Masterminds

December 15, 2014
Several teens learn that their idyllic small-town existence is a sham in this first entry in Korman’s Masterminds series. Serenity, N.Mex., has the best standard of living in the country, with zero unemployment and total peace and prosperity. Thirteen-year-old Eli and his friends have never known anywhere else. Honesty, harmony, and contentment aren’t just valued in Serenity, they’re a way of life. Then Eli and the others start to notice odd things: when they try to leave town, they get sick; their Internet is remarkably sanitized compared to outside sites they accidentally come across; and some kids are considered special, while others are less so. After they discover the truth about why Serenity is so peaceful, they must face the fact that their lives have been ruled by a gigantic lie. Rotating among several young narrators, Korman builds tension as the mystery unfolds, leading to several surprise twists that upend the status quo. While an awful lot of dumb luck is involved in the kids’ discoveries, this tense, fast-paced story will have readers racing toward the cliffhanger ending. Ages 8–12.

A masterful story and a cast of five individual voices combine to deliver a real thriller. Told in the alternating viewpoints of five teenagers, the story begins in the boring, serene, and aptly named town of Serenity. Ramon de Ocampo as Eli is the best narrator of the quintet, transitioning from a bored, carefree, and pampered teen to a serious young man who is desperately unravelling a disturbing plot. Mike Rylander also shines in the difficult task of voicing Malik, the angry, cynical teen who will earn listeners' grudging admiration. The five teens, three boys and two girls, will join forces against the adults in a town that is not what it seems. This thriller is the first in a series. L.T. © AudioFile 2015, Portland, Maine