Middle-schooler Rami spends a lot of time at the Penelope museum. Not only does his mother work there, but he doesn’t have a lot of other hanging out options since his friends ditched him when middle school started. When a painting is stolen and suspicion falls upon his mother, Rami teams up with a classmate to get to the bottom of the theft. The two new friends find help in the forms of an amnesiac ghost and an artistic turtle and realize how emotionally meaningful art can be.

Mystery fans will enjoy the twists, but this could also easily be recommended to supernatural readers, or even animal lovers thanks to the reptilian artist, Agatha. There are a lot of elements here, and it can feel a little jumbled at times, but it all evens out and culminates in an undeniably touching denouement.

Reviewed by Sarah Maciejewski, Patten Free Library, Bath