You'll Never Guess the End

Joel Greenberg's life is not easy. While he's getting good grades, walking the dog and helping the homeless, his handsome older brother, a college dropout and until recently a concern to his affluent Manhattan parents, is now a bestselling author. As his parents watch JJstet on talk shows with undisguised pride, Joel is having a ``small silent nervous breakdown.'' But Joel finds a new purpose in life when JJ's wealthy ex-girlfriend is kidnapped and no one seems to be able to find her--not even with the help of a psychic. Joel's solution to the mystery lives up to the novel's arch title. The satiric wit in this fast-paced novel will entertain readers, and while some of the elements are farfetched, Joel's idiosyncratic take on contemporary themes and values (including media hype and interest in the occult) provide a fresh, comical and gently mocking point of view. Ages 12-up. (Oct.)