Creeping with the Enemy

Gr 8–10—Chanti Evans is just your run-of-the-mill teenager-she's got friend drama, boy drama, school drama. . .and she's an amateur detective. Following in the footsteps of her mom, an undercover cop, Chanti has all the skills a successful teen sleuth needs-sharp eyes and ears and her finger on the pulse of her neighborhood and its residents. This funny and captivating book continues her story after she nabs the bad guy in My Own Worst Frenemy (Kensington, 2011). This time she's crushing on Marco Ruiz, whose parents are a little wary of her and her crime-solving ways. Plus, a new friend seems to be keeping a lot of secrets, which intrigues Chanti to no end. After she and Bethanie are witnesses to a suspicious robbery, and Bethanie is suddenly being wooed by Cole, who just happened to be at the bodega while it was being robbed, the teen's detective radar is on high alert. Chanti is an engaging and well-developed character; she's full of humor and spunk, and readers will definitely want to know if she gets her man-the bad one and the good one. All of her friends, foes, loves, and neighbors round out this intriguing and suspenseful mystery. A great choice for those who like a bit of romance and suspense in their mysteries and a lot of spirit in their detectives.—Traci Glass, Eugene Public Library, OR