THE BIG BAD WOLF MURDER

In a world where people and anthropomorphic wolves coexist, Ruby Calvino, a human girl, and Fillan, a wolf cub, are accused of murder.

“Small, wiry, and pale” Ruby is about to win her first Tooth & Claw championship (think Hunger Games lite) for her team, the Netherburg Reds, in front of thousands of spectators. The 12-year-old, who’s brash and athletic, is facing her final opponent, the undefeated Alarick, a skilled and ruthless wolf. But just as she begins to make her move, Alarick drops dead. After a bottle of poison turns up in Ruby’s bag—and that same poison was present on flowers that Fillan (a member of the stadium staff) delivered to Alarick before the match—intransigent Detective Breck accuses them both of murder. The pair go on the run, hoping to save themselves and find the real killer, but no one is who they seem to be in this romp of a tale. Ruby’s athletic training and Fillan’s sense of smell help them out of tight spots. Bell weaves in tongue-in-cheek references to “Little Red Riding Hood,” from characters’ names and garments to a little cottage in the woods. Well-planted reveals keep the pace up, and the one scene that feels dangerously close to an infodump suddenly twists into a final surprise. Ruby’s character growth is subtle and believable and comes to fruition at the end of the story.

A delightful, action-packed adventure.