The Celluloid Sentry by Anna Elliott & Charles Veley



Our band of homespun heroes and heroines is at it again, but this time on a film set. When a film crew tasked with creating a patriotic propaganda piece arrives in Crofter's Green, Evie, Harry, and the gang hope that the most hazardous things they'll have to manage are entitlement and disruption. But, could the film's cast and crew have something more sinister planned? 

This edition gave new meaning to "divide and conquer". While Evie and Harry tag-team to investigate a local burglary attempt, Nigel is on a special assignment, and it's left to the rest of the crew to pick up the pieces. I loved that everyone was actively involved in thwarting this plot, from growing-more-courageous Dorothy to heavily pregnant Katherine. 

The first half of this book seemed to drag in uncharacteristic fashion, and I found the film cast and crew a little hard to keep track of. But the action seemed to pick up in part two and it was heartening to see even Harry getting to roll around with the bad guys a bit. There was a little less Evie-Nigel than I would've liked and I'm still waiting (im)patiently for Alice-Harry. Blake got a bit more depth in this round, and I am loving recurrence of Alfie and Pilot. Overall, a solid installment. 

The Celluloid Sentry: ★★★★

Popular posts from this blog

Down the Rabbit Hole - Peter Abrahams

Image
Peter Abrahams is a master of three things: imagery, suspense, and the adolescent psyche. His distinctive style paints a story, rather than tells it, sucking the reader into the tale and giving them a vested interest in the outcome (and discovering the identity of the villain). Abrahams’ rich portrayal of Ingrid, along with her flaws, her complicated relationships, and unique outlook on her world, provides the YA lit world with an unrivaled heroine who is at once likeable and real. The suspense too, is very real, and I found myself afraid for Ingrid for both what she had and what she hadn’t yet figured out.  Book Chick Rating: Y Y Y Y Y
Read more

Hope in a Jar - Beth Harbison

Image
While I am completely in favor of a good read-for-pleasure-not-for-thought-provocation novel, Beth Harbison’s book was more along the lines of a get-sucked-into-the-abyss-of-high-school-ridiculousness read. While I enjoyed the narrative trips back in time, the plot remained painfully predictable, while at once seeming to tackle issues a little too lofty for its capricious tone. The characters were so underdeveloped that they were unlikeable. I found myself not really caring if the heroine succeeded in her love quest since I knew little more about her than the flashbacks of a bossy and materialistic adolescent. Worse than a trip down memory lane, this book absorbed all of the absurdity of the teenage years (and the adults who are stuck there) and none of the joys. Book Chick Rating: Y Y
Read more

Behind the Curtain - Peter Abrahams

Image
Once again, Peter Abrahams manages to capture the suspense of a good mystery, while mastering the complex adolescent thought pattern – a mystery of its own. Ingrid’s relationships become even more of a puzzle in this second visit to charming Echo Falls: the duality of her bond with her brother, the childlike adoration, yet not quite trust in her mother, and the questioning of her previously idolized dad’s deterioration. Ingrid’s look “Behind the Curtain” of her tumultuous family parallels the realizations of the imperfections of her beloved town and even a new awareness of herself. This sequel lacked a bit of the “magic” of its predecessor, but it did not fail to entertain, nor did it squelch my desire to solve the mystery alongside Ingrid in her fallible, yet endearing, Holmsian way. Book Chick Rating: Y Y Y Y
Read more