A Dark Inheritance

Gr 6–8—"It was the day Mom took the coast road to school. The day I tried to save a suicidal husky. One day before I would begin to wonder if my father was still alive." So begins Michael Malone's journey and this first installment in the "UNICORNE Files." Michael's father disappeared three years ago without a trace. Lately, Michael's been experiencing lightheadedness and shortness of breath, which the doctors diagnose as asthma. Even more strangely, Michael begins to notice after these episodes is that his reality has changed—his sister, who never played the instrument before, is a violinist, and an au pair is suddenly part of the family but his mother and sister act as if she's always been there. Baffled, Michael soon meets Amadeus Klimt, the leading member of a covert organization called UNICORNE. Klimt tells Michael that his father may still be alive, but in order to find out for sure, Michael must agree to take on an assignment for the secret agency. This book will hook readers from page one and won't let up until the dramatic conclusion. D'Lacey manages to make the implausible seem possible. While many questions are left unanswered, they are likely to be answered in the next installment. Fans of action-packed adventure will devour this new series.—Kathy Kirchoefer, Henderson County Public Library, NC