James Ponti

Tension, mystery, and, most importantly, the sense of family shine through on every page.

The newest member of the City Spies, Cairo, is facing his first mission...well, not official since the higher-ups know nothing about it. The City Spies are determined to secretly find his younger sister, who disappeared under very questionable circumstances. Following 'bread crumbs', they jet around the world to figure out where she is, who is after her, and, somehow, take care of an official mission, a show more royal wedding, as well. It's going to keep them busy.

It's been a bit since I picked up a book in this series, but it was no problem to sink right in, especially with that first chapter. This book starts out with tension pure and gets things rolling right away. And there's a lot going on. Not only do the City Spies need to locate Cairo's sister, but there are evil forces at play, pulling at the ties between their 'family' thanks to an earlier betrayal, which is by no means solved, yet.

The writing flows very smoothly, and the characters come across naturally. The spy end is more of a hunt, this time, with clues to follow (before it unfolds into more, later on), so mystery fans will appreciate that end. While this does involve spies, the technology and abilities don't stretch imagination too far, and the characters expand their capabilities as well as the trust in themselves, which adds a nice touch. The family aspect is inspiring and makes this group golden as they are a bit of a hodge-podge mix but still hold together wonderfully.

This is a nice addition to the series and keeps everything exciting and tension packed the entire way through. show less

Not all mysteries only happen in the present, and this one glides with clues over the years and enough tension to hold until the very last page.

A body has been discovered at the Moroccan Hotel and identified as a man, who'd died sixty years before. Although the Sherlock Society wasn't planning for another case, Grandfather's relationship to the deceased many years ago makes it impossible to ignore, especially since he'd been trying to prove that the deceased was innocent in a jewelry theft show more for years. While it might seem that the trail has long grown cold, the Sherlock Society comes across more and more information in unexpected ways. But this isn't going unnoticed. Someone doesn't want them to discover the truth and is going to extreme extents to make sure they don't.

Already on the first pages, this tale starts out with energy and grabs...but not in the way that might be expected. It starts with the Grandpa, who might be aged but packs more life than most and adds zest, which fits since it's also his past which underlines the mystery. Alex and Zoe along with their friends have a golden relationship with him (adding goodness), but it also lays a great foundation as the mystery and murder unfolds. Their are hints of darker tons to entice the audience and draw in, but the author uses the character's personalities and situations to add just the right amount of humor to make it a fun adventure. It's an addictive balance.

The writing is smooth as always and adds information and facts, here and there, while weaving a nice web of clues and intentions. There were moments of teetering over-information, which had me skimming over several paragraphs. Still, that didn't quite outweigh the high-tension, dangerous stakes, and action scenes enough to make the book disappoint, either. I just hope this draws back in the future books a bit.

Summed up, this is another fun, grabbing read with characters, who live up to their Sherlock name and with side characters to enjoy or hate...and I can't wait to see what adventure lies in store for them next. show less

Spy fans will love being drawn into the international world of danger, espionage and evil villains...while dreaming they could really jump in and help the team.

After hacking into the files of the social system, Sarah finds herself about to face two and a half years in detention without computer access. As far as she's concerned, her life is over. Until a perky man steps in claiming to be her lawyer and manages to free her from the system and fly her to Scotland. The catch—he wants her to show more join a team of young spies and stop the evil villain while learning all sorts of wonderful skills.

This book grabs from the very beginning, and it was hard not to like Sarah from that very first page. But then, every character springs from the paper with zest, personality and tons of fun quirks. Especially 'Mother' (a male head of the spy group) demands attention with his slick and yet humorous ways. Each team member is a gem, making it hard, as a reader, not to wish one could really join in.

The writing is quick-paced, not too descriptive, and flows so wonderfully along. Little nips of humor sprinkle in the adventure to create a fun mix. Throw in Scotland and Paris and a villain, who is fun to dislike, and there isn't much not to like. The author even throws in the history of each member through flashbacks, which add to the depth and story. The only thing which made me frown just a tad-tiny bit is the length. Still, it's more than a ton of fun to read, and I definitely can't wait to see where the series goes next.

I received an ARC copy and enjoyed this one quite a bit (the writing is lovely!). So, I'm leaving my honest thoughts. show less

I was a little skeptical of this mystery, despite Ms. Yingling's recommendation. The cover just didn't really grab me and I wasn't sure we needed another art heist book. But it turns out, we do need this one! It's not only a great middle grade read, it's just a great read in general and I enjoyed it myself.

The book starts abruptly with middle schooler Florian's abduction of Romanian gangsters. Fade to black and the real story begins... Florian has moved (again). His parents, both involved in show more art and security, move frequently. Florian has developed T.O.A.S.T. to pass the time and amuse himself more than anything else. The Theory Of All Small Things has helped Florian figure out an art heist in the past and, to his surprise, garners him a new friend in the form of soccer-playing, African-American Margaret. The two are surprised (and somewhat thrilled) to get swept up in an art heist, as well as the search for Margaret's unknown birth parents.

Along the way we find out why Florian has been kidnapped, solve several individual mysteries, go along on some exciting adventures, especially when Florian gets picked to be a consultant to the FBI, and even see Florian starting to enjoy typical school-kid life, for the first time.

The mystery is really well done, with lots of clues and twists, but not so many that you spend half the book trying to break codes (not a pastime I personally enjoy). There are unresolved issues left (what will Florian tell Margaret about her parents?) that leave room for a sequel. Florian isn't stuck-up or obnoxious; he makes mistakes, uses his theory incorrectly, does stupid stuff and gets in trouble, but also respects Margaret's intelligence and skills and treats her as a full partner.

Verdict: This is a great mystery series I can't wait to introduce to my middle grade readers. It's definitely going on the list for our mystery month for book club!

ISBN: 9781481436304; Published 2016 by Aladdin; Borrowed from another library in my consortium; Purchased for the library show less