Starred Review ALA Booklist (Mon Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2010)

Starred Review At Iona High, Jack Lime is the guy you come to if you've got a problem: "Detective, private eye, gumshoe, last resort u can call me whatever you like." For a small price (he collects favors, never money) he'll find out what needs finding out, even if his weakness for pretty faces often leads to some serious bruising of his own mug. This slim volume contains three cases. In the first, Jack susses out the whereabouts of a missing bike. In the second, he shakes down a hamster-napping and blackmail scheme. And in the final, he recounts his first case on the job, in which a magnificently dastardly plan teaches him a formative lesson in humility. All the touchstones that make for great noir are translated for kids: root beer floats instead of double bourbons, getting daddy to replace lost items instead of insurance scams, and a rigged quiz bowl instead of a fixed bout. The lingo that makes hard-boiled reading so much fun is here, but never schticky, and Leck knows that a great hero needs a great debilitating flaw: for Jack, it's his narcolepsy that kicks in at the worst possible times. The cases are original where they need to be, and derivative when they should be. You don't need to reinvent the wheel for a great detective story, but you do need a terrific sense of style. Jack Lime's got it in spades. While set in high school, this kinda-campy book reads a little young, so middle-graders are the best bet.

Horn Book

Jack Lime, an orphaned, narcoleptic ninth grader, also happens to be Iona High's new "crime fighter, detective, private eye, sleuth, peeper for hire." After this likable Sam-Spade-in-training recounts two of his cases (a missing bicycle and a kidnapped hamster), he dishes the dirt on a case that fooled him--and got him hooked him on the "P.I. gig."

Kirkus Reviews

In three soft-boiled capers a narcoleptic teenage sleuth braves sneering punks, bad-news bombshells, beatings (including one from a suspect's little sister) and more to get clients out of tough fixes. Or, sometimes, not. Totally serious and tightly focused whether the MacGuffin be a (supposedly) stolen bicycle, a kidnapped hamster or a missing member of the school's Academic All-Stars Trivia Tournament Team, Jack resolutely follows trails of clues wherever they may lead—even if it means methodically going through the school's garbage, getting chucked into the river or waking up in the hospital after suddenly dozing off during stressful encounters. Refreshingly, in the final case Jack himself comes out the loser when he falls victim to an elaborate sting—his revenge, if any, deferred, perhaps, to a sequel. With its tongue-in-cheek Raymond Chandleresque first-person narration ("I was supposed to be minding my own business. So, of course, I stuck around") laced with gleefully cliched slang, this is perfect for Chet Gecko grads. (Mystery. 10-12)

School Library Journal (Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2010)

Gr 8 Up-High school student Jack Lime investigates crimes involving a stolen bicycle, pets held hostage for homework coercion, and missing students. These three intertwined stories are told in a nonlinear manner, with some events being related out of order to increase dramatic detail. All three are peppered with noir-fiction references and dialogue reminiscent of hard-boiled detectives like Philip Marlowe and Sam Spade, a technique unlikely to be recognized or appreciated by teens. The noir styling is at times forced, resulting in contrived situations, and characters are generally flat and one-dimensional, most notably the femme fatales who are uniformly meaningful only for their attractiveness and propensity for betrayal. The mysteries are filled with the interesting red herrings befitting any noir homage, and their brevity could appeal to younger teens looking for a quick read, but frequent references to physical attacks, extortion, and student-run gambling rings appear to target an older audience. In terms of appeal, they are comparable to Alan Gratz's "Horatio Wilkes" series (Dial). Natasha Forrester, Multnomah County Library, Portland, OR

Voice of Youth Advocates

This book chronicles three of Jack LimeÆs cases, a high school student who moonlights as a detective. In the first one, a member of the schoolÆs popular crowd asks Jack to find her little brotherÆs stolen bicycle. The second case is about a kidnapped hamster and the ensuing demands for completed school assignments in exchange for the hamsterÆs safe return. The final case is about the disappearance of an academic teamÆs star member on the eve of a big tournament. Of course, no case is as straightforward as it first seems, and Leck tosses in the usual red herrings. Underlying the intrigue is JackÆs story of being an orphan living with his grandmother following his parentsÆ deaths. ReadersÆ curiosity about Jack will be piqued, but details of his life are few. As Jack narrates his adventures, he sounds like a remnant from a Mickey Spillane novel. Each girl is a ôdollö or a ôdame.ö He takes a ôswigö of his drink and says his speculation is adding up to ôbupkes.ö Although the dated slang adds some charm, it may not mean anything to the average teen reader. These mysteries are light, with the action moving along quickly. The reader does not get mired in a lot of detailùpotentially making the book a good choice for young reluctant readers.ùDebbie Wenk.