Roni Delicata and Brian Bain find themselves in the thick of a town mystery when they stumble on Dr. Andrew Dart, a local archaeologist, lying unconscious in a cave. Who would want to hurt Dr. Dart? Who has something to gain?
176 pages B00ANYJ5WW Ages 10-12
Recommended by: Barb Langridge, abookandahug.com
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As Roni and Brian sit in a classroom listening to their teacher drone on about local wildflowers, there seems little scope for their detective skills, honed in Snatched (2006), the first of the Bloodwater Mysteries. But during a field trip, they climb a bluff and discover a cave where a local archaeologist lies helpless on a pile of bones, the victim of a blow to the head. Before passing out, the dazed, confused, and evidently unhinged professor hands Brian a Stone Age tool and orders him to save the bluff. Written with wit and style, the story shows empathy for the main characters' foibles and respect for their unconventional and sometimes fractious working relationship. The plot twists and turns as they try to unravel the mystery despite the very real dangers around them. Readers need not have read the first book set in the southeastern Minnesota town of Bloodwater to enjoy this satisfying page-turner. from Carolyn Phelan
