You Can Run

Gr 6–10—Though this mystery has some clunky writing, the characters are engaging. When Trisha, Robyn's weird history project partner disappears, the 15-year-old worries that she's responsible because she said some mean things to the unpopular girl. Robyn's father, the owner of a private security company and an ex-cop, is an old acquaintance of Trisha's stepfather. After he takes the case, Robyn gets involved in finding the missing teen. The fact that Robyn's boyfriend, Nick, is finishing a sentence in a group home and knows some of the same tough characters as Trisha helps the investigation. A suspicious fire at a horse stable and an insurance fraud cover-up add to the suspense. Along the way the teen sleuth faces some setbacks: Nick is being abused by his aunt's boyfriend, Robyn has to convince Trisha's protective friends to let her deliver a message to the runaway from her sick mother, and then Robyn's father is beaten. Stereotypes about appearances prevail. Despite the flaws, the fast pace and good girl/not-so-bad-boy relationship dynamic make this novel a strong pick for reluctant readers.—Tina Zubak, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PA