Marked.

Colin has been in some minor trouble with the law but, having earned the respect of his youth worker, is recommended for a summer job cleaning up graffiti in a select neighbourhood. It seems that every time he is doing his work the police are nearby investigating robberies. Soon, instead of fearing the vengeance of gangs, he is concerned that the police are beginning to suspect his involvement in these crimes, and even he can understand why. Determined not to disappoint his mother again by being accused of a misdemeanor he sets about finding the answer to this mystery and proving his innocence.

The book is a fast-paced page-turner having many elements in it that appeal to teens and preteens, including an empathetic main character who is seeking justice, mystery, a touch of romance, tension, and believable situations. As a work of literature, Norah McClintock, who has won many awards for her mystery novels for young people, provides her main character with a strong voice and compels us to keep reading through the well-written plot. The story is told in the first person by Colin, but while other characters play relatively small roles there is nothing stereotypical about them.

This short but gripping story has the power to tempt reluctant reader into the world of novels. It is part of the Orca Currents series, which are “high interest novels with a contemporary theme written expressly for middle school students reading below grade level.” Highly recommended.