In this latest caper from the ingenious van Eekhout, the discovery that a local necromancer has a device that revives the dead spurs four San Diego seventh-graders killed in a school-lab accident to plan a daring heist. As said necromancer commands cutting-edge ghost-catching tech as well as spectral hounds and other unexpected allies, things don't go smoothly at all. But, as it turns out, there's a whole ectoplasmic community willing to help deal just deserts to the bad guy and that, along with the four teens' complementary ghostly powers and strong bonds of loyalty, proves enough to get the job done a way that leaves the racially diverse quartet poised to continue a life (er, afterlife) of crime. Readers will enjoy the banter, which occasionally steers into some deep territory ("Is this all a computer simulation? Am I just a globule of algae in a test tube dreaming he's a human being? What am I, Zenith? Can you answer me that?' You're a dork,' said Vanessa. Does that help?' It's a start.'") as much as the topsy-turvy action.

After becoming ghosts in a freak lab accident, a group of friends pull off heists in the hope of returning to life.Zenith, a Dutch Indonesian 12-year-old, and her best friends have a lot of fun being dead, but they all agree they'd rather be alive again. And as her family prepares to move away from the area she haunts, Zenith in particular needs to return to life as soon as possible. Using their diverse set of ghostly powers, they work together to steal artifacts, books, and other magical objects that could return them to life, under the guidance of a medium. Nothing works…but then they attempt to take a device called Redeemer from a necromancer, who's using it for nefarious purposes. When one of her friends gets caught in the middle of the botched job, Zenith must take on the role of leader and save her friends, but at what cost to herself? The kids' clever antics keep the levity up through what could have been a somber story. Their respective powers, like Zenith's ability to move physical objects, complement their unique personalities and are organically incorporated into their plans to swipe objects and rescue their friends. The blunt storytelling style brings some reveals on too early but otherwise works to great effect to keep the tone light even while delivering mature messages about death and the meaning of life.A fun ghostly romp. (Fiction. 9-12)

In this animated San Diego–set heist novel from Van Eekhout (Fenris & Mott), the ghosts of four middle schoolers killed in a science lab gas explosion use their newfound skills to seek a return to life. Since “being alive is precisely a billion times better than being dead,” the four close friends form a crew following their demises, haunting their school’s theater and engaging in heists of supernatural goods. Kind team leader Nicholas can project his voice to “meat-walkers,” as the kids term the living; goth performer Vanessa can possess beings and objects; science-minded Eddie feels electricity as a sensation; and object-manipulating poltergeist Zenith serves as the crew’s muscle. When a ghost hunter comes looking for them, they learn that a wealthy necromancer is seeking ghosts, and possesses a device that can take—and restore—lives. Thoughtful ethical dilemmas soon cause them to reconsider the lengths to which they’d go to reunite with their loved ones. Zenith’s candidly funny first-person narrative applies a light, portmanteau-riddled touch to themes of death and grief, while the protagonists’ close relationships and powers offer up sheer spectral fun. Zenith is of Dutch Indonesian descent; cover art portrays the other protagonists with various skin tones. Ages 8–12. Agent: Holly Root, Root Literary. (Sept.)