Cursebusters!
Julie Smith
Bold Strokes Books, May 17 2011, $13.95
www.boldstrokesbooks.com
ISBN: 9781602825598
In Santa Barbara, teenagers Jace, Morgan and Deborah break into the home of Michelle Zunger to steal her diamonds. However, a big orange cat, that the elderly woman denies exists, foils their attempts. Police officer Frank Dominick arrests Deb. Her parents get the Zungers to drop the charges on the condition that Deborah Reeno Dimond attends St. Joan, the “Bad Girls School” near Ojal. Her only remorse is not being there for her dying sister Haley, wasting away from an unknown disease.
Though placed in Remedial that she knows that is a euphemism for the prison wing, Reeno hooks up with other psychics at the school. She learns from her Ozone Ranger peers especially Carlos that her sister’s disease is caused by an ancient Mayan curse. Their advisor A.B. (calls himself Alpha Beast) insists he knows ho save her sibling’s life. Reeno would do anything for Haley even heeding the advice of an untrustworthy predatory Alpha Beast who considers her a worthless human novice by going back in time to steal an artifact from ancient Mayans.
This is a terrific young adult fantasy that grips the audience from the moment that darn cat gets in the way of the perfect teen heist and never slows down as Reeno gets into messes one after another though the timeline is not linear. Action-packed, readers will enjoy the Cursebusters as Julie Smith leaves New Orleans (see sleuths Talba Wallis and Skip Langdon) for a fabulous adventure in Mayan territory, past and present).
Harriet Klausner
