Trying to escape the clutches of Large Marge, FunJungle’s chief of security who is convinced that Teddy is guilty, Teddy is forced to piece together the events of a chaotic day, well concealed clues, the motives of a wide variety of possible suspects, and many false leads. Luckily, Teddy’s parents believe in his innocence and he relies on them to help him investigate. Teddy has other resources too, including his success in the investigation the year before of the murder of FunJungle’s hippo. But time is running out both for Teddy and Kazoo as a far-more menacing threat is about to unleash a deadly catastrophe on FunJungle’s patrons, employees, and innocent animals.
Stuart Gibbs’ Poached is a great middle grade mystery with an engaging, smart, and sometimes flawed central character, a fast-paced plot, and a lot of clues, red herrings, and hi jinks for budding sleuths to decipher. Both Teddy and the reader have to pay close attention, learn to trust their gut, and leave no stone unturned in a fun, unique, and interesting setting for a mystery series.
- Posted by Cori