Seeing and Believing: A Mike and Riel Mystery

Dave Jenkinson is a professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Manitoba and the author of the “Portraits” section of Emergency Librarian.

The fourth book in the mystery series involving Mike McGill, 15, and his
guardian, John Riel, an ex-homicide detective turned history teacher,
finds Mike seemingly having to decide which of his two childhood
friends, Vincent Taglia or Sal San Miguel, is telling the truth about a
crime.

When a local convenience store is robbed and its owners are shot, Sal,
a passerby, recognizes one of the three fleeing males as Vincent,
information he gives to the police. Though Vincent and Mike have been
estranged in recent months, Vincent nevertheless seeks Mike out for
help. Because the two boys are together when Vincent is arrested, and
Mike has no verifiable alibi covering the time of the crimes, Mike also
becomes a suspect. Sal’s eyewitness identification, confirmed by the
store’s owner prior to his death, coupled with Vincent’s being in
possession of bloodstained money point to Vincent’s guilt. But Vincent
claims that there was someone else in the store who can confirm his
innocence—a girl with a spider tattoo on her arm—and asks Mike to
find her. While Sal believes what he saw, Mike, to Sal’s disapproval,
undertakes finding the girl, something he does successfully with the
help of his girlfriend, Rebecca. However, the young woman refuses to
testify as she has her own secret that Rebecca and Mike must uncover.

Seeing and Believing can be read independently, but those familiar with
the previous books in the series—Hit and Run (2003), Truth and Lies
(2004), and Dead and Gone (2004)—will appreciate the continuing
development of Mike and Riel’s relationship. Recommended.