Rgz Salon: Bullet Point by Peter Abrahams, reviewed by Rene' Kirkpatrick

René Kirkpatrick has been a bookseller and book buyer, specializing in children's and teen literature, for many years. She has a degree in elementary education and reads widely across all genres. She is currently a buyer at Third Place Books.

We're honored to have her here as part of the rgz SALON, a feature where four of the top kidlit experts clue us in to the best YA novels they've read recently. Here's René, reviewing Bullet Point by Peter Abrahams. Ages 12 and up. (HarperCollins. Hardcover, 2010).

"Peter Abrahams writes GREAT mysteries for adults and REALLY GREAT mysteries for young adults. His newest book, Bullet Point, is about Wyatt, a boy whose father is in prison. Wyatt’s never met his father, parents separated before Wyatt was born. His family, his stepdad and the rest, live in a dumpy little house and he goes to a dumpy school. And then Wyatt meets Greer, a girl whose father is also in prison with his dad.

"When Greer arranges a meeting, Wyatt realizes that his father may be innocent. That means that Wyatt has to try to help him escape. Much excitement, much adventure, a lot of danger, Bullet Point is a thriller sure to encourage you to continue with the other books by him. Mr. Abrahams has written one other standalone young adult novel, Reality Check, and a series called The Echo Falls Mysteries, all of which are immediately gripping. For you adults looking for books you won’t want to stop reading, give his adult mysteries a try. I’ve read a few of them, Nerve Damage and Oblivion are two (and they are all stand alones- thank you!) and every one I’ve read has been good."

Ages 12 and up. (HarperCollins. Hardcover, $16.99. Available now.)