A RECIPE 4 ROBBERY

At the annual Bloomsbury Cucumber Festival, ten-year-old Lindy Lou Phillips is trying to avoid eating a plate of Granny Goose’s disgusting-looking stewed cucumbers when she unearths a gold locket from the goop. Lindy’s friend Margaret and newcomer Gus inform her that heirloom jewelry worth thousands was recently stolen from the snobby Grimstone family home. Could the animal-loving, dotty old Granny Goose be the culprit, or is she being framed by François, the flamboyant chef, or Leonard, the Grimstones’ sullen gardener? Using a strategy laid out by NSCCB (“The Not So Clueless Crime Busters”), the trio set out to solve the case. The story moves along at a good clip, narrated by Lindy with plenty of folksy humor. Though the plot revolves around finding the thief, the added drama of Lindy’s jealousy over Margaret’s friendship with Gus is just right for the intended audience. The real star here is Pickles the Goose, whose fondness for shiny objects eventually leads the trio to the real thief. This fast-paced, funny mystery is top-notch summer reading. (Mystery. 8-12)