Peter Abrahams is a noted writer of thrillers for adults, and with Down the Rabbit Hole he proves he can pen a terrific book for children, too. Thirteen-year-old Ingrid Levin-Hill finds herself in the midst of unsettling circumstances when she realizes she may have been the last person to see a murder victim alive. No one knows Ingrid was at the woman’s house, where she was borrowing the phone, but Ingrid realizes she’s left her soccer shoes at the scene of the crime, and that the men arrested are most likely innocent. Trying to cover her tracks and set things right, Ingrid gets caught up in events as full of twists and turns as Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland . And it’s no wonder: the local theater group is mounting a production of Alice, and Ingrid has been cast in the lead. Abrahams combines humor and suspense in a story for children that has all the elements of a classic murder mystery. Ingrid is a fresh, smart protagonist whose insecurities will make her all the more appealing to young readers. From its intriguing and sometimes hilarious subplots (including one involving Ingrid’s grandfather, who is tenaciously determined to prevent developers from getting his land) to the ongoing theater production and the satisfying discovery of the sinister murderer, Down the Rabbit Hole is a delight. This is the first of a planned series of Echo Falls Mysteries, and it offers intriguing hints of stories to come. (Ages 9–13)