The Invisible Detective: Double Life

The Invisible Detective series, part of the new Sleuth imprint, has a promising kick-off with British author Richards's cleverly crafted caper that sashays smoothly between 1936 and the present. In the former era, in a shadowy room above a locksmith's shop on a gloomy London street, the Invisible Detective holds weekly ""consulting sessions,"" offering solutions to local residents' dilemmas. Only his three best friends know this sage fellow's identity: he is 14-year-old Art Drake who, with this trio, solves mysteries. In present-day London, young Arthur Drake one day takes refuge from the rain in a dusty curio shop-the former location of the locksmith's digs-and the proprietor sells him an old notebook that mysteriously bears Arthur's name, address and handwriting. This, the Invisible Detective's casebook from the '30s, launches Arthur on a quest to discover its connection to him. Meanwhile, 1930s Art and his pals become mired in an intricate case when the keeper of a nearby pub tells him that one of his patrons is missing. Taking sometimes risky steps, the young sleuths link his disappearance to a suspicious fellow who has opened an exhibition of lifesize ""Paranormal Puppets."" Their discovery ultimately prevents a horrible fate from befalling the Duke of York, heir to the British throne if King Edward VIII abdicates. An evocative setting, suspenseful plotting and affable characters will likely entice kids to discover what the Invisible Detective next pulls off in Shadow Beast (ISBN 0-399-24313-5), due the same month. Ages 8-up.