THE CLASSIFIED CATNAPPING

Using dogged detective work, an intrepid young New Yorker solves a feline felony.

Readers will be hooked from the first page, when Elodie LaRue, her friend Oscar Delgado, and her terrier, Carnegie, witness an apparent murder from Elodie’s apartment window. Luckily, it’s just a scene from a movie being filmed in the courtyard of Elodie’s building, the storied Biltmore, based on the real-life Apthorp on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. But Elodie and Oscar soon have an actual mystery on their hands when 10-year-old Tiya Benson reports that Bijou, a cat starring in the film, has been stolen. Tiya’s mother works as Bijou’s nanny; the cat belonged to a now-deceased fashion designer who willed his apartment to his pet. Tiya blames herself; she arrived late to pick Bijou up from a grooming appointment, only to find her gone. The need for secrecy (Tiya hasn’t told her mother what’s going on) and other complications make the case increasingly complex. Short chapters, a fast-paced plot, and a broad, diverse cast of quirky characters (some new, others who appeared in Elodie’s first outing) will entice readers. Psychology proves just as important as physical evidence; sensitive, insightful Elodie picks up on clues while also paying close attention to character motivation. Collins’ sparkling, stylish color illustrations add verve. Elodie is light-skinned, while Tiya and Oscar are brown-skinned.

Suspense, a winsome cast and setting, and an admirable lead make this sequel a cat-egorical success.