The Revenge of Jeremiah Plum

Young mystery fans who aren't sufficiently challenged by children's whodunits will be happy to discover Muskopf. In her first book for young readers, she demonstrates easy command of a large and interesting cast of characters, her style is light and sure, and she is deft at plucking clues from subjects as varied as gardens, finance, Hamlet and food. Her amateur sleuths, Darcy and Leila, about 13, live in a decaying Victorian boarding house, complete with a troubled ghostthe polite, well-meaning Jeremiah Plum. Investigating his murder leads them to look beneath the surface of appearances, for as Darcy's Aunt Pru tells them, ""There's a lot more to people than personality.'' Though overlong and spread a bit too thinly, this is a diverting mystery, laced with insight. Ages 10-14. (April)