Kid investigator tackles museum mystery

AN 11-YEAR-OLD boy is the secret weapon of the New York

Police Department. He uses his photographic memory and amazing drawing skills to help catch criminals. His code name is Eddie Red.

Eddie must be super smart and super cool, right? Actually, the guy behind the code name is Edmund Xavier Lonnrot, a funny sixth-grader. He admits that for him, solving a police investigation takes a “boatload of dumb luck”.

First he has to convince everyone that he can do the job. His parents worry about his safety and his homework. Detective

Bovano, his cranky boss, thinks Eddie will mess up and get hurt.

Detective Bovano sends Eddie to several museums in a part of

New York City called Museum Mile. Undercover as an art student, Eddie is supposed to draw pictures while watching for a group of thieves who have stolen valuable paintings and may be plotting to take more.

Does Eddie mess up? Yes! Many times. But his biggest mistake is to tell best friend Jonah about his work, even though it’s supposed to be secret. Things get more complicated when the class bully targets both boys.

Finally, Eddie and Jonah figure out an important clue to the investigation. But Detective Bovano refuses to believe the truth! To convince him, Eddie decides to go undercover again, this time as a Girl Scout.

Eddie may not be organised like the teenage detective in the wellknown Nancy Drew series, but he keeps trying.

And along the way, he discovers how to deal with both art thieves and that bully. Suitable for ages 9 to 12. – Washington Post