Austin B. Tucker

Wandering Mystery...

This is an adventure story for kids. Allen and his neighbor, Juan, witness a bomb being planted in their school boiler room. They must alert someone. Sounds like a great premise for a book.

However, I was disappointed in the level of writing. Many times the author, who mainly writes in past tense, will suddenly insert a sentence in present tense. This leaves a feeling of confusion. The author seems to meander from one topic he wants to include to another, with the storyline getting bogged down(ex: chapter about learning how to fly a plane--what does all that detail really have to do with the mystery?)

This review is only my opinion, and others may find this book a favorite. I gratefully received an ebook from bookfun.org in exchange for an honest review.… (lisätietoja)

This book was such a pleasure to read. It reminds of a great detective book where the boys are sleuths and always get themselves into more trouble than they bargain for. The bond between Allen and Juan is very well written and keeps the reader invested in the story as they take a journey that is filled with mystery, friendship and so much more.

Have you ever been so curious about something, that you couldn't help yourself ? You just had to know what was going on and plowed ahead into the unknown. That is exactly what Allen and Juan do. They start following a man who is carrying a basketball around the school. What is this man up to? Is he out to do harm to the school? The boys are hot on his trail as their adrenaline kicks in. They feel an urgency that danger is coming and they must stop it before someone gets hurt.

The author does a great job of keeping the readers adrenaline going with an action packed race against evil. The story has twists and turns and has a great message of hope, finding a deeper relationship with God and an understanding that God never leaves us. He is always there to help us and I enjoyed how the author weaved this message into the story. The characters are well developed and keeps the story interesting . I hope there are more books from this author so I can enjoy the writing style of an amazing author. This is a great young adult book but anyone would enjoy reading this adventure that keeps you guessing.

I received a copy of this copy from The BookClub Network for an honest review.… (lisätietoja)

What a great Christian young adult adventure, mystery book. It is filled with suspense and intrigue. This book reminds me of The Hardy Boys adventures. Great characters and well written. Love the friendship that Allen and Juan have with each other and their families.
They are typical teenage boys out having fun when they see a suspicious man carrying a basketball but wearing loafers into the gym? Curiosity gets the best of them and they follow. They find him as well as the school custodian in the boiler room not speaking English. They see the loafer man place a gray putty on top of the boiler with what looks like a pen sticking out of it. Once the coast is clear Juan goes and gets a sample of it to take as evidence. They are freaked out considering they only understood BOOM from the men! Why in the world would anyone want to blow up a school boiler room? They went directly home to see if their theory was true and it is C4. They found out very quickly that it was after they blew up a tomato can! YIKES!!! They ran in the house to tell their parents who called the police. Deputy Newton showed up and interviewed the boys and called in the FBI. The boys were told not to play arm chair detectives but they continue and find out it wasn't the best idea. They get into huge trouble and could have put everyone they care about in danger.
Deputy Newton steps in to help the boys by sending them to Miracle Camp. This is a great camp where you are not only able to be a kid but you are able to build a closer bond to God. They have quiet time when they are able to connect with God through scripture. This really helps the boys to realize that God is always with them no matter what! After camp they are able to go back home but with tight security because Mr A is still out there and who knows what he will do now that his plan has been foiled???
I recieved this book from the BookClub Network for an honest review… (lisätietoja)

The Stranger in Medallion Loafers: Adventures of Allen and Juan by Austin B. Tucker
Book sounded interesting: mystery. Two boys who live next door to one another are spending a summer day on school grounds when they notice a man with a basketball head into the school building. Things just don't add up for them and they follow him.
They find him talking to the custodian and the only English word they hear is kaboom-meaning a bomb. They are able to get out of there with some of the evidence and bring it home to experiment themselves.
By the end of the night they've told their parents and local cops. Next day the FBI is on the case as the boys continue to watch the school building from a tree. They find more clues and call the FBI who tell the boys to stay away. Next day they see the custodian in his van heading down a private road and follow him on their bikes.
They get arrested and only way out for them is to go to church camp where a sheriff is always watching them. Their lives and their families are in danger-they don't realize how much til they have to go to a safe house...
Very detailed descriptions and fast paced action along with quotes from psalms and scriptures. Like this kind of book as it makes the boys use their heads to think while having some guidance from God.
There are many benefits to having a dad in the military as they learn all about flying aircraft. Love the details on checking the plane out first. When one is kidnapped they are beside themselves.
interesting how the boys are able to use the latest technology to track the phone via cell towers to find their location, even before the police can even think of it. With all the action taking place this would make an excellent movie and be a top seller!
I received this book from The Book Club Network (bookfun.org) in exchange for my honest review… (lisätietoja)