Madhattan Mystery

Gr 4–6— Lexi and her younger brother, Kevin, are spending the summer in New York City with their Aunt Roz while their dad takes an extended honeymoon with their new stepmother. After they arrive at Grand Central Station, Lexi overhears two men plotting where to hide some "bloody jewels." When she learns that the jewels from the new exhibit on Cleopatra at the Met have been stolen, she knows that she can identify the thieves. Instead of going to the day camp her aunt signed them up for, Lexi and Kevin spend most of their days with a friend, following leads and clues to find the jewels and the thieves. Since the death of their mother, Lexi relies on good-luck charms and feelings to know what to do next. Eventually her lies catch up with her. The story starts slowly but the plot soon picks up. Bonk knows the Big Apple and effectively sets the scene for the children's adventures. Lexi is a complicated character, but not the only one. While the story wraps up easily, the clues keep it moving.—Natalie Struecker, Rock Island Public Library, IL