When Riley Donovan moves to a small town for her aunt to take a position as the local police detective, she expects a slower pace of life. But when their neighbor's barn catches on fire with him shouting for help inside of it, the small town suddenly has a big mystery on its hands, and no one seems to be trying particularly hard to solve it. As the townspeople band together against the victim of the fire, Riley questions their motives and sets out to uncover the truth. With more than 60 books under her belt and five Arthur Ellis Awards for exceptional crime fiction for youth, McClintock is clearly in her element. Within the first 10 pages, there is arson, attempted murder, and an explosion that knocks the protagonist airborne and unconscious, and the pace doesn't slow until the final page. The mystery is compelling, the ending surprising, the protagonist plucky, and the language appealing for reluctant and avid readers alike, while the small-town race issues ground it as a discussion piece.

Riley Donovan is just settling into her room at her new house when flames fill the sky. She dials 911 and rushes next door to find that her neighbor's barn is burning downwith him inside. Local authorities quickly decide that Mr. Goran must have set the fire himself for the insurance money, but over the following days, Riley discovers that her Pakistani neighbor had been the object of animosity and prejudice well before the fire. She finds herself at risk as she tries to solve the mystery of who really set the fire and why.As with many crime novels, the action begins in the very first chapter, and the mystery is solved in the very last pages. Chapters end with deliberate cliffhangers, and a range of characters are introduced to complicate the plot. The characters, including Riley herself, are underdeveloped, but the fast-paced plot will make this a satisfying read for fans of crime fiction. Aside from the initial fire, the book is tame; Riley is the victim of vandalism and some verbal confrontations, but the violence and threats are mild. The characters come across as wholesome, making it appropriate for middle school readers. Overall, this is a solid young adult crime novel with adequate but unimpressive writing. The language and plot are straightforward enough to make this book an option for reluctant readers.Samantha Godbey.