by Diana Renn
"I have to run," said Juan Carlos. "You will call? Please. It is very important."
"Yes. I will call. Definitely. At two."
That's what Tessa promises. But by two o'clock, young Ecuadorian cycling superstar Juan Carlos is dead, and Tessa, one of the last people ever to speak to him, is left with nothing but questions. The media deems Juan Carlos's death a tragic accident at a charity bike ride, but Tessa, an aspiring investigative journalist herself, knows that something more is going on. While she grapples with her own grief and guilt, she is being stalked by spies with an insidious connection to the dead cycling champion.
Tessa's pursuit of an explanation for Juan Carlos's untimely death leads her from the quiet New England backwoods to bustling bike shops and ultimately to Ecuador itself, Juan Carlos's homeland. As the ride grows bumpy, Tessa no longer knows who's a suspect and who is an ally. The only thing she knows for sure is that she must uncover the truth of why Juan Carlos has died and race to find the real villain?before the trail goes cold.
"The story gets a little convoluted as it evolves from murder mystery to globe-trotting intrigue, with plenty of false leads and red herrings to keep readers guessing, but it satisfies and entertains. Ages 12up." - Publishers Weekly
"The outcome here is never seriously in doubt, but there are a large number of twists and turns in the convoluted plot before the denouement, which is somewhat compromised by too many implausibilities. That said, the book's premise is clever, and the Ecuadorian setting is unusual and nicely realized." - Booklist
"Exciting, for readers who can get past the annoyingly persistent credibility issues." - Kirkus
This information about Latitude Zero was first featured
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Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Diana Renn grew up in Seattle and now lives in Boston. She has taught ESL and writing, most recently at Boston University. Her short stories and essays have appeared in various publications, and she is the author of the YA mystery novel Tokyo Heist. She is an avid cyclist and traveler.
The secret of freedom lies in educating people, whereas the secret of tyranny is in keeping them ignorant
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