The Curious League of Detectives and Thieves 3

June 15, 2024
Fledgling sleuth John Boarhog and other survivors of volume two's airship wreck gather for a climactic tussle with a criminal mastermind. Picking up where the previous series entry left off, this tale pitches the 12-year-old detective (who's portrayed as brown-skinned on the cover) and sidekicks Wembley "Danger" Quokkas and Kana Rai Kuma--respectively, an Aussie brainiac and a super-strong Japanese circus performer--into a running battle aboard a luxurious train that's gliding through the Peruvian rainforest. The Peruvian Express is heading toward a bridge that's been blown up with dynamite, and the journey features a side expedition to hidden caverns beneath Machu Picchu that are guarded by tricky traps and puzzles. If Phillips adds even more characters to his already dizzyingly large cast and seems less focused on the plot than on exploring various combinations of children losing and finding missing, bad, or replacement parents, he does nevertheless bestow happy reunions and reconciliations on the three adventurers by the end. And, while punctuating the narrative with nods to pop-culture icons from Agatha Christie to Indiana Jones, he also contrives to include suitable numbers of sudden threats, hair's-breadth rescues, secret agendas and messages, betrayals, explosions, and feats of both courage and clever deduction. Reasonably brisk, though top heavy with family issues. (Detective fiction. 10-13)

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December 1, 2024

Gr 5-8-After crash landing on a beach in Peru, newly minted junior detective John Boarhog is back and immediately in action in this witty, absurdist romp. With his father and mentor, Toadius, missing, John takes up the case and is joined by Japanese circus performer and a "blond marshmallow of a boy" named Wembley. On their quest to find him, the trio must embrace the criminal side of John's heritage as they unravel a decades-old cipher left behind by Toadius's mentor. Thrilling chases, outlandish villains, and amusing wordplay are delivered by an anonymous narrator who infuses the text with commentary, often delivering comic explorations of various idioms and adult-friendly references to random pop culture properties like "Mad Max" and "The Fast and the Furious". Although this is by and large an action comedy, emotionally resonant moments between John and his friends and newfound family make this a satisfying read. VERDICT Middle school kids and the adults in their lives will find much to enjoy in this third installment of this series, perfect for fans of Lemony Snicket.

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