Set in Key West, Fla., during Covid-19, Wrecker by Carl Hiaasen (Hoot; Chomp) is an action-packed and endlessly funny middle-grade mystery that follows Wrecker, a Bahamian-descended sailor turned accidental smuggler.
Fifteen-year-old Valdez Jones VIII, aka Wrecker, is returning from a fishing trip when he witnesses an expensive speedboat run aground. When he sails over to help, the captain of the vessel, "Silver Mustache," behaves suspiciously, offering Wrecker a beer can with a wad of cash inside. "Yo," he says, "just remember: you never saw us." Wrecker takes the money and tries to forget about the strange experience. Then, while Wrecker's working his odd job cleaning iguana droppings off a gravestone, Silver Mustache approaches and asks him to keep an eye on the crypt of a recently deceased friend. Wrecker reluctantly agrees, but senses that something fishy is afoot when black-coated thugs begin standing guard at the crypt and threatening passersby. After a chance encounter with a sunken speedboat--and its potentially illegal contents--Wrecker hatches a plan to thwart Silver Mustache's clandestine operations.
Wrecker is a charming and adventurous novel for young readers from a great contemporary satirist. Hiaasen's palpable descriptions of setting, trademark sense of humor, and masterful use of cliffhangers keep readers happily engrossed. And the work goes beyond pure enjoyment--Hiaasen engages with themes of racism, environmental exploitation, and public health in a way that is simultaneously poignant and lighthearted. A thrilling story with memorable characters and a spirited attitude, Wrecker is sure to delight longtime Hiaasen fans and lovers of mysteries alike. --Cade Williams, freelance writer.