Rebel Fire

Gr 6–9—Leeches, exotic animals, a sinister villain, and John Wilkes Booth all figure in the plot of this fast-paced, unusual page-turner starring the young Sherlock Holmes. A mysterious, cryptic prologue set in Borneo hooks readers' immediately. The future master detective is a teen living in England with his older brother, Mycroft, while their father is in the army in India. He is being tutored by an American, Amyus Crowe, a member of the Pinkerton Detective Agency. Croft was sent to England to find John Wilkes Booth, who is believed to have escaped captivity and to be hiding abroad. A group led by the evil and cunning Duke Balthasar is clandestinely trying to use Booth as a catalyst and rallying point to resurrect the Southern cause. The British title for the book is Red Leech, which hints at sinister and grotesque twists in the story. With mature, unwavering resolve, Sherlock; Crowe's teenage daughter, Virginia; and Sherlock's friend Matty conquer spectacular, mind-boggling, and seemingly impossible obstacles. Established history and imaginative invention intertwine throughout. At times, factual material needed to move the plot along is too jarringly introduced in dialogue to give credence to the bizarre events, but the fast pace and astonishing adventures overshadow any stilted prose, rendering this a satisfying and engrossing read.—Renee Steinberg, formerly at Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJