Rob dreams of being a DJ. He spends all of his time holed up in his room working beats on his turntables. When his brother Adam gets him a substitute gig at an all-ages club, he jumps at the chance. His set goes great, but as he is packing up his gear, the lights go out. In the following confusion, he stumbles upon a girl from his high school passed out behind the booth. Not passed out. Dead. And it looks like Adam is involved. This plot-driven entry in the Orca Soundings catalog, somewhere between a short story and a novella, features clean prose, believable characters, current cultural landmarks (especially in the tracks Rob spins), and a powerfully sharp, abrupt ending. Even seemingly innocent choices have consequences, and the path from piano lessons to prison is not as long as many teens think it is. Ross plots that particular course with transparency and without moralizing, offering a story that will resonate well beyond the targeted reluctant readership.

Aspiring DJ Rob is excited when his older brother, Adam, manages to secure him a gig at the local all-ages club. But during his set, a girl overdoses on drugs Adam gave her, and Rob must decide if he should help protect his brother. Though the story lacks depth, the high-interest narrative is suspenseful and fast-paced.

Ross, Jeff . Coming Clean . 128p. ISBN 978-1-4598-0331-2 ; ISBN 978-1-4598-0332-9 . Rodman, Sean . Dead Run . 128p. ISBN 978-1-4598-0244-5 ; ISBN 978-1-4598-0245-2 . ea vol: (Orca Soundings Series). Orca . 2012. pap. $9.95; PLB $16.95 Gr 7 Up These titles feature well-intentioned teens in tough situations. In Coming Clean , Rob's golden opportunity to pursue his passion for music leads to unintentional involvement with drug deals and the death of a friend due to an Ecstasy overdose. Dead Run focuses on Sam, who loves bike racing. His gig as a bicycle courier becomes more than he bargained for when his boss asks him to deliver secret packages to a sketchy location. In Shallow Grave , Elliot is wrongly accused of a prank and ends up cleaning an old boathouse with a female classmate as punishment. The spirit of a deceased teen speaks to them through a Ouija board, and they struggle to untangle her messages. All three protagonists are unquestionably good people; their choices are what get them in trouble. Brief, current, and fast paced, these books will be enjoyed by reluctant teen readers. Amanda Moss Struckmeyer, Middleton Public Library, WI