Streeters Pearl and Lewis are back despite their untimely death in Episode One-Exploding Experiment (See my review here). Okay, they really didn’t die, but that’s not what the bad guys believed.

Set in Pittsburgh, 1935, it’s a time of fear and disdain for Hitler who seems ready to overtake the world. Flash refers to a recipe his professor father created that causes a big distraction in the form of noise and light. It comes in handy when food is needed for Pearl and Lewis along with their friends Duck and Mac. Home is an abandoned building.

When one of them goes missing it leads to their enemy #1- a Steel tycoon who killed Lewis’s father and looks to be pro Hitler. Although fiction, the realities of that time period are woven in nicely. There was a devastating flood in 1935 and Hitler youth camps were being set up to increase his presence and undermine the United States government.

Episode Two of the Flash Gang series stands well on its own though you will be motivated to check out the first book. The cover above depicts part of the thrilling and climatic scene you will discover in this second episode. I had 100 more pages left and was reluctant to take a break. A real page turner!

The ending sends readers away with good news: The plot revealed there will be a book 3 next year as Pearl and Lewis head off to Berlin.

The Adventures of the Flash Gang is perfect for ages ten and up. The characters and story line are captivating.

BOOK BIRTHDAY: March 5, 2024 PAGE COUNT: 214

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

MM DOWNING & SJ WAUGH really intended to be secret agents disguised as flappers in the Roaring Twenties, if only to don beaded headbands and twirl long strands of pearls while solving delicious crimes involving gangsters. Or Scotland Yard detectives, wearing tailored, double-breasted suits, and sneaking up rickety fire escapes before pursuing criminals across the rooftops of Victorian London. Unfortunately, they were born in neither place, and without access to a time machine. 

So they decided to write books. 

If you too are a bit of a sleuth, you may uncover the other stories they’ve written separately and with (maybe) their full names—but here they are simply known as Downing & Waugh…which does sound just a bit like a detective agency…from another era. (from the authors’ website)

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It’s almost time for another Marvelous Middle Grade Monday. Won’t you join us? It’s here I share highlights from those individuals blogging about middle grade books. Many of the posts will have reviews, interviews, and tips on writing. Take a look at PAST MMGM POSTS.

It’s easy to get a spot in the lineup. All you have to do is email me the title of the book or feature and a link to your blog at gpcolo[at]gmail[dot]com

Make sure you put MMGM or Marvelous Middle Grade Monday in the subject line so it gets sorted accurately–and don’t forget to say what you’re featuring) You MUST email me your link by Sunday evening (11 PM Eastern Time) in order to be included in the list of links for the coming Monday.

*Please note: these posts are not a reflection of my own opinions on the books featured. Each blogger is responsible for their own MMGM content and I do not pre-screen reviews ahead of time, nor do I control what books they choose. I simply assemble the list based on the links that are emailed to me.