Voice of Youth Advocates

As in Wild Boy (Candlewick, 2013/VOYA August 2013), Jones deftly mixes the vibrant setting of Victorian London, Sherlock Holmes-ian detective work, and a racing plot to create a mystery that should enthrall most readers. In this second book of the series, Wild Boy and Clarissa have left behind the freak show circus, although its horrors still scar each of them. Cleared of all crimes, the two are still living on the outskirts of society, under the protection of the nebulous secret society of the Gentlemen. In Wild Boy & the Black Terror, Wild Boy and Clarissa use their unique skills of deduction and acrobatics to try to solve a mysterious rash of murders that threaten to overtake London.More than just a whodunnit, Wild Boy & the Black Terror explores themes of friendship, loyalty, and alienation. The addition of the seemingly supernatural "terror" afflicting victims seems like a stretch, but if readers can suspend their disbelief, they are in for a ride. Although the novel is primarily plot driven, the two central characters are well crafted, and their growing friendship and trust in each other lend depth to the story. Jones's descriptions of Victorian London are vivid (and, in some cases, appropriately gruesome)not surprising, considering the author's background in historical nonfiction writing. With plenty of potential mysteries to solve in crime-ridden Victorian London, younger readers can likely look forward to more adventures with Wild Boy and Clarissa in further installments to this appealing series. This book is a recommended purchase where the first book was popular.Sara Martin.

ALA Booklist (Fri May 01 00:00:00 CDT 2015)

Wild Boy and Clarissa, fresh off their last investigation in Wild Boy (2013), now live with the Gentlemen, a shadowy organization led by Queen Victoria herself, and they're impatiently waiting for another case. And when they finally get one, it's a real doozy. Someone has been pilfering rare black diamonds all over the city and infecting bystanders with an unusual poison, which leads to convulsive spells of terror and eventually death. Despite the Gentlemen's doubts about Wild Boy's partnership with Clarissa, whose increasingly uncontrollable anger makes her a liability, the pair carries on, uncovering disturbing secrets about the origin of the diamonds and the madman behind the mayhem. But what will Wild Boy do when he's forced to choose between the case and Clarissa? Though Clarissa's character, whose behavior becomes a major plot element, could have been more fleshed out, the enticing pace, appealingly macabre locations, and steampunk-tinged Dickensian atmosphere is engrossing enough that most readers won't mind. Kids who liked Christopher Edge's penny-dreadful-style Twelve Minutes to Midnight (2012) will likely love this, too.

School Library Journal (Sun Feb 01 00:00:00 CST 2015)

Gr 5 Up-This sequel to Wild Boy (Candlewick, 2013) works better than the first book. The two young teens are now free of their stints in the circus where Clarissa performed as an acrobat and Wild Boy was part of the freak show attractions because of his hypertrichosis, an unusual genetic disorder that causes hair growth over his entire body. But life in London is not as easy as they had hoped. Clarissa and Wild Boy are soon embroiled in a dastardly plot by an unknown poisoner who intends to use a rare black diamond with a gruesome history to bring madness and terror to the population, including Queen Victoria herself. Jones interweaves interesting historical facts into this adventure tale, such as background on the 19th-century British exploitation of India, the role of the medical profession in postmortem procedures, and various schemes against the real Queen Victoria. One slightly jarring note is the use of modern colloquialisms, such as "trying to act cool" and "messed me up," but in light of the overall presentation, these can be forgiven. VERDICT This historical adventure is a fast-paced and exciting read. Jane Henriksen Baird, Anchorage Public Library, AK