Shots at Sea (Houdini and Nate Series) Book

Young Nate Fuller is ready for adventure as he boards the Lusitania, the biggest, grandest ocean liner ever to sail the seas. Nate is hoping to sharpen his detective skills with some help from his mentor, Harry Houdini, and to rub elbows with Teddy Roosevelt, as both legendary men are also making the voyage. Everything seems set for a smooth journey to England. Then shots ring out! A cunning would-be killer tries to assassinate the former president. As the waters become choppier, Nate and Houdini must race to find and foil their suspect before he makes a second attempt.

With the fast pacing and clever historical detailing that made Danger in the Dark such a "thoroughly enjoyable" read (Kirkus Reviews), Tom Lalicki has created another first-class setting and suspense-filled story line, including revealing details of one of Houdini's famous tricks.

School Library Journal

Gr 4-8 In his second adventure, Nate Fuller boards the ocean liner Lusitania and discovers that Harry Houdini and former president Teddy Roosevelt are also onboard. The voyage takes a dangerous twist when an assassination attempt is made on Roosevelt, and Houdini and Nate race against the clock to find the gunman before the ship docks in England. Lalicki successfully fleshes out each character while, at the same time, offering a plot-driven story. Roosevelt is particularly amusing with his larger-than-life antics, and the climactic ending is exciting. The author's passion for historical detail is clear-as evidenced by the extensive author's note-but the information occasionally bogs down the story. Nate's repeated flouting of authority becomes tiresome and unrealistic-the adults are useless at enforcing any rules. Readers may also feel dissatisfied that the details of the attempted assassination are left unclear-the motivation behind it isn't fully explained nor is the relationship between the assassin and his employer. That said, Houdini's wink-wink humor and guidance are amusing, and kids who love historical mysteries will probably enjoy this. Buy where Danger in the Dark (Farrar, 2006) is popular.-Laura Lutz, Queens Borough Public Library, NY