The Case of the Missing Marquess by Nancy Springer

This book is the first in a series, and I gave it a rating of four out of five. Enola Holmes is the much younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes. Enola's mother disappears, and no one is sure if she is alive or dead. Enola's mother has left her some clues and some money, so she decides to run away and search for her mother. She doesn't want her brothers, especially Sherlock Holmes, knowing where she's gone. During her adventures, Enola reads in the newspaper about a missing boy and finds herself in the middle of the problem. The conflict and plot center around Enola's search for her mother and also the missing marquess.

The beginning of the book seemed to drag on a bit, but it became more interesting once Enola's brothers entered the story. The action picked up even more once Enola ran away and was on her own. I enjoyed how Enola tried to out-think Sherlock Holmes, so he wouldn't be able to find her. She was very creative and had great deductive thinking skills, just like her famous brother. She was also able to solve the mystery of the missing boy before him.

The series continues in book two as Enola continues the search for her mother. I assume the beginning of the second book will be better, because the author won't need to go into much detail to describe Enola's situation.

Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman? by Eleanor Updale

This book is the first in series, and I gave it a rating of four out of five, although I'm not real sure how much it will appeal to my sixth graders. A criminal is seriously injured while committing a burglary, and a doctor uses experimental surgical procedures to make him healthy. Upon his release from prison, he takes on two identities. He becomes Scarper, the thief, and successfully robs many homes and businesses while using the London sewer system for his escapes. He uses the money from his thefts to become Montmorency, a respectable and cultured member of society. He has many close calls as he tries to elude the police and maintain the secrecy of his two identities.

The plot is unique, although it may not have enough action for my students. I'm also not sure if they'll be able to connect with Montmorency's character, since he's a member of high society. Scarper's character is less complex, and he's mostly a common thief. Both identities have internal conflicts as there is some remorse for his cellmate who is executed for Scarper's crimes. I wasn't sure where the plot would end, but Montmorency does some work for the government near the end of the book. I assume this will be the basis for the plots in the sequels.

Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer by John Grisham

This is the first book in a new series, and I gave it a rating of three out of five. Theo Boone is the 8th grade son of two lawyers and gets himself involved in the biggest murder trial in the town's history. A husband has killed his wife, but it looks like the prosecutor won't be able to present enough evidence to convict him. Theo discovers a secret witness with evidence that could convict the husband, but the witness wants to remain anonymous.
It was an interesting plot, and the author shares a lot of information about the workings of trials. Theo is an interesting character, and the side stories with all of his classmates offer a variety of small cases. Theo has a strong interest and knowledge about lawyers and trials, so others come to him for free legal advice. He helps them with an impounded dog, a drug-dealing brother, and an adult arrested for drunk driving.

Although the murder case provided a conflict, the description didn't really grab me. The discussions about the trial and the way the legal system works were a distraction for me. Adolescent readers might find it helpful to understand what's going on. My biggest complaint is that there was no resolution to the conflict. We don't know the result of the trial, Theo's friend is going through a custody trial between her parents, and it's implied that a private detective is going to do something to Theo. It's a unique novel, but I like my stories finished.

Westmark by Lloyd Alexander

This is the first book of a trilogy, and I gave it a rating of four out of five. Theo apprentices as a printer's assistant back in medieval times, but his master is killed by the king's soldiers. Cabbarus, the chief minister for the king, is plotting to take over rule of the kingdom and controls all printing. Theo becomes a wanted "man" and flees the city. Along the way, he meets up with a con man and his dwarf, a homeless girl, as well a band of men preparing to stop Cabbarus and/or the king. Theo gets himself involved in the uprising and must decide in the rising action if he is able to kill in order to save the lives of others.

I enjoyed the plot, although I thought the climax might have been played up more. The climax may be surprising to some readers, but it's predictable when you look back at the clues. I like how the author ended the book and allows an opening for the sequel.

Death by Bikini by Linda Gerber

I decided to reread this mystery, so I could move on to the other books in the series. I gave it a rating of 4 out of 5. It's a classic who-done-it that keeps the reader guessing. Aphra's father runs a private resort on a remote island. A family using assumed names unexpectedly arrives, and they are clearly not typical guests. Then, the girlfriend of a rock star is strangled on the beach, but who did it? Could the killer be a member of the family? Is it the mysterious Mr. Watts? How about the botanist visiting the island? Is there someone else? The suspense builds when Aphra's father is poisoned and seems to by dying. And how is Aphra's mother, gone for the past four years, involved in this whole mess?

This is a great mystery for readers who are new to mysteries. It's easy to read, and the plot moves swiftly. Clues are given along the way to make the reader suspect different characters of the murder. The reader is continually making and revising predictions as new events develop. The author throws a bit of action in too as the novel reaches its climax. Even though I didn't give the book my top rating, I still think most readers will enjoy it. I'm anxious to read the next book in the series, Death by Latte.

Death by Latte by Linda Gerber

I rated this second book in the series as a 4 out of 5. Aphra sneaks away to the state of Washington to find the mother she hasn't seen for four years. Her mother unofficially works for the CIA, and Aphra stumbles into the middle of the case her mother has been working on. There are spies working within the CIA, led by The Mole, and they are trying to kill Aphra's friend, Seth, and his family. It is also revealed that the ring Seth gave to Aphra in book one contains an important secret. Seth needs it back from her to save his father's life.

This book has much more action than the first book in the series, Death by Bikini. Bad guys are chasing Seth, Aphra, and her mother through the town and into the wilderness. Some of the events are a bit far-fetched, but who cares that five people survive a plane crash into a mountainous forest without wearing seat belts? One guy has two fingers blown off before getting on the plane but still manages to climb down the mountain, survive a kayak ride through the rapids, and remain perfectly coherent for the climax of the story. Just like the first book, the reader is left trying to figure out who are the good guys and who are the bad? This problem was resolved in a surprising way during the falling action. The author has also left the door wide open for the third book in the series, Death by Denim.

Death by Denim by Linda Gerber

I rated this final book of the series a 4 out of 5. Just like Death by Latte, this book had much more action than Death by Bikini. Aphra and her mother were hiding out after escaping Seattle in book two, but The Mole discovered their new hiding place. He wants to use Aphra as bait to discover the location of Seth, her boyfried, and his family. The Mole has a psychotic need for revenge against people he feels have wronged him, and he hopes to kill all of them at one time. Aphra's adventures lead her through Paris, France, and into Italy where the series reaches its final climax.

This mystery keeps the reader guessing about which characters are good and which ones are bad. Aphra has the same problem and makes some bad decisions based on incorrrect assumptions. They get her into increasing trouble, but that's what builds the suspense and makes the story more exciting. I enjoyed how the author allowed Aphra to use her intelligence to solve problems, but she still made silly mistakes. It's nice to have an inexperienced "agent" making mistakes, unlike some other novels with teenage protagonists. It's unbelievable that kids can solve problems for government agencies, but it's even more incredible when they do it perfectly. Aphra makes a big mistake when she believes Ryan, an agent, is lying to her and ditches him in Italy. She realizes this is a big problem when she's headed to The Mole and has no idea what she'll do when she gets there.

This series is great for readers who enjoy mysteries. It's also great for readers just getting into mysteries, because it contains plenty of suspense but is not overly complicated.