gifted teens needs first to cooperate with one another in this sequel to The Naturals (2014).
Cassie is a member of the FBI's Naturals program—a supersecret squad of gifted teens assigned to work cold cases. Cassie's a profiler; she learned at her con-artist mother's knee to read people's motivations and fears. Her teammates include an expert at reading emotions, someone with immense skill at both lying and detecting lies, a numbers whiz and another profiler. The serial-killer hunt that quickly entangles them all (not a cold case at all, but a live murderer they can't avoid) is a well-constructed and suspenseful mystery. But they'll never be able to catch the killer if they don't get their collective act together. The five teens and their adult caretakers are at constant loggerheads, fighting about both romance and secrets. One of the Naturals is a serial killer's son, the adult team members were involved in said killer's arrest, and the current killer seems to be a copycat. As in Cassie's previous adventure, all their gory mysteries revolve around the tragic pasts of multiple members of the Naturals team. A romance plotline, though its messy complexities are rich in verisimilitude, grates: Everybody wants a piece of Cassie.
A welcome addition to the teen-sleuth genre . (Mystery. 12-15)Pub Date: Nov. 4, 2014
ISBN: 978-1-4231-6832-4
Page Count: 384
Publisher: Hyperion
Review Posted Online: Sept. 13, 2014
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 2014
The new kid in a near-reform school finds himself caught up in a disturbing animal-abuse case.
Accused of theft at his Las Vegas school, Danny Lopez needs a fresh start in a structured environment, and his parents think they've found just the place in Colorado: Cobalt Junior High Charter School, with a strict dress code, a draconian policy on communication and tightly outlined class instruction. As Danny adjusts to the silence and the scripts, he also gets caught up in the student sects, each of which claims to run the school. Meanwhile, a serial killer is murdering cats, and Danny is determined to uncover the secret before his cat is sacrificed. Generic protagonist Danny's lack of personality and distinctive voice is underscored by the stream of pop-culture references that pepper the narrative, seemingly in an attempt to reach out to the teen audience. Many of the plot points (rote memorization over critical thinking, absentee parents, religious instruction in schools) come across as social critique rather than narrative elements, and none of them feel particularly suited to the middle-school audience. Though the cat killings are slightly gruesome, the serial killer is never truly scary and has flimsiest motivation at best. The publisher has labeled this book for ages 14 and up, perhaps because of the serial killings. The gore isn't particularly gory, though, and protagonist, writing and setting all seem to skew this book to middle-school audiences. Bloody without terror, this tale barely deviates from formula. (Mystery. 12-13)
Pub Date: Oct. 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-8109-8420-2
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Amulet/Abrams
Review Posted Online: Aug. 16, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Sept. 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
While some may guess the plot twist, Petrucha nonetheless provides both a well-crafted romp through yesteryear’s New York...
Has Jack the Ripper moved across the Atlantic to terrorize Gilded Age New York City?
For 14-year-old Carver Young, growing up as an orphan in 1895 New York isn't easy, though it gives him plenty of opportunities to practice lock picking, sleuthing and eavesdropping. When he’s chosen as an apprentice by Pinkerton detective Albert Hawking, Carver finds boundless opportunities to learn the detective trade, especially when he assists Hawking on the hunt for a serial killer in New York City. Carver dives into the case, turning to Delia, his best friend from the orphanage, for assistance with research, as her adoptive parents have access to the archives of The New York Times. As the clues mount, Carver discovers the killer might be Jack the Ripper, and that Jack may have a clue to Carver’s parents. Petrucha does an excellent job developing historic New York as a character in the city, though a map or two would not be amiss. Well-rounded characters, both teen and adult, help to gloss over occasional lapses in the credibility of the dialogue. Pacing is smooth, blending coming-of-age with mystery and action.
While some may guess the plot twist, Petrucha nonetheless provides both a well-crafted romp through yesteryear’s New York and an enticing companion for it. (Historical mystery. 12-15)Pub Date: March 1, 2012
ISBN: 978-0-399-25524-3
Page Count: 432
Publisher: Philomel
Review Posted Online: Jan. 3, 2012
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 15, 2012
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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