Arts and Thefts

Gr 4–7—It's the summer before seventh grade, and the retrieval (not theft) business is a little slow until one of Jeremy Wilderson's best friends, Case, shows up out of breath and with bad news. Amateur P.I. Becca Mills is at it again, accusing Jeremy and his friends of stealing an artist's paintbrushes. So when it appears someone's set on sabotaging the annual Scottsville Youth Art Show and Competition, possibly with the stolen art supplies, Jeremy must yet again partner with Becca, this time to set the record straight and protect Case's contest entry in the process. But can Becca and Jeremy ferret out the saboteur—without being spotted by Jeremy's friends—before their tentative alliance falls apart? Fans of the first installment in this series will enjoy the return of the author's witty dialog and quirky characters. While the tension between Becca and Jeremy occasionally borders on the absurd, readers' patience with those moments will be rewarded when the partnership works perfectly. And with some surprising twists and turns, the mystery of whodunit will keep kids guessing until the very end.