Published by Aladdin

Summary:  Jeremy Wilderson calls himself the “retrieval specialist” of Scottsville Middle School–if someone steals your wallet or a teacher confiscates your phone, Jeremy will get it back without leaving a trace of evidence that he was there.  So when eighth-grader Mark hires him to find his missing key, Jeremy isn’t a bit suspicious, and it is mission accomplished within 24 hours.  But when he overhears teachers discussing the stolen master key that opens every locker in the school, he realizes that he’s been duped.  By the next day, locker robberies are sweeping the school, and Jeremy knows who is responsible.  But how can he bring down Mark without indicting himself?  There’s only one person who can help him: self-styled sixth-grade detective Becca, who also happens to be Jeremy’s #1 nemesis.  Can the two enemies come together to catch a thief?  256 pages; grades 4-7.

Pros:  Part of Aladdin’s MAX imprint targeting middle grade boy readers (I’m guessing, since two other titles in the series are entitled I Am Fartacus and 33 Minutes Until Morgan Sturtz Kicks My Butt), this is a fun middle school adventure told in Jeremy’s humorous voice. Recommended for fans of Swindle and The Great Greene Heist.

Cons:  The plot occasionally drifts into too much talk and not enough action.