The Horizontal Man

From Library Journal Grade 4-8-Finnegan Zwake is a 13-year-old with a nose for mystery and adventure. His parents, archaeologists believed to be lost in Iceland, have left a storeroom full of Mexican treasure and their son in the care of his quirky uncle, mystery-author Stoppard Sterling. The goods begin to disappear, leaving two murders and tons of mayhem in their wake. Finnegan's mind is soon working overtime concocting likely scenarios as he becomes entangled in the complex, tightly woven plot. The author is an able wordsmith and the mystery is chock-full of entertaining conundrums. Relationships such as the gentle rivalry between Uncle Stoppard and fellow mystery writer Mona Trafalgar-Squeer provide literary punch and plenty of opportunity to read between the lines. Though the Finnegan's "what-if" musings get somewhat tiresome and readers will have to wait till the end for most of the action, those with a predilection for detail and drama will enjoy this bouncy tale of mystery and intrigue. Lisa Denton, J. S. Russell JHS, Lawrenceville, VA Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc. From Booklist Dahl's captivating, clever, often funny mystery is a winner. Twelve-year-old Finnegan Zwake has been living with his Uncle Stoppard, a famous mystery writer, since his parents disappeared. The discovery of a rodent-chewed body in a basement storage room plunges both Finnegan and his uncle into a mystery involving Mayan treasures, family secrets, and multiple crimes that continually weave new intrigue into the puzzle. The suspects are a mottled tapestry of tenants, any of whom would make a perfectly believable villain. Finnegan and his uncle are tremendously appealing characters. Eccentric, witty, and ingenious, they work together and separately to unravel subtle clues that keep the plot spinning toward an exciting resolution. Dahl is a skillful storyteller: his gruesomely humorous corpse is a suitable hook for readers; Finnegan's behavior and analyses are both interesting and age-appropriate; and clumsy, brilliant, absent-minded Uncle Stoppard, who tells bad puns, makes an endearing foil to fearless, inquisitive Finnegan. Dahl concludes the story with an invitation to a sequel rich with possibilities. Roger Leslie