Synopses & Reviews
I have to run,” said Juan Carlos. You will call? Please? It is very important.” Yes. I will call. Definitely. At two.”
Thats what Tessa promises. But by two oclock, young Ecuadorian cycling superstar Juan Carlos is dead, and Tessa, one of the last people ever to speak to him, is left with nothing but questions. The media deems Juan Carloss death a tragic accident at a charity bike ride, but Tessa, an aspiring investigative journalist herself, knows that something more is going on. While she grapples with her own grief and guilt, she is being stalked by spies with an insidious connection to the dead cycling champion. Tessas pursuit of an explanation for Juan Carloss untimely death leads her from the quiet New England backwoods to bustling bike shops and ultimately to Ecuador itself, Juan Carloss homeland. As the ride grows bumpy, Tessa no longer knows whos a suspect and who is an ally. The only thing she knows for sure is that she must uncover the truth of why Juan Carlos has died and race to find the real villainbefore the trail goes cold.
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"Renn keeps the tension high and the pace moving in a modern, unique whodunit."
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"A terrific heroine, exciting and unexpected plot twists, and fascinating and beautifully-wrought real-life settings: young adult mysteries do not get better than this."
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"Tokyo Heist is a fast-paced, exotic reading adventure, a story where The da Vinci Code meets the wildly popular manga genre! Author Diana Renn infuses protagonist Violet with plenty of chikara (power) and Renn's fresh, spot-on author's voice is irresistible. I couldn't put it down!"
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"Fly to the coolest city on earth. Hunt for a missing masterpiece. Battle tattooed gangsters while rocking a kimono. And don't forget to try the shibazuke. Adventures don’t get any more thrilling than Tokyo Heist. You'll want to jump right inside this book and live it."
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"Hidden paintings, yakuza assassins, vivid settings, artful intrigue, and a taste of manga make Tokyo Heist an absorbing tale mystery readers will love."
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A Summer 2012 Kids' Indie Next Pick
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"This art heist has twists and turns, romance, and the happily-ever-after that many will be rooting for."
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"Fans of mysteries and thrillers will enjoy this just as much as fans of Japanese culture."
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"Readers will cheer for Violet as she uses her wits and outsmarts the adults. Teens will learn about Japanese culture, and fans of manga and art students will rejoice that they can relate to the protagonist and story."
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"A van Gogh heist, a trip to Japan and a yakuza attack: Could there be a better summer? . . . A proficient caper spiced up by Violet's eye for art."
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"A fast-paced and engaging mystery with a spunky protagonist."
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"TOKYO HEIST is refreshingly free of most of the standard modern YA-fiction tropes. . . . It's rare for YA heroines to have such specific, developed interests, and Violet filtering her investigation through her passion for manga, art, and Japan makes her seem like a real, relatable teenager."
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Praise for Latitude Zero: “Twisty, inventive, and fast-paced suspense.”—Nancy Werlin, author of the Edgar Award winner The Killers Cousin
“Diana Renn spins a deadly web of danger, intrigue, and romance in this international cycling investigative thriller. Latitude Zero will lead you on a wild ride!”—Julie Berry, author of the Edgar Award nominee All the Truth Thats in Me
"The books premise is clever, and the Ecuadorian setting is unusual and nicely realized. Cycling and mystery fans will doubtless enjoy the ride."—Booklist
"A great deal of exciting action and tension that keep readers turning the pages."—Kirkus Reviews
"[A] twisty thriller . . . it evolves from murder mystery to globe-trotting intrigue, with plenty of false leads and red herrings to keep readers guessing."—Publishers Weekly
"This book fills a niche for people seeking mystery stories with strong female protagonists."--VOYA Praise for LATITUDE ZERO
Synopsis
The perfect mystery for fans of Ally Carter's
Heist SocietyWhen sixteen-year-old Violet agrees to spend the summer with her father, an up-and-coming artist in Seattle, she has no idea what she's walking into. Her father's newest clients, the Yamada family, are the victims of a high-profile art robbery: van Gogh sketches have been stolen from their home, and, until they can produce the corresponding painting, everyone's lives are in danger--including Violet's and her father's.
Violet's search for the missing van Gogh takes her from the Seattle Art Museum, to the yakuza-infested streets of Tokyo, to a secluded inn in Kyoto. As the mystery thickens, Violet's not sure whom she can trust. But she knows one thing: she has to solve the mystery--before it's too late.
About the Author
Diana Renn grew up in Seattle and now lives in Boston. She has taught ESL and writing, most recently at Boston University. She has published numerous short stories and essays, and she is also the Fiction Editor at YARN (Young Adult Review Network), an award-winning online magazine featuring short-form writing for teens. She is the author of several ESL textbooks, as well as the YA mystery novels Latitude Zero�and�Tokyo Heist. She is an avid traveler.