Latitude Zero

May 12, 2014
Renn (Tokyo Heist) delves into the world of competitive cycling to produce this twisty thriller, starring Tessa Taylor, teenage host of the show KidVision, who is discredited and fired after she’s caught illicitly riding in a charity race. Her disgrace is overshadowed by the tragic death of biking sensation Juan Carlos during that same race, and Tessa is determined to get to the bottom of the incident. Her search takes her to Ecuador, where she’s embroiled in a deadly conspiracy undermining the cycling community and the rest of the sporting world. As Tessa learns just what’s so important that people will blackmail, cheat, smuggle and kill for, she also falls under the sway of a cunning mastermind. Renn steeps her story in thorough detail, bringing the cycling world and Ecuador to life with an air of verisimilitude. The story gets a little convoluted as it evolves from murder mystery to globe-trotting intrigue, with plenty of false leads and red herrings to keep readers guessing, but it satisfies and entertains. Ages 12–up. Agent: Kirby Kim, Janklow & Nesbit.

May 15, 2014
A mystery involving bicycling culture set in greater Boston and Ecuador.Seventeen-year-old Tessa Taylor has been the perky host of the Boston-based cable TV show KidVision for four years. But when she gets caught "bandit riding" (riding without raising the necessary money) for a charity event, she loses her job. Worse, she thinks she's caused the death of star EcuaBar team cyclist Juan Carlos, who went down in the crash Tessa caused when she pulled out of the charity race abruptly. Thus begins a layered plot of murder and racketeering full of twists and turns. Author Renn knows her way around competitive cycling-the nuanced descriptions of the operation of bicycle-racing teams are spot-on. Where the story lurches, however, is in the barely credible decision-making of its narrator, Tessa. Tessa's rationale for not contacting the police when she is threatened ("[n]ot so simple") is not convincing, and too many of Tessa's decisions force readers to wonder whether she's just used to having her own way and not listening to others or if she is, in fact, clueless. To be sure, Tessa's bad decisions lead to a great deal of exciting action and tension that keep readers turning the pages, but the excitement doesn't outweigh the overall believability problems.Exciting, for readers who can get past the annoyingly persistent credibility issues. (Thriller. 13-17)

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May 1, 2014
Grades 8-12 When star cyclist Juan Carlos Macias-Leon is murdered during the course of a charity bicycle race, Tess, one of the last to see him alive, finds herself involved and, as she begins to investigate, in jeopardy. Determined, nevertheless, to find the truth, she travels to Juan Carlos' native country, Ecuador (the latitude zero of the title). There, she discovers that danger has pursued her, and the more she investigates, the more questions she has. At the dark heart of the mystery is a missing flash drive that may hold all of the answers. But will she find it before those who are pursuing her do? The outcome here is never seriously in doubt, but there are a large number of twists and turns in the convoluted plot before the denouement, which is somewhat compromised by too many implausibilities. That said, the book's premise is clever, and the Ecuadorian setting is unusual and nicely realized. Cycling and mystery fans will doubtless enjoy the ride.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2014, American Library Association.)