Hit and Run

Reviewed by: Kara Reiman - Walker Memorial Library, Westbrook, Southern Maine Library District

Review Date: October 25, 2014

Review

Mike has lived with his uncle Billy since his mom was killed in a hit and run 4 years ago. They never found out what happened. The case gets re-opened when Mike's history teacher turns out to be an ex-cop who worked the case. They mystery aspect of this book is pretty good, with a couple of surprises. The character development is not that great. Mike's character feels a bit one-dimensional and Billy's character is a bit confusing--the words he uses with Mike sound like he doesn't care but then she keeps saying that Billy is grinning while saying all those things. There's never more background to explain that for Billy. The book also gets really violent right at the end, which there's no lead up to, so it's a bit jarring. Otherwise, it feels more like a middle grade novel. The series continues on as Mike and the ex-cop continue to solve crimes. Recommended only for libraries who have voracious mystery readers.

Overall Book Score: good