The Eye of Midnight

December 15, 2015
There is danger at every turn for two plucky cousins in 1920s New York City as they confront evil in this adventure. Maxine and William are meant to spend the summer with their grandfather, of whom they have little or no memory. They find Col. Battersea strange and mysterious. A cryptic telegram regarding an important package leads to a trip to New York City, where Grandpa is immediately kidnapped. The children become involved with bootleggers, gangsters, and an evil terror group dedicated to conquering the world, all in an effort to obtain the package that contains a powerful, magical object. With the help of Nura, the girl who brought the package from Turkey only to have it stolen, they must retrieve the parcel, save Grandpa, and thwart the terror group's plans. Murders, mayhem, chases, capture, and daring feats ensue, with the children discovering inner strengths and demonstrating ingenuity, courage, and determination. Brumbach's vivid descriptions and terse, to-the-point dialogue keep the action moving and readers constantly engaged and surprised. The inconclusive ending sets the stage for a sequel. That the evildoers are an Arabic terror organization secretly operating in the city might be a little too close for comfort, and perhaps this is why the author chose an earlier time period; nevertheless, the story regrettably draws on outdated, unfortunate Orientalist tropes. A fast-paced, action-packed adventure with sinister overtones made problematic by their grounding in exoticism. (author's note, glossary) (Historical adventure. 10-14)

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February 1, 2016

Gr 4-6-Twelve-year-old cousins, sent away by their parents to the Jersey Shore during the summer of 1929, find themselves alone in their grandfather's huge, seemingly boring mansion. Though the novel's scenery, dress, and vocabulary are all historically accurate, the plot takes an adventurous and mysterious turn into the fantastical. With the ring of the doorbell and delivery of a message, boredom disappears for straitlaced Maxine ("M") and trouble-making Will as they are whisked away by their secretive grandfather Colonel Battersea to New York City, where he is suddenly kidnapped from the train station. They find themselves alone, again, this time in the streets of an unknown city following the instructions of an enigmatic telegram. Joining ranks with Nura, a Turkish girl tasked with delivering the powerful Eye of Midnight to Colonel Battersea (and, unbeknownst to them, their cousin), the children find themselves captured by gangsters and escaping to the literal underbelly of the city to face the evil Rafiq, a member of the Hashashin, an organization of killers who want to take over the world. In a desperate and brave attempt, the children must save their grandfather and the Eye of Midnight, though the consequences may be grave. The adventure is not complete by book's end, and the scene is set for another installment to take place across the sea. Reminiscent of "Indiana Jones" films, with the dapper Colonel Battersea being more than he seems and evil secret societies pursuing a powerful historical object, this danger-filled novel offers fast-paced action. In addition, M and Will grow as characters as they find out what they are capable of and the part they play in their family's history. Readers of R.L. LaFevers's "Theodosia Throckmorton" series (HMH) as well as lovers of the Rick Riordan books will enjoy this. VERDICT A well-crafted adventure with a dash of magic that gives a taste of 1920s New York.-Clare A. Dombrowski, Amesbury Public Library, MA

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January 1, 2016
Grades 4-7 It's 1929, and 13-year-old cousins William and Maxine are sent to stay with their grandfather, a retired British colonel, at the mysterious Battersea Manor for the summer. When a cryptic telegram arrives for the colonel, he whisks the children away to New York City to pick up a package. Then the colonel is abducted, and William and Maxine decide the best way to help him is to meet the courier and get the package. What follows is nonstop adventure involving gangsters and a secret society of assassins, all of whom will stop at nothing to obtain the package. Themes of family and trust are interwoven in this plot-driven adventure. The historical setting works well, giving the novel a feel of otherworldliness necessary to make the story plausible. This debut is a youthful mystery worthy of John Bellairs, with lyrical language reminiscent of Edith Nesbit, yet it stands on its own, creating a fully realized world with clearly defined lines of good and evil and just a dash of magic.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)