Gr 4-6Mabel Opal Pear, aka Moppet, is learning the art of spying from her parents. They run the only museum in town, which features spoons from all over the country and world. When her parents are suddenly sent on a mission far from home, a long-lost uncle shows up with his greedy wife and Mabel's only cousin. Mabel is usually cared for by her aunt Gertie, the town's beloved baker, but not this time. Aunt Gertie is arrested, rooms are ransacked, an inspector is snooping around, and everyone is looking for a mysterious red suitcase containing valuables that Mabel's uncle claims are his. The girl's spy sense kicks into high gear, and things begin to go downhill fast. Mabel tries to follow her "Rules for a Successful Life as an Undercover Secret Agent" to expose the plot that threatens her family. Her good friend Stanley helps her discover clues. It is Mabel's turn to save her family's small-town museum, rescue her captive aunt, find out family secrets, and figure out if her cousin is a friend or foe. VERDICT A light and quirky mystery. Consider for large collections.Erin Olsen, The Brearley School, NY

Mabel tries to "be in control," "trust her instincts," and "anticipate surprises" after her secret-agent parents disappear.A "curious, brave, and clever" (almost) 11-year-old white girl, Mabel lives near Mount Rainier in Washington, where her mother operates an antique-spoon museum. When her parents are away on secret missions for the Agency, Mabel's aunt Gertie acts as her guardian. As soon as Mabel's parents leave on another mission, her long-lost greedy uncle, his obnoxious wife, and their meddling daughter unexpectedly descend under the auspices of watching over Mabel because Aunt Gertie's been falsely arrested. Taking control of Mabel's house and life, they clearly want the museum as well. Meanwhile, duplicitous Inspector Montgomery accuses Mabel's parents of international smuggling and interrogates her about a mysterious red suitcase. Learning from the Agency her parents are indeed missing and uncertain whom she can trust, Mabel follows her Rules for a Successful Life as an Undercover Secret Agent (reproduced in full in the backmatter) as she tackles each surprising element of the case. Mabel's first-person narration reveals a clearheaded and resourceful but lonely and somewhat resentful girl whose efforts to protect her parents' secrets deny her the normal social life she deserves. A suspenseful, multifaceted puzzler with a savvy girl sleuth. (author's note) (Mystery. 9-12)

It's not uncommon for middle-grade novels to build a story around a kid whose parents are spies, but Hosch manages to keep this premise fresh and entertaining in her new mystery. In a small town near Mt. Rainier, the Pears run a private spoon museum to give the impression of living very uneventful lives. This provides Mr. and Mrs. Pear the perfect cover for their work as spies for the top-secret Agency. Mabel can't wait to become a spy herself and has written her own rules for spying (in invisible ink, of course), which she gets to implement sooner than expected when her parents disappear on a mission. The situation grows increasingly hairy with the arrival of her greedy uncle and aunt, "Frankenstella," who have designs on the museum's valuable spoon collection. Mabel summons smarts and bravery to get to the bottom of the increasingly complicated mystery. Hosch works humor and suspense into the story, along with appealingly quirky characters and intriguing spy communications that will leave armchair detectives hooked and happy.