FINDING LUBCHENKO

Rebellious, cocky Evan knows he’ll never be able to please his father, a wealthy, stern and angry man who refuses to give Evan any money. Evan retaliates by failing in school and stealing from his father’s company. When Evan’s father is arrested for murder, Evan realizes he has the murdered man’s computer. Following clues they find on the computer, Evan, his secret heartthrob, Erika, and his friend Ruben decide to find a man they think can clear his father. The trio heads off to a wild and expensive tour of Paris and find themselves in far worse trouble than when they began. Writing in first person mostly for humor, Simmons reveals Evan’s character while maintaining suspense. While the writing style is deliberately choppy, most sentences do at least have subjects and predicates. Although the book is longer than necessary, it should be a fun read for many high schoolers. (Fiction. 12-16)