ALA Booklist (Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 CST 2015)

McClintock follows I, Witness (2012) with another highly engaging suspense graphic novel geared toward struggling readers. When Truman's parents leave him home alone for a week, he plans nothing more or less exciting than a romantic dinner with his girlfriend. But when she doesn't show up, and police find her murdered, Truman becomes the primary suspect. As the days unwind, Truman and his best bud Sticky discover that his girlfriend wasn't who she pretended to be, and discovering her real identity takes them into the underground Russian mafia world, where Truman is suddenly a target. As more Russians appear, the body count rises, and when Truman is fired on by the police, his story becomes more and more terrifying. Hughes imparts lots of information and characterization in his angular grayscale art, which depicts the story from Tru's perspective. The appealing layout and compelling story, as well as the straightforward dialogue, make this very accessible to a wide audience, both reluctant and struggling readers as well as those looking for a pulse-pounding thriller.

School Library Journal (Wed Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2015)

Gr 10 Up-When Truman's girlfriend, Natalia, doesn't show up for the romantic dinner he's planned for her, he becomes angryangry enough to trash the dining room in his parents' house. So when he wakes the next morning to two detectives informing him that Natalia has been murdered, he quickly becomes the primary suspect. Determined to prove his innocence and bring the real killer to justice, Truman embarks on a quest to find out the truthonly to discover that there was much more to Natalia than he ever could have imagined. With a story that unspools across the pages, laying out clues and the details as it goes, this mystery begs to be read in one sitting. Stark black-and-white illustrations give the book a noir feel that contrasts with the youth of the main character but doesn't conflict with itinstead it makes Truman's journey into the darkness of Natalia's story more powerful. VERDICT A mystery graphic novel, beautifully done. Heather M. Campbell, formerly at Philip S. Miller Library, Castle Rock, CO

Voice of Youth Advocates

This mystery/thriller is an engaging graphic novel despite some flaws.á Truman "Tru" is a wealthy, older teen whose parents are out of town. He is stunned to find out his Russian girlfriend has been murdered and he is the prime suspect.áWith the help of "Sticky," his close friend or relative (it is unclear), he tries to unravel the mystery behind her killing.áIn doing so, he is pulled into a world of Russian prostitution and organized crime.Certain elements of the plot are unrealistic and affect the credibility of the characters.á For example, Truman's parents are mentioned but never appear, which seems odd since his mother is a detective. The black-and-white illustrations do not add to the story, but rather cause confusion at times. Despite these flaws, the graphic novel format makes this an appealing thriller for reluctant readers. The story is gripping and will hold onto readers to the last page.á Prostitution and violence make this title best suited for the high school set, but there is no profanity or nudity. This title is a mediocre choice for a graphic novel collection.Victoria Vogel.