Don't Get Caught

March 28, 2016
For decades, the Chaos Club has pulled pranks at Max Cobb's high school, but when they frame Max and four other students for one of their escapades, he and the rest of the so-called Water Tower Five vow revenge. With heist-movie-obsessed Max as mastermind, the group embarks on a no-holds-barred game against an invisible enemy as they attempt to take down the Chaos Club and pull some epic pranks of their own. No pep rally or homecoming event is safe, no mascot or trophy off limits. Genre-savvy, clever, and full of "Heist Rules" like "If questioned, be evasive" and "Play to your crew's strengths," this twisty tale is funny, fast-paced, and full of surprises. Newcomer Dinan brings in numerous classic heist elements, including sleight-of-hand, code names, flashback sequences (to show what really happened along the way), and elaborate schemes, leading to one revelation after another. Fans of Ocean's 11 or Leverageâproperties Max himself holds dear in his personal playbookâwill find a great deal to enjoy in Dinan's debut. Ages 14âup. Agent: Kerry Sparks, Levine Greenberg Literary Agency.

February 15, 2016
In Dinan's debut novel, Max Cobb and four other Asheville High School students are out for revenge after being caught on the vandalized town water tower, a setup by the school's notorious Chaos Club. Enough is enough. Max is tired of being Just-Max, a nobody stuck in "a stupid, boring life"--"Mr. 2.5 GPA, Mr. No Social Life, Mr. I'm So Lame the Career Interest Survey Recommended 'Worker' As My Future Profession." Now he and the Water Tower Five are on a mission to take down the Chaos Club after falling victim to a humiliating prank. Planning to fight Chaos with chaos, Max, Ellie, Malone, Wheeler, and Adleta, step up. "The pin's pulled and the grenade heaved," says his new alter ego, Not-Max. Fake business cards, a fake Chaos Club website, plenty of high school humor involving puke, boners, a naked and anatomically correct mannequin, an ever expanding list of heist rules, self-consciously pompous code names, and a satisfyingly complex and unpredictable plot will keep readers involved and amused. And just when the tale threatens to wilt under the accumulation of so many sleazy machinations, it turns out that Max has developed a conscience and the strength to stand up to the devil herself. "Game on," the story ends, hinting at a possible sequel. The cast is not notably diverse. This caper comedy about an Ocean's 11-style group of high school masterminds will keep readers guessing. (Fiction. 12-16)

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April 1, 2016

Gr 8 Up-Max Cobb flies under the radar-until a prank sets him and several classmates up to take the fall for the high school's legendary Chaos Club. In a quest to prove he's more than ordinary, Max, with his motley crew, decides to take down the club and the school's disliked disciplinarian. But when their slippery slope of vengeance and insensitive pranking enters illegal territory with little to no thought of the consequences, Max is forced to consider that his crew might be worse than their perceived rivals. Crude humor, insecurities, and family expectations ring true in this realistic tale. Actions by the school's administration and teachers strain credulity for the sake of plot. The obvious but not incorrect message that people are more than what they're pigeonholed as is ironically promoted among a cast of archetypes-the exception being fallible yet empathetic and likable Max, whom readers will root for. A baddie's vaguely cartoonish reveal in the final twist may not surprise readers. VERDICT Pop culture references, short chapters, and laugh-out-loud narrative moments make this an additional purchase for reluctant readers or fans of films like The Perfect Score.-Danielle Serra, Cliffside Park Public Library, NJ

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