Kangaroo Too

Chen’s sequel to Waypoint Kangaroo, as smart and sassy as its title character, forges mystery and hard science into a rousing tale of interplanetary intrigue. Earth operative Kangaroo—so called because of the invisible “pocket,” or hyperspace shunt, from which he magically retrieves the tools of his trade—has traveled to the moon to collect data on his recently sabotaged mission in an asteroid belt. Then his personal physician, surgeon Jessica Chu, is implicated in a murder. Jessica’s reticence to disclose details of her possible involvement in the death leads Kangaroo to investigate, and he stumbles on several discoveries about a doctor who once performed outrageous medical experiments on him in hopes of understanding his unique talents. This seeming detour has direct bearing on the tumultuous complications that follow. Chen steers his well-wrought mystery into a succession of revelations that give it relentless momentum. Kangaroo is an affable antihero, and his relationships with the colleagues whom his antics exasperate provide solid ground for future adventures to build on. Agent: Sam Morgan, Foundry Literary + Media. (June)