Book Review: A Hole in Juan

Reviewed By: Pat Reid - RAM

A Hole in Juan     Amazon US PB Amazon US HC Amazon Canada PB Amazon Canada HC
Gillian Roberts
Class/Genre:   Mystery   Amateur Sleuth   Cozy
Series: Amanda Pepper # 13
Ballantine Books, 2006, 240 pps.

Mischief Night was looming on the horizon at Philly Prep, the school where Amanda Pepper teaches. But it seems the pranks have already started. Items are disappearing and reappearing. Dr. Jar as the students call him has had many items missing from his chemistry lab. The students refer to him as Dr. Jar because most of his clothing sports a monogram. The new science teacher Juan Angel Reyes confided in Amanda about some of the things that were happening in his classroom.

Later Amanda got a mysterious note stating that her exam had been stolen causing her to have to prepare a new exam. Always alert to the students Amanda started noticing more and more peculiar things happening at the school Students who had been best friends seemed at odds with each other. Strange notes kept appearing.

The early one morning there was an explosion in the chemistry lab, which left Juan in critical condition.

Although Amanda has a pretty full plate with her teaching and part-time PI work as well as a new husband and a teen-age guest she finally gets to the bottom of the mystery surrounding Mischief Night and Philly Prep.

Fans of Gillian Roberts will not want to miss this one.

Pat Reid - RAM

Reprinted with permission. Do Not repost without permission from the author, Pat Reid - RAM