Countdown

Gr 3–7—Amy, Dan, Jake, and Atticus arrive in Guatemala to find the next ingredient for the serum antidote that will stop J. Rutherford Pierce in his quest to take over the world. The boys are still giving Amy the cold shoulder, upset over decisions she has made as head of the Cahill family, but they continue to work together to outsmart Pierce's henchmen and decode the clues necessary to find the next ingredient. While searching for temple ruins in the rainforest, Dan's life is threatened; to save him, Amy makes a difficult decision that will have far-reaching consequences. The stakes are higher than ever in the latest installment. The solid, well-paced narration of David Pittu keeps listeners engaged from the first chapter through the intense ending. Pittu smoothly switches between characters by providing distinct voices for each, though it's occasionally difficult to differentiate between Dan and Atticus. As the penultimate book in the series, multiple lives are left hanging in the balance and listeners will be on the edge of their seats as they await the conclusion.—Amanda Raklovits, Champaign Public Library, IL