Ingrid's involved in local theatre the title of the book comes from the play Ingrid is in, Alice in Wonderland. (And I think there's a secret involving his World War II activities.) Older brother Tyler and Ingrid have a contentious sibling relationship (and I suspect a mystery with her brother to be solved down the road.) Grandpa is a trip - part of the reason Ingrid likes spending time with him is he's teaching her to shoot. At times they may be a little overworked, which is why Ingrid can become the teen sleuth, but they clearly like and love their daughter.

Some other cool things: instead of the usual 'kill Mom' to allow Ingrid the freedom to investigate, Abrahams has given Ingrid two working parents. tho, like Veronica Mars, I think that she may find mysteries aplenty to investigate in quaint-sounding Echo Falls. The middle school, like Ingrid herself, is normal and typical. This can easily turn into a great series: it's well written and perfect for middle school. Ingrid realizes that things don't just happen - you have to work for it, whether its studying for the math test or memorizing the streets of her hometown so she knows her way around. And the whole time, she's guided by what's right, what's wrong, and what's necessary as she tries to discover who murdered Kate. But she isn't perfect she isn't annoying she isn't always right.

She has friends, she's smart, she's got courage. She decides to start off for the soccer field on her own, gets lost, is helped out by an eccentric woman, and accidentally finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation. The Plot: Ingrid Levin-Hill is 13, loves soccer and acting, and is impatiently waiting for one of her busy parents to pick her up at the orthodontist. Down the Rabbit Hole: An Echo Falls Mystery by Peter Abrahams

Echo falls mystery