Bibliographical information:

Abrahams, Peter. Down the Rabbit Hole: An Echo Falls Mystery. New York: Harper Trophy, 2005.

Brief summary:

Thirteen-year-old Ingrid Levin-Hill gets lost trying to make her own way from the orthodontist to soccer practice. Katherine Kovac, otherwise known as "Cracked-Up Katie," helps her call a cab and get to practice, but is found dead shortly thereafter. Ingrid is disturbed by Katie's death, but also upset that she's left her cleats at Katie's house. Her efforts to retrieve them lead her to investigate Katie's life and death, both of which turn out to be entangled with the amateur theater troupe with which she's performing.

Comments:

The characters and the mystery are engaging, and the book as a whole is fun, if a bit implausible. I found Ingrid's reasons for not telling adults what she knew somewhat unconvincing, but my ten-year-old soccer player really enjoyed reading a mystery with a young female soccer player as amateur detective.

Grade/Age level:

Age ten and up?

Cautions:

There's some violence here, including Katie's murder and the murderer's attempt to silence Ingrid.

--Lisa Gordis

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