Libby Sternberg, Finding the Forger

Finding the Forger

Libby Sternberg

Bancroft, 2004, $19.95, 192 pp.

ISBN: 1890862371

The police believe that City Art Museum security guard and college student Hector Gonzalez is a suspect in an art forgery scam. Worried for her boyfriend, high school senior Sarah decides to hire private investigator Connie Balducci to prove his innocence. Connie's sophomore sister Bianca, insisting she works for her sibling (well almost - she is on the short list for a summer clerk job), "interrogates" Sarah until the older woman breaks down and explains why she needs a sleuth.

Emboldened by her recent success in helping Sarah (see UNCOVERING SADIE'S SECRETS) Bianca investigates to help Sarah. Bianca also tries to help her best friend Kerrie as her pal detests how much the newcomer to her family, Sarah, has become the focus of her parents. Connie wants Bianca to cease her inquiries, but soon helps her younger sister. Bianca becomes upset when her boyfriend Doug spends too much time with Kerrie and not with her. Still, sleuthing is obviously in her genes so Bianca begins snooping as only a teen can.

Though obviously targeted for teen readers, adults (especially us geriatrics who cut our teeth on Nancy Drew) will enjoy this solid amateur sleuth (sorry Bianca, but the pro gets paid) investigative tale. Bianca is a delightful lead character whose asides to the audience are witty as the "weight of the universe" pressures of loving relationships, complex investigations and botched home perms are wryly explained. The who-done-it is cleverly designed, assuming that the audience can think, rather than just dumbed down as Libby Sternberg respects the young crowd that serves as the center of FINDING THE FORGER.

Harriet Klausner