cover image Hot Wheels

Hot Wheels

William Arden, Robert Arthur. Random House Books for Young Readers, $2.95 (139pp) ISBN 978-0-394-89959-6

This is the first of The 3 Investigators Crimebusters series. Three teenage investigators on the West Coast--Jupiter (the Brain), Pete (the Jock) and Bob (Mr. Cool)--use their talent for solving crimes. Stereotypical Hispanic hoodlums, part of a ``Latino La Bamba'' (that is, salsa) band, are being used as muscle by a record promoter-gone-bad. The case moves quickly to a close; before long, the investigators have put their judo and karate training to use and have captured the bad guys, to the surprise of the local police. Lively cover graphics and short chapters are part of this package; the Crimebuster's first adventure is short on realism, but offers honest value as amusement. Ages 10-up. (Apr . )