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Summary
Summary
Joe and his friend Skip are enjoying the thrill of the Big Dip, a famous rollercoaster, until they learn the old man in front of them has been shot.
The old man mutters with his dying breath something about getting a Margaret Rose to the police. Joe leaves the crime scene to get on with his life. But someone is desperate for the Margaret Rose and thinks Joe has it. When his sister is kidnapped, Joe is in a race against time to solve the puzzle.
This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don't like to read!
Reviews (2)
School Library Journal Review
Gr 6-10-Joe, a 15-year-old track star, and his friend Skip witness a murder on a roller coaster at the Pacific National Exhibition grounds in Vancouver. The old man who was shot breathes his cryptic last words to Joe about getting a "Margaret rose" to the police. Now, someone is threatening Joe and has kidnapped his little sister. Things keep spiraling out of control until Joe meets up with Amy at the PNE, and she proves that two heads are better than one. The suspense is intense, but some situations seem too contrived. Overall, though, this compact story is sure to appeal to reluctant readers, and the ending is a surprise.-Lori A. Guenthner, Baltimore County Public Library, Randallstown, MD (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
This entry in the Orca Currents series opens with an irresistible gambit: while riding an amusement park roller coaster with his pal Skip, 15-year-old Joe hears a bang. When they disembark, they see the man in the car in front of them bleeding from a gunshot wound. Before dying, he grabs Joe and mumbles, A plant . . . the Margaret Rose. . . . Get it to the police. So begins a thrill ride of a different kind as the abduction of Joe's little sister forces him to find out what the Margaret Rose is and how he can steal it to trade for his sister's release. Packed with enough plot for a book three times the length, Jackson's mystery has an impressive amount of twists, especially near the end, as the surprising true identities of the nefarious figures (known only to Joe as Baseball Cap and Trenchcoat ) are revealed. Character motivation and plot logic are periodically shaky, but Jackson basically delivers the goods: a propulsive mystery that will hook the most reluctant of readers.--Kraus, Daniel Copyright 2010 Booklist
