Kat Wolfe Investigates

September 15, 2018
An animal lover discovers threats, disappearances, and international espionage after moving from London to the Dorset coast.Twelve-year-old Kat Wolfe, a white girl, doesn't mind moving to a little seaside village for her mum's new job. She hasn't reckoned on finding intrigue, but as soon as she starts up a petsitting agency, she's drawn into a worrying mystery. Ramon, a friendly Paraguayan ornithologist, asks Kat to watch Bailey, the multilingual parrot, while he's out of the country. Kat's in awe of Ramon's house, a "futuristic fortress" chock-full of high-tech gadgets, until she discovers evidence of foul play. The village policeman, Sgt. Singh, thinks Kat's talking nonsense. If it weren't for her new friends (elderly Edith Chalmers and her golden retriever, 13-year-old, biracial Cuban-American Harper Lamb and her racehorse), she'd be stuck. Retired librarian Edith and hacker Harper uncover evidence of a Cold War mystery. There are false identities, secret codes, sleeper agents, the CIA, MI5, and a dangerous horse ride over storm-lashed moors. "You'll never get away with this," Kat tells the villain, and she's right, of course. Their little Dorset village is realistically diverse despite some awkwardness (Kat practices a fake Chinese martial art called "the Way of the Mongoose"), and the crystal-clear girls-do-computers message is welcome.Enough unresolved questions remain for a sequel to this fun, silly spy adventure. (Thriller. 9-12)

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October 1, 2018

Gr 4-6-Katarina, better known as Kat Wolfe, and her veterinarian mom are happy to move from busy London to a new practice on England's Jurassic coast. The town of Bluebell Bay seems idyllic: their provided home comes complete with a genuine wildcat named Tiny and the veterinary office is filled with friendly, albeit demanding pet owners. Needing money for a new laptop, Kat begins a pet-sitting service. When the owner of her first client, an action film-loving parrot named Bailey, appears to have gone missing, Kat resolves to get to the bottom of the situation. While most of the adults in town, including the local constable, think there's nothing amiss, Kat finds a kindred spirit in another of her clients. Harper Lamb, an American girl whose father is a visiting professor, is laid up with two broken legs. Her lack of mobility has not slowed her quick mind and tech-savvy fingers, both of which help Kat immensely. The story barrels along at high speed with just the right amounts of suspense and humor. The complex plot is populated with eccentric and entertaining characters, both human and animal, including Kat's mysterious grandfather, a feisty retired librarian, and a skittish racehorse. The Briticisms are easily understood through context. St. John's (The White Giraffe) love and knowledge of animals is strongly evident. VERDICT An intriguing story with an emphasis on research and technology. Mystery and animal lovers will not be disappointed.-Sara-Jo Lupo Sites, George F. Johnson Memorial Library, Endicott, NY

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