Hautman, Pete & Logue, Mary. Doppelganger

Kliatt, March, 2008 by Paula Rohrlick

HAUTMAN, Pete & LOGUE, Mary. Doppelganger. (The Bloodwater Mysteries.) Penguin, Putnam. 176p. c2008. 978-0-399-24,379-0. $16.99. J *

Would-be investigative reporter Roni, dreaming of a big break, scans a missing-children website and is astonished to see a photo of a Korean boy who looks just like her friend Brian. The two teens have teamed up to solve other mysteries set in their town of Bloodwater, MN (Snatched and Skullduggery), and Roni can't wait to find out whether Brian was abducted as a young child. Brian does have some early memories of another family, but his parents don't seem eager to discuss his adoption. In the course of their investigation, Roni and Brian cross paths with a dangerous man and must make a narrow escape on Roni's beloved Vespa. The truth turns out to be even stranger than Roni imagines it to be in this well-plotted and suspenseful tale by two notable authors, and humor and some slapstick action keep the mood light. A fun read. Paula Rohrlick, KLIATT

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.

*--The asterisk highlights exceptional books.