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While sleeping on the roof of his father’s hotel, thirteen-year-old Lucas Benes finds a baby alone and learns that the Good Company has restarted its profitable kidnapping business.

Brainwashed (Crime Travelers #1) tracks the secret urban adventures of the New Resistance, a network of international teenage spies. Headquartered in Las Vegas’s posh Globe Hotel, the New Resistance sends its Tier One kids to Paris on its biggest mission to date. Lucas leads a group of friends through the hotspots of Paris—from the catacombs to the Eiffel tower—in an all-out effort to sabotage a brainwashing ceremony that could potentially turn them all into “Good” kids.

308 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

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About the author

Paul Aertker

8 books144 followers
Paul Aertker (ETT Kerr) is an award-winning children's book writer, teacher, and frequent speaker at elementary and middle schools. He began his teaching career in West Africa with the Peace Corps where he helped establish the town's first public library.

His first series, Crime Travelers, consistently ranks in the top spot in multiple categories. The series has been optioned for TV and Film. His newest book, Posthumous, won the Indie Book of the Year Bronze medal and won the SCBWI Spark Honor award for excellence in children's publishing. He and his wife live in Colorado and travel with their two children whenever possible. More information at paulaertker.com

As a traveler and multilingual teacher, Aertker has clocked nearly half his life outside the US. When he was a teenager, he slept on the streets of London to watch a royal wedding. He took the CIA exam because he wanted to be a spy for the good guys (and not the "Good Company").

Ages 10 and up will love this series' campy flavor. Parents, teachers, and librarians will appreciate the worldwide geography and appropriate language. A reluctant reader's dream. For boys, girls, (and adults who may act like children :).

More information at https://www.paulaertker.com/ & https://www.crimetravelers.com/

© 2018 Paul Aertker All rights reserved.

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5 stars
368 (53%)
4 stars
170 (24%)
3 stars
83 (11%)
2 stars
46 (6%)
1 star
27 (3%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews
Profile Image for Kadi P.
880 reviews141 followers
November 8, 2021
*This book was read as part of Middle Grade Madness’s 2021 TBR Challenge*

I’m honestly at a loss for words. This was just the most random thing ever. Nothing made sense and it was mind-numbingly boring.

The entire premise behind this book was that a company that owned hotels (and seemingly other unexplained things too) was somehow brainwashing and trafficking kids, so another company that also owned hotels and, for some random reason, trained spy kids had to fight to stop the brainwashing. Where this all fell apart was that nothing was well-explained—or, in fact, a bit explained, at all—and even more strangely, the antagonist’s motivation was never shown, only told. The antagonist was so laughably lacking integrity that she sat and had a chat with the main character kids during which they tried to irritate her as a serious attack tactic.

There was a constant trail of the protagonist knowing things he shouldn’t know and then not knowing things he should know. He repetitively said things seemed suspicious without there being anything suspicious about them and he remembered and catalogued everything he ever saw, but then forgot things that happened right in front of him which was contradictory and absurd.

It seemed like the author had really researched France and wanted to show that by blurting out every place in France at every opportunity. The amount of times the protagonist analysed a map in his head and then listed off every possible place in the country was unnecessary, repetitive and irritating.

The whole book seemed aimless and a confused mess. A disgrace to the “teen spy” genre and a mediocre idea completely massacred by a poor execution.
Author 8 books144 followers
June 11, 2017
This is the best book about kids and spies that I've ever written. Obviously, I gave it five stars--not just because I wrote it, but because I loved the adventure in it.

My mission is to bring the world to the middle grades. I write stories that I would have wanted to read when I was ten, eleven, twelve-- realistic and exciting international espionage novels steeped in mystery, intrigue, and deception.

I want children to see that the impossible may in fact be possible, and that children may have more power than they think. I actually believe that kids can and will fix the world that grownups have messed up.

My adventure novels are set in international locales because travel has made me feel alive and given me an insatiable curiosity to learn... which I feel absolutely driven to share with you. Thanks for reading.
Profile Image for Tami.
511 reviews67 followers
August 9, 2016
Haven't received my copy yet, just received notice I had won. 4/15/14
Received my copy and hope to start soon. Have 5 others plus my current read in front. 4/18/14
Started 5/4/14
Finished 5/5/14

Lucas is sleeping on the roof of the hotel when he hears a baby cry. He rappel's down to the parking lot and learns that the Good Company has started kidnapping again. Lucas, along with his sister Astrid and other New Resistance kids follow the mission to Paris, where Lucas finds out some information about his birth mother. Will they be able to save the kids from being kidnapped?

