The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd Ages 9-12 336 pages David Fickling February 2008 Hardcover     The London Eye Mystery takes the art of skillful deduction to new heights. Creatively focused around the famous observation wheel in London, this book treats readers to a bird’s-eye view of a truly baffling disappearance. What goes up must come down. Usually. Yet, when Salim goes up in the London Eye, he never comes back down. Or did he? While his cousins, Ted and Kat, carefully follow the movement of the wheel from the ground, they are horrified when Salim isn't with the other passengers at the end of the ride. When their parents and the police can't solve the mystery, this brother and sister team up to get to the bottom of things. Clever and unique, these pages offer a tantalizing mystery to solve. Every aspect of this novel has been carefully crafted to highlight the puzzle while pointing to pertinent clues. Most appealing is the interaction between the sleuthing siblings, Ted and Kat. While Kat is a typical teen with a flair for fashion and fun, her brother, Ted, is afflicted with Asperger's syndrome. Yet his disability becomes an almost superhero ability, as his concentrated thinking skills are put to good use. Ted's concrete way of looking at life makes a strong contrast to his sister's more abstract views. While Ted pieces together the facts, his sister collects feelings to go along with the clues, thereby presenting a more complete picture. As brother and sister search for the answers, their relationship develops into a lovely partnership. The actual mystery is well plotted, making Salim's disappearance an impossibility that is completely possible. Ted's razor-sharp memory and eye for minute details uncovers clues that many people wouldn't immediately notice. His neurological disorder and his subsequent fascination with meteorology provides a unique "barometer" of the story as he recounts weather conditions that reflect the plot's progression. The London Eye Mystery is a really good riddle.   web reviews   Joyce Handzo/2008 for curled up with a good kid's book   For grown-up fiction, nonfiction and speculative fiction book reviews, visit our sister site Curled Up With a Good Book (www.curledup.com)