Twelve-year-old Alex is glad when a boy his age moves in next door, but Rocky rejects AlexÆs friendship. A series of mysterious fires in their housing development makes Alex wonder if Rocky is somehow involved. Kehret does a good job of maintaining suspense and establishing several possible culprits. In an amusing gimmick, AlexÆs cat, Pete, contributes his own (appropriately catty) comments to the narrative. From HORN BOOK Fall 2002, (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Gr. 4-6. In the tradition of adult mystery writers Rita Mae Brown and Lillian Jackson Braun, Kehret introduces a new sleuth (and coauthor), observant Pete the Cat, a hefty, self-assured feline who doesn't shy away from danger or his food dish. Pete's owner, Alex, is having a rough time: his family recently moved into a new housing development where there aren't any kids his age; he misses his old neighborhood and friends; and he's being bullied by boys who resent the loss of their favorite dirt bike trails in the development. When 12-year-old Rocky and his family move in next door, Alex is thrilled, though Rocky's evasiveness and aloof behavior are puzzling. Is he hiding something? Could he be responsible for the rash of vandalism and arson in the development? Pete, of course, discovers who is behind the crimes. The problem then becomes one of making his humans understand. Kehret packs a lot of action and tension in this easy-to-handle mystery, leavening it nicely with Pete's entertaining swaggering and sleuthing. --Chris Sherman

Fans of Kehret (Saving Lily, 2001, etc.)-and fans of cats-will appreciate this suspenseful novel about two boys who discover friendship after facing peril. This is thanks in no small part to the author's resourceful feline, Pete the Cat, who "cowrote" the novel (his contributions to Kehret's narrative are explained in the amusing prologue and are italicized throughout). Said feline also wrote a juicy role for himself within the storyline so that he figures in the solution to the mystery. Happily for readers, while Pete's "speech" sounds like plain old meow to his unknowing owners, his writing is perfectly comprehensible as English. Twelve-year-old Alex Kendrill has moved to a new housing development in Seattle with his parents, six-year-old brother, and pet cat. Friendless at school and picked on by some bullies, Alex's spirits pick up when he learns a new family is moving in next door. Believing he might make a new friend at last, Alex's hopes are dashed when the boy, Rocky Morris, in fact shuns contact and is evasive about himself and his past. Kehret keeps her story exciting and dangerous. There are vandals afoot, not to mention a mysterious arsonist who attempts to murder Alex in a terrifying episode in which Alex is trapped in a house that the arsonist has set ablaze. Add to this Rocky's constant fear that his family's closely guarded secret will be found out: they are in the Witness Protection Program because Rocky's mom's testimony before Congress will bring down a major drug kingpin. All these ingredients add up to a satisfying, fast-paced read. Readers will be caught up in the action even as they are amused by Pete's astute observations and adroit detective work. (Fiction. 10-12)

Gr 4-8-Alex is less than thrilled when his family moves into a new housing development. The 12-year-old has left his old school and friends behind, and his new classmates blame him because the new houses were built over their old dirt-bike paths. He becomes hopeful when a family with a son his age moves in next door. However, sullen Rocky is not responsive to Alex's attempts at friendship. Things get worse when street signs begin disappearing and fires start in the neighborhood, one destroying Rocky's house. Alex is sure that the boy is hiding something. Part of the story is told from the point of view of Alex's cat Pete, who can understand the speech of humans, even if they can only interpret his meows as demands for food in return. The feline helps to solve the mystery and to save Alex's life. Characterization is solid, though characters react a little too stoically to traumatic revelations and events. The story moves swiftly and holds interest. However, because of the fast pace, little attention is given to explaining the motive behind the arson, which involves insurance fraud, a concept that will be unfamiliar to most children. A quick, exciting read to entice reluctant readers.-Heather Dieffenbach, Lexington Public Library, KY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.