WHAT WAS LOST

Junior detective Kate Meaney, who solves "crimes" at her local mall along with her stuffed monkey, goes missing. Her one true friend— 22-year-old Adrian—is blamed. Catherine Skinner shines as Kate. Skinner imbues her with all the wonder, curiosity, and busyness of a child who is keeping her mind active to avoid the emotional pain of having lost her parents. Skinner stumbles, however, after Kate is kidnapped and the book's focus shifts from Kate's perspective to an examination of the crime scene—the local mall. Skinner's sharp accent and high-pitched voice don't help a mystery derailed by tedious details about a shopping mall. J.T. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2008]