This book is perfect for boys 10-13 that are hard to please. It is along the James Bond lines, minus the sexiness. Kids being the hero, and the action is funny at the same time as being tense. Girls would probably like it too, but I know from experience how hard it is to find books my 13 year old nephew would enjoy. Fast paced, fun story.



Profile Image for Christoph Fischer.
Author 49 books468 followers
September 2, 2016
"Brainwashed (Crime Travelers)" by Paul Aertker is a great adventure story for younger readers.

Lucas Benes, the 13 year old hero of this story, fights against The Good Company, which is far from good but actually a kidnapping and trafficking business that threatens particularly children with its brainwashing.

Lucas was adopted as a younger child himself and has his personal reasons to take on the fight. He and his international friends have their hands full to stop Siba Gunerro and her scheme. The battle takes them from Las Vegas to Paris, France.

The novel is full of great action, interesting characters and is very well plotted. With all the descriptions of Paris it has certainly the edge over less exciting helpings in the genre.

I enjoyed the book very much and can see this become a very popular series,
Profile Image for Grace.
128 reviews3 followers
May 13, 2015
I really wanted to like this book. It had a great theme, and good characters. Unfortunately, once I started reading the book, I was really frustrated and confused. I didn't get what what happening and why certain things were happening, I also didn't understand certain words and certain things in the story, I had to ask my mom or look certain things up on the internet. I also didn't generally like the story, I wanted to like the story, but I just didn't. Sorry Paul Aertker, this book just wasn't for me
934 reviews12 followers
January 30, 2015
My first review from months ago has disappeared, so I will only say that this is a fun book, designed to get the young teen reader involved in it's off-beat but intriguing look at the group of teens pitched against an enemy intelligence force. Also it is a nice intro to Paris and Vegas.
347 reviews
April 9, 2018
With such great ratings, we decided to read this out loud with our boys.
B o r i n g.
We stopped nearly halfway through...all five of us completely uninterested in any of the characters or what happens to them.
DNF.
Profile Image for Xydel.
113 reviews2 followers
January 26, 2020
This vividly-written book about kids taking charge is exciting and action packed.
Profile Image for Roan Reedling.
Author 4 books1 follower
September 26, 2014
I found the concept of the Crime Travelers and the New Resistance very engaging - engaging to me, likely to be very engaging for kids, and hopefully allusive for adults (if they're reading the book as adults): kids helping the few adults that recognize what's really going on, combat the horrible threat, misuse, and suffering - the evil - confronting kids all over the world.

The kids of the New Resistance can't help but answer that silent yet earsplitting plea from their fellow, hurting, kids. Many in the New Resistance came from those very circumstances, but persevered, chanced to overcome or escape or, more likely, were rescued themselves.

They answer that call by undertaking perilous missions to save others; missions that I'm sure they could do without - they're just kids after all, even if toughly trained. But they can't ignore what's going on. Especially not in the face of an adult world that blithely ignores the crisis as remote and affecting only others, or just refuses to see and acknowledge. Though they may need the adults' material assets and tools to resist and vanquish this evil, the spirit is all their own.

I liked how the kids have a comfortable relationship with the group they belong to, even while they may have an uncomfortable relationship with their own skin - still figuring out who they are; what they may be. At least they're sure what their fellowship is all about. Everyone needs a home. Even if it's in a hotel. Or in your head.

I liked that each of the kids brings something important and unique to the quest, often despite, but sometimes because of their difficult early life - their painful 'origin stories'.

And I liked that there weren't any guns, that I recall. I haven't successfully dealt with that in my own fictional world, but I hope to.

Thanks, Paul. I really enjoyed your teaser for Book 2. Looking forward to it!
Profile Image for Elias Zapple.
Author 153 books56 followers
August 10, 2014
High-octane, adrenalin-pumping, action-packed thriller and it's a book for children! My slugs and I felt breathless when reading this book and needed to drink quite a few Noggin' Rockers. Most kids books are rather pedestrian when compared with this, or perhaps I should slugestrian... no, that doesn't work. This is a thrill a minute as we get taken around Paris, get to learn about Paris, see the attractions of Paris and make us want to avoid Paris - not really - as they battle the Good Company. The characters are fun, colourful and involving, the protagonist is a cool kid that most other kids will look up to and be inspired by. A great book for tweens, other kids, slugs and anybody that wants there breath taken away.
Profile Image for Martha Sockel.
139 reviews
August 10, 2014
I bought this for my 13 year old nephew and he loved it.

