Rose, Malcolm. Final lap.

ROSE, Malcolm. Final lap. (Traces, Book 5.) Houghton Mifflin, Kingfisher. 233p. c2007. 978-0-7534-6005-4. $5.95. JS

In this fifth book in the Traces series, the government of a futuristic dystopic England is attempting to restore the morale of the British people through the Youth International Games, a large-scale athletic competition. Unfortunately, someone seems bent upon sabotaging the event by destroying the athletic arena. A weed killer is dumped into the swimming pool, causing a young athlete's skin to ripple and turn a painful red, yellow, and blue; the bolts from a scaffold are loosened and two workers plummet to their death; and the site manager has disappeared without a trace. Sixteen-year-old forensic investigator Luke Harding is called in by the Authorities to investigate the case. With Male, his sentient mobile computer, at his side, Luke must examine all the evidence in order to stop the culprit from completely ruining the Games and thereby eliminating the hope they represent. Whoever is responsible for these crimes is dangerous, and through his investigation, Luke puts himself and his girlfriend Jade (who is there composing the music for the Games) at risk. Luke must protect both of them, but from whom? Many of the people Luke interviews are suspicious and have a motive for the crimes, but only one is the real villain.

The world of Final Lap is an action-packed, highly entertaining creation that will appeal to young fans of Anthony Horowitz and James Patterson. Unfortunately, despite the action-adventure appeal and an accessible plot, this is also a complex universe with a large cast of secondary characters that are frequently indistinguishable from one another. As a result, it will take a skilled reader to sort out the intricacies of the book, so this is not a good choice for reluctant readers or for those who have not yet read the rest of the books in the series. Heather Campbell, YA Libn., Castle Rock, CO

J--Recommended for junior high school students. The contents are of particular interest to young adolescents and their teachers.

S--Recommended for senior high school students.