Scarlett Undercover

Teen detective Scarlett is wary and a bit insulted when nine-year-old Gemma appears at her office. But then Gemma tells her that she thinks her brother murdered somebody. A somebody whose death has already been ruled a suicide by the authorities. Scarlett accepts the case, and she’s soon launched into a dangerous mystery that doesn’t just involve the girl’s brother but also a shadowy group determined to find a mystical relic of the Muslim faith. Scarlett, herself more of a lapsed Muslim and certainly not one for the supernatural, is a bit out of her element. As the case unfolds, it raises more questions. Why does this mystery seem to be related to her dad’s murder? Why is her best friend’s mom being so secretive? Who is the man she keeps running into? Sarcastic yet sensitive, Scarlett’s voice is what drives this narrative, which is one part snarky Veronica Mars in its noir-meets-adolescence setup and one part levelheaded Da Vinci Code with its religious symbolism–tinged quest. The supporting characters and their relationships with Scarlett, from a sister who holds religion and medical science in equally high regard to a Jewish diner owner who serves as Scarlett’s surrogate mother, keep the story from feeling too single-minded or plot-driven. A fast read that includes all the familiar, expected trappings mystery and adventure fans love dressed up with fresh, diverse characters and settings. sarah hannah gomez

Teen detective Scarlett investigates a possible murder (ruled a suicide by the authorities); soon she's launched into a dangerous mystery that involves a shadowy group determined to find a mystical relic of the Muslim faith. Sarcastic yet sensitive, Scarlett's voice drives this Veronica Mars–meets–Da Vinci Code narrative. Familiar mystery trappings are dressed up with fresh, diverse characters and settings.