We read large chunks together, and the story is a rip-roaring adventure through Paris and includes as much humor as it does action.

The central character, Lucas, is being trained to take down a child trafficking organization and my nephew now wants to be a spy, such was his his enthusiasm for this book.

Definitely one to get the younger imaginations going.
2 reviews
February 11, 2019
brainwashed by Paul Aartker was an ok book. it is about a secret organization of kids to do jobs that adults cant. there enemy is a business woman named siba ginaro she yoused child labor to do her work. the organisation stops her from brainwashing kids to do her work. the mane caricter is lucas and his sister astrid. i rate this book a 3.5. i recommend this book to everyone who loves action books and spy stuff.
Profile Image for Susan LeBlanc.
19 reviews1 follower
November 1, 2020
I read this book with my son (age 11). It was full of fun action and he thoroughly enjoyed it, but found the lead character to be highly irresponsible with a particular baby that is featured in the novel. Some of the content was a little unbelievable. Despite my son's criticism I could tell he enjoyed the story as we worked through it, and he's interested in reading more from Paul Aertker. So from am entertainment perspective it was a fun read.
Profile Image for Alana.
868 reviews1 follower
November 30, 2017
really enjoyable. great action. loved gini's poop fountain incident. think it's a bit over the middle school grade level only because few kid's that age know much about geography or paris. definitely think those who love spy action adventure stories will love this series. can't wait to see the next adventure.


(Received free through Goodreads First Reads)
Profile Image for Susan.
39 reviews3 followers
July 22, 2017
I received this book free from the publisher's booth at ALA. the author assured me the book wouldn't scare me :)
The characters were well developed and I quickly felt that I became part of their group. The action was fast paced. It was hard to put down. I feel certain young teens would enjoy this series. I look forward to reading book 2.
14 reviews
December 8, 2018
My 9 year old son says to rate this book 5 *. We really enjoyed the story. It was filled with action and kept us in suspense. We read at least a chapter each evening and it.drove him crazy because he was always left in suspense.

We enjoyed the attention to detail in describing characters and settings.
Profile Image for Anna Othitis.
Author 10 books424 followers
August 9, 2014
A Great Adventure.
I bought this book for a friends pre-teen son as a gift which he thoroughly enjoyed. The suspense mystery and adventure of this novel kept his interest and attention at all times. Crime Travelers is a book I highly recommend very enthusiastic and fun, well done Mr. Aertker.
Profile Image for Grayson Phillips.
1 review2 followers
March 2, 2014
This was an excellent book, comparable to the likes of Alex Rider and The Hunger Games. The author fully enthrals the reader with a well-written book, satisfying to any spy-novel fan. I would recommend it for ages 10-14.
Profile Image for Angela.
584 reviews5 followers
June 7, 2019
Read this off my 12yo’s bookshelf. It was an action packed story, but with a pretty weak storyline. Definitely some holes in the plot that weren’t explained. There are more in this series so maybe more will be explained. It didn’t make me want to read the rest in the series though...
Profile Image for Allison Riding Larsen.
409 reviews39 followers
December 28, 2019
I legitimately had to flip back-and-forth to see if I skipped a page because I was so confused about the storyline so many times throughout the book. Not a very flushed out concept, unsatisfying characters, hard to take seriously.
Author 3 books6 followers
March 6, 2022
Bourne Identity for middle grade kids

Lots of action adventure in this face paced book that middle grade kids will enjoy. Can’t wait to follow Lucas’ adventures as he discovers the truth about his past.
12 reviews
February 8, 2018
Action packed and constantly moving. I look forward to more adventures of Lucas Benes. Great job, Paul
1 review
April 21, 2020
Crime travelers

I love the action in the book it is so great.it's a great book for any ages. It has a lot of books and rising action.
Profile Image for Wendy Kendall.
Author 5 books86 followers
July 2, 2019
Happy summer vacation! Time to take a trip. Pack up and join the Crime Travelers on their exciting adventure to France. Large groups of kids and even babies are being Brainwashed and disappearing. Danger lurks from page one all the way through the book. It’s up to spy kids to solve this mystery and save these innocent victims.

