The Dead Drop

June 1, 2009
Gr 5-8-In her latest psychic investigation, Gilda Joyce, "fourteen years and 11 months," has slightly fudged her age to land a summer internship at the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. There she encounters a variety of characters, from spy museum summer campers to a former KGB agent, to her longtime psychic idol and mentor, Balthazar Frobenius. The humor, pacing, and story line are all top-notch, and Allison succeeds at breathing life into the entire cast. Gilda seems even more grown up and independent with as much, if not more, chutzpah than in her previous adventures. She retains and further develops her psychic powers that allow her to figure out and find the "dead drop," an agreed-upon place where spies leave crucial information for one another (and for government officials). Yet Gilda also shows some investigative restraint when it comes to equally important matters such as the questionable relationship between her brother and her best friend. This is a well-told story with a tenacious, yet completely endearing heroine. Allison creates a summer anyone would envyanyone interested in intrigue, adventure, fashion, and the truth, that is."Tracy Weiskind, Chicago Public Library"

Copyright 2009 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2009
Grades 6-9 First you have to get past the fact that 14-year-old Gilda Joyce, psychic detective, has gotten herself an internship at Washington, D.C.s International Spy Museumand shares an apartment with a twentysomething. (True, her application did say she was 15.) But this book, one of the strongest in the series, is full of excitement as itpulls together lots ofplotlines(the inner workings of the International Spy Museum! Coldwar spies!Psychic spies!) into a bustling, often-amusingread. Gilda is as sassy as ever, and though she doesnt always come across as areal teen, she certainly comes across as fun.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2009, American Library Association.)