Reviewed by Sally Kruger, aka "Readingjunky" for TeensReadToo.com

Alicia has been kidnapped. Can Brian and Roni find her kidnapper and save the day? That's the plot in a nutshell, but the complete mystery would fill a large, very complicated nutshell.

Brian and Roni go to the same high school, but the only things they seem to have in common are frequent visits to the principal's office. Brian's a science nerd, and Roni is an ambitious reporter for the school paper. Alicia is a fellow high school student who has disappeared. This first in a series dubbed THE BLOODWATER MYSTERIES has Brian and Roni teaming up to solve the crime.

For mystery fans this book has it all. There is the big old family house connected to a possible curse. Part of the adventure takes the crime-solving duo to Wolf Spider Island to deal with colorful characters like Driftwood Doug and a butterfly collector named Mr. Nestor. Add in a wacky police department, suspicious high school thugs who key cars, and a trip to Nun's Island to search for a missing boat, and you have just a few of the adventures in this fast-paced book.

Pete Hautman, author of GODLESS and MR. WAS, combines talents with fellow Minnesota author Mary Logue, to create this new series. Fans of complicated whodunit tales will not be disappointed. ( )

This story revolves around three high school students; one of which has gone missing, while the other two risk their lives to find her. Roni, an assertive and intelligent school newspaper reporter teams up with Brian, an Asian American with loves chemistry. They spend their time searching for Alicia, she has been physically abused, neglected, and now has gone missing in a small town in Minnesota. The two young detectives must interview and analyze an array of different characters, as well as piece together clues that will lead them to Alicia. However, even when the police think they have the criminal, they may find that nothing is as it appears. ( )

Easy mystery for reluctant readers in grades 6-10. The chapters are short and the story moves quickly. Lots of possible suspects keep the reader guessing. I think this would be a good series for mystery lovers who like the quick, easy mystery book.

When a classmate disappears, Roni Delicata, crime reporter for the school newspaper the Bloodwater Pump, can't resist the challenge of figuring out who snatched her. With a sidekick slightly reminiscent of Encyclopedia Brown, and a charming disregard for fashion, Roni sets out to solve the case. There are plenty of suspects to choose from, from the missing teen's ex-boyfriend and her estranged father to the spacey Butterfly Man. But the truth may just prove stranger than any of the odd people Roni and Brian run across.

A bit simplistic but at least the ending wasn't a foregone conclusion. The issues covered - kidnapping, child abuse, etc., are certainly serious enough, but Brian and Roni make an amusing team. Hopefully in future adventures it will read a bit less like Encyclopedia Brown solves the case, though. ( )

The first book in the Bloodwater series introduces us to two engaging teenagers who become unlikely partners as they track down the mystery of who has abducted a classmate. I enjoyed this mystery very much; it was both fast-paced and realistic. I did find the ending somewhat disappointing (but can't say why because it might be a spoiler), but despite this, it’s definitely a recommended read. (http://msbookish.com/review-snatched-... ) ( )