Mister Max returns in Act II of this mystery-adventure trilogy from Newbery medalist Cynthia Voigt.

Mister Max is more than a detective, he's a Solutioneer, and his reputation for problem-solving has been spreading. Now even the mayor wants his help.

Someone is breaking windows and setting fires in the old city,

but the shopkeepers won't say a word about the culprits. Why are they keeping these thugs' secrets? When the mayor begs

for help, Max agrees to take the case, but the investigation puts a target on his own back. It's a race to catch up with the vandals before they catch him. And putting things right will require Max's most complex and ingenious solution yet.

Meanwhile, Max is protecting secrets of his own. He's still puzzling out the problem of his parents who are separated from him by an ocean—and a conspiracy. Can the Solutioneer handle a case that big?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

CYNTHIA VOIGT is the acclaimed author of many books,

including Dicey's Song, winner of the Newbery Medal, and

A Solitary Blue, winner of a Newbery Honor, and Homecoming.

For the body of her work, Cynthia Voigt was honored with the

Margaret A. Edwards Award for Outstanding Literature

for Young Adults. She lives with her husband in Maine.