Freshmen Detective Blues

Eddie and his best friend Jack like to root around Muir Lake for submerged junk to rescue, fix up and sell. One day, they find something really differenta human skeleton wired onto an old outboard motor. The motor clearly comes from the marina owned by Eddie's family. And since only the boys' families and closest friends would have had access to such a motor, the boys reluctantly conclude that someone they know sunk the body to the bottom of the lake. Instead of calling the police, the boys try a little investigating on their own. As they unravel the mystery, they learn much about the people they know and love: suddenly it seems as if everyone in the lakeside community has something to hide. Jack and Eddie are believable sleuths and the Muir Lake residents, as seen through Eddie's eyes, are an engaging lot. Their complex lives, as much as the novel's central mystery, will keep readers involved from start to finish. Ages 10-14. (November)