Latitude Zero

Renn (Tokyo Heist) delves into the world of competitive cycling to produce this twisty thriller, starring Tessa Taylor, teenage host of the show KidVision, who is discredited and fired after she’s caught illicitly riding in a charity race. Her disgrace is overshadowed by the tragic death of biking sensation Juan Carlos during that same race, and Tessa is determined to get to the bottom of the incident. Her search takes her to Ecuador, where she’s embroiled in a deadly conspiracy undermining the cycling community and the rest of the sporting world. As Tessa learns just what’s so important that people will blackmail, cheat, smuggle and kill for, she also falls under the sway of a cunning mastermind. Renn steeps her story in thorough detail, bringing the cycling world and Ecuador to life with an air of verisimilitude. The story gets a little convoluted as it evolves from murder mystery to globe-trotting intrigue, with plenty of false leads and red herrings to keep readers guessing, but it satisfies and entertains. Ages 12–up. [em]Agent: Kirby Kim, Janklow & Nesbit. (July) [/em]