Framed! Luke Harding Forensic Investigator (Traces)

Luke has barely had time to celebrate his final exams when Malc, his Mobile Aid to Law and Crime, calls him to their first case. A fellow student has been mysteriously shot dead with an arrow. Two more grisly on-campus murders follow, and all the evidence points to Luke himself. The stakes are high as Luke sets out to prove his innocence and show that his crime-solving expertise isn't confined

Grade 5-8 -Luke Harding, a 16-year-old, newly qualified forensic investigator, is called in on his first murder case when fellow student Crispin Addley is found with an arrow in his heart. Malc (Mobile Aid to Law and Crime), a robot whose technological capabilities include X-ray, lasers and scanners, and an enormous database that can cross-check facts within seconds, helps Luke throughout his investigation. This futuristic novel has a thrilling plot and deadpan humor. Fans of Anthony Horowitz's "Alex Rider" series (Philomel) will enjoy following Luke's action-packed career in which solving crimes sometimes involves saving the world. Lost Bullet takes place in a future England, where London's infrastructure has been so long neglected that trees and vines have created a junglelike atmosphere amid the concrete and brick structures. Crime is rampant, and Luke narrowly escapes gunshots as a sniper shoots at him at the beginning of the novel. He picks up a clue that will help to unravel a murder investigation, again with the help of his trusty robot sidekick, Malc. Luke must infiltrate a dangerous cult called the Visionaries, whose views of medicine and use of violence to achieve their goals make them the perfect suspects. This is a suspenseful, thoughtful, and humorous addition to the series.-Elizabeth Fernandez, Brunswick Middle School, Greenwich, CT
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Gr. 7-10. Rose, a chemistry professor, makes the forensic science a gripping part of this entry in the new Traces series, set in a near-future world where Authorities raise kids in boarding school and everything is controlled by computer technology. With help from his computerized sidekick, Malc, newly graduated forensic investigator Luke Harding, age 16, takes on his first case--a murder in school, followed by two more killings. Unfortunately for Luke, all the evidence points to him as the villain. Who is trying to frame him? The sf stuff is minimal. Malc is basically the classic investigator's sidekick, and Luke is both bossy and ironic as he orders Malc to scan for evidence and draw on suspects' records. The school setting will grab teens, as will the grisly scientific detail, which dovetails smoothly with a story of friends and enemies, girlfriends and bullies. Hazel Rochman
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