With a population of 143, the remote fishing village of New Auckland, British Columbia, doesn’t seem like the best place to find bad guys. But after the weekly movie in the school gym, Thumb has bad guys on the brain. Why couldn’t there be one in New Auckland? Although his best friend Susan is a voice of frustrating reason, she’s still up for some excitement, and the two plan a stakeout. They’re thrilled, and more than a little nervous, when they discover one of their neighbors—in a town where everyone is neighbors—acting mysteriously. Ken Roberts’s third Thumb story is an easy mystery that offers up a cast of quirky, appealing characters, not the least of which is the new teacher in town. She’s not only a bit of a mystery herself, but gives an assignment that leads to real excitement when Thumb and Susan uncover a fascinating piece of the past. (Ages 7–10)

Something suspicious is happening in the fishing village of New Auckland in this third adventure of Leon, aka Thumb. He and his friend Susan set out to solve the mystery and instead uncover an archaeological conundrum that may change their small community forever. Other titles include The Thumb in the Box (2002) and Thumb on a Diamond (2007). 2010 USBBY Outstanding International Books List, 2010 CCBC Choice. djg