Scarlett Undercover

April 6, 2015
After graduating high school two years early, Scarlett has been putting her troublemaking talents to use as a detective for kids and teens who have been ignored by the police. Nine-year-old Gemma enlists Scarlett to figure out why her older brother is acting oddly—and whether he had anything to do with his best friend’s suicide. The case unearths an entire supernatural world, one whose long history ties into Scarlett’s heritage, the Islam she no longer believes in, and the unsolved murder of her father. Now Scarlett has to take on an ancient task passed down through generations with only her friends and her wits to rely on. Debut novelist Latham’s noir-flavored narrative is a lot of fun (“In my business, smug and lazy got you into trouble. And sometimes they even got you dead”), though the voice can feel young for Scarlett’s 16 years. While the detective tropes occasionally seem at odds with the book’s fantasy elements, Scarlett’s unflinching curiosity creates a sense of adventure that offsets any rough patches in the storytelling. Ages 12–up. Agent: Rachel Orr, Prospect Agency.

Starred review from March 1, 2015
A 16-year-old gumshoe's new case reveals ancient-perhaps magical-family secrets.Intrepid sleuth Scarlett has tested out of the last years of high school, founding a detective agency instead of going to college. Ever since the deaths of her Egyptian father and Sudanese mother, Scarlett's insisted on taking care of herself. Her older sister, a doctor, is too busy to spend much time at home, so Scarlett is proudly independent. When she takes a case from a frightened 9-year-old, Scarlett discovers a terrifying conspiracy that's endangered her own family for generations. As she investigates clues pointing to an ancient myth that the children of King Solomon are at war with the descendants of the jinn, she stumbles upon a cult of true believers. Scarlett is supported by a crew of irregulars that would make any private eye proud: a loving sister; a handsome Jewish best friend who's becoming something more; and solicitous neighbors from bakers to cops. Meanwhile, she must come to terms with her feelings about her sister, her memories of her parents, and her unobservant relationship with Islam. With some secrets left unresolved, dare we hope this is not the last mystery Scarlett will solve? This whip-smart, determined, black Muslim heroine brings a fresh hard-boiled tone to the field of teen mysteries. (Mystery. 12-15)

February 1, 2015

Gr 6-10-Sixteen-year-old Scarlett is a Sam Spade-talking, fedora-wearing Muslim American who runs her own detective agency in the gritty city of Las Almas. Scarlett's usual cases involve adultery and insurance fraud until a 10-year-old girl hires her to investigate a suicide. The minute the teen takes the case, she is tailed by two strange girls with gold circles in their eyes. Someone breaks into her apartment and steals a family heirloom. Even her closest friends start acting like the world is ending. Scarlett quickly discovers that her case isn't just about a suicide, but rather an ancient war between genies and the descendants of King Solomon. There is a relic that could tip the balance of power. Scarlett is tough and fiercely independent. While her older sister takes comfort in religion, the protagonist finds solace in her father's old copy of One Thousand and One Nights. Unfortunately, the novel suffers from its heavy hard-boiled lingo which, in its modern setting, becomes a distraction from the characterization. Despite this, the supernatural mystery is engaging and the Muslim American teenage sleuth will be a welcome addition to YA shelves. VERDICT A fun, if flawed, whodunit with a diverse protagonist who is an heir apparent to Veronica Mars.-Kimberly Garnick Giarratano, Rockaway Township Public Library, NJ

Copyright 2015 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2015
Grades 7-10 Teenage detective Scarlett finds herself in deep when she tries to help a little girl prove her brother's friend was forced to commit suicide. Suddenly, Scarlett is caught up in a centuries-old legend, facing down crazed cultists and coming closer to the secrets that got her father killed, all while trying to stay on the good side of the adults around her, including her sister, who think Scarlett should spend more time at the mosque praying and less time getting into trouble. Scarlett's tale is a delightful, unique blend of hard-boiled detective story and Middle Eastern folklore. Latham carefully walks the line between paranormal and realistic storytelling, allowing readers to come to their own conclusions about the truth of the various characters' beliefs. Scarlett's sassy and sharp voice is just noir enough to sell the story, without tripping over the line into parody. Though one character's transformation at the end of the tale is a little abrupt, the action and suspense, as well as the engaging detective at its core, make this a worthy read.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2015, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2015
Teen detective Scarlett is wary and a bit insulted when nine-year-old Gemma appears at her office. But then Gemma tells her that she thinks her brother murdered somebody. A somebody whose death has already been ruled a suicide by the authorities. Scarlett accepts the case, and she's soon launched into a dangerous mystery that doesn't just involve the girl's brother but also a shadowy group determined to find a mystical relic of the Muslim faith. Scarlett, herself more of a lapsed Muslim and certainly not one for the supernatural, is a bit out of her element. As the case unfolds, it raises more questions. Why does this mystery seem to be related to her dad's murder? Why is her best friend's mom being so secretive? Who is the man she keeps running into? Sarcastic yet sensitive, Scarlett's voice is what drives this narrative, which is one part snarky Veronica Mars in its noir-meets-adolescence setup and one part levelheaded Da Vinci Code with its religious symbolismtinged quest. The supporting characters and their relationships with Scarlett, from a sister who holds religion and medical science in equally high regard to a Jewish diner owner who serves as Scarlett's surrogate mother, keep the story from feeling too single-minded or plot-driven. A fast read that includes all the familiar, expected trappings mystery and adventure fans love dressed up with fresh, diverse characters and settings. sarah hannah gomez

(Copyright 2015 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)