From the very interesting characters that you’ll meet while investigating this extraordinary case in France, you’ll end up learning about other fascinating parts of the world too. This author sees reading as travel, and he’s inviting you along for the trip of a lifetime.

Ms. Gunerro is kidnapping so many kids, and forcing them to work for her at her Good Company, which is clearly a name meant to mislead. The strange Curukians protect Ms. Gunerro and are always ready to start a fight, with anyone.

Fighting against the Good Company is The New Resistance. As fourteen year old Astrid explains, “The New Resistance is run by kids because that’s the way Dad designed it. Grown-ups have messed up the world, so it’s our job to make things right.” To solve this case they will have to be brainsmart to avoid being Brainwashed too.

The way they sneak into Paris is clever, but then something goes wrong in the city and so Lucas, Astrid and their friends Jackknife and Nalini are together, cut off from the rest of their team. They must quickly create a new plan. Was their information wrong, or do they have a traitor in the Resistance? Astrid’s adopted brother Lucas discovers, “Everybody had secrets. Everybody.” Despite the danger, these kids have lots of fun, after all they are in gay Paris.

Children are the victims in Ms. Gunerro’s crimes, so children must be the ones to save them. But at what price? Lucas poses the question, “If you were Jackknife, in that situation, about to be Brainwashed, wouldn’t you want – wouldn’t you expect – your friends to come help you?”

The author, Paul Aertker (ETT Kerr) is a children’s travel book writer, teacher, and a frequent speaker at elementary and middle schools. He began his teaching career in West Africa with the Peace Corps where he helped establish the town’s first public library. As a traveler and multilingual teacher, Paul Aertker has clocked nearly half his life outside the US. He took the CIA exam because he wanted to be a spy for the good guys.
Profile Image for Steve.
590 reviews24 followers
December 17, 2018
Lucas Benes is approaching his fourteenth birthday, living in and training in his father's hotel. His father leads the resistance against a corporation, The Good Company, of all names, that does ugly and illegal and immoral things toward remaining profitable. Mr. Benes takes his trainees, mostly teenagers, to Paris with the goal of disrupting a Good Company mass kidnapping. Lucas' finding a baby in the hotel parking lot adds that element to the trip to Paris.

The intended audience, middle schoolers, readers who enjoy action-packed stories, should eat this up. Author Aertker intended this to help young readers get a taste of foreign countries, and succeeds in bringing Paris to them. The story cries out for training, learning, and good morals. As an adult reader, I had to back off of credibility issues as a youngster might. (Baby care being a big one to overlook.) All in all, a good read for its intended audience with healthy underlying messages. Lucas' background makes for an interesting backstory, one likely to be addressed in the future of the series. I will seek out the second one in the series for its fun.
Profile Image for VBergen.
331 reviews1 follower
March 21, 2019
I got this book because it was supposed to be like the Jason Bourne Series but for kids. It was nothing like that. Jason is brave, smart, witty, resourceful, knows how to fight and the style of the author, Ludlum, is gripping.
Lucas, the main character in Brainwashed, is just a plain boy with impressive memory and bursts of adrenaline to run. Maps on his head and that's all.
By forcing too many details about Paris the track of the main plot is lost.

The book has appropriate language for kids but I wouldn't read a story about kidnapped and brainwashed babies to my 8 years old child.
8 reviews
Read
November 14, 2020
I am rating Brainwashed (Crime Travelers, #1) by Paul Aertker. This book is about a group of young teenagers from the Nww Resistance who have to stop the, ironically, Good Company. The book takes place in Paris, France. The author wrote this book for a younger audience who like mystery and spying and kids fighting all the action, and he did a great job. "A middle grade series that 'reads like the bourne identity- but for kids.'" was a review written by Mark Robichaux, an editor in New York. The theme was to never leave anyone behind and that kids are capable of great things, and both were covered multiple times. "Lucas stepped on the sill and into the room." (185) Here, Lucas, a 13 years old boy, saves his 3 friends from the Good Company, which hits both themes! The book was a bit confusing at first but otherwise it was fast paced, suspenseful, and interesting. It kept me turning the pages and reading for hours! I would give it 3.5 stars.
28 reviews1 follower
November 3, 2023
I appreciