A review by blogginboutbooks
Wreck at Ada's Reef by Michael D. Beil

4.0

Although it's set in modern day, WRECK AT ADA'S REEF has the timeless feel of a classic mystery. With an old murder, a missing will, a family(ies) feud, and a greedy land grab at its core, I'm not sure the plot has a lot of appeal for today's young readers, but I enjoyed it. The atmospheric island setting adds to the story's allure, as does its cast of warm, appealing characters. Although Lark sounds and acts much older than a just-turned-12-year-old, she has a strong, spunky voice that definitely adds some sass to the novel. Despite her self-assured toughness, she's a sympathetic heroine who stands up to bullies and cares about injustice and those who are injured because of it. This makes her both admirable and root-worthy. As far as plot goes, the tale is a bit slow in places, mostly because it takes time to explain who's who and what's what in the rather complicated mystery at the tale's core. Still, there was enough action on the page to keep me engaged. A middle-grade reader, though? Maybe not. The plot does get far-fetched, especially in the final scenes where we get a wild chase scene and the solving of a 75-year-old cold case by a 12 year old, but overall, I found WRECK AT ADA'S REEF to be a satisfying read. It's well-written, entertaining, and enjoyable. I will definitely pick up the next book in the series.