Ms. Bookish’s Quick Take: Snatched, the first book in the Bloodwater series, introduces us to two engaging teenagers who become unlikely partners as they track down the mystery of who has abducted a classmate. I enjoyed this mystery very much; it was both fast-paced and realistic. I did find the ending somewhat disappointing, but despite this, it’s definitely a recommended read. See below for the full review.
From the jacket flap:
What do Roni Delicata, the pushy reporter for the school newspaper, and science geek Brian Bain have in common? Ordinarily, nothing except a tendency to end up in the principal’s office. But today isn’t an ordinary day: their new classmate Alicia has been snatched.
In no time, Roni and Brian are on the case. But the deeper they dig, the more suspects they find. And when they follow the trail to Wolf Spider Island, a place well known for its creepy inhabitants, Roni and Brian are suddenly risking their own lives for the truth. Can they find Alicia before it’s too late – for all of them?
The Full Review of Snatched
Snatched introduces us to Roni and Brian, two engaging protagonists in the first of the Bloodwater mysteries. The two are an unlikely pair but despite this, their partnership in the investigation of the crime – who has abducted their classmate Alicia Camden – is realistic enough to keep the reader involved.
The action is fast-paced, and the stakes are high. At times, I found myself (having read many adult thrillers with gruesome consequences for the victims) quite worried about Alicia’s fate. The characters are fairly well-rounded for a mystery. The authors did hint at Brian’s motivations, revolving around his parents, without really making good on the promise, but other than that, the characterizations are realistic and enjoyable.
The ending, in terms of “whodunnit” and the exposure of the bad guy, was also satisfying, though I must admit I did know the identity of the “ultimate” bad guy in the story. I did have one complaint about the ending. At the risk of this being a spoiler, my feelings were that the ultimate transgressor, the bad guy, so to speak, seemed to get off rather lightly; the “main” crime, at the end of the day, went beyond the one the kids were investigating, and is one that’s prevalent in our society; a part of me felt that a harsher result should have fallen on the transgressor’s shoulders. If this sounds rather cryptic, it’s because I can’t really say much beyond this without giving away the end of the story.
Despite this, Snatched is a good, fast paced read which kids will likely enjoy very much. Ms. Bookish’s Rating: A-: Enjoyable Read ?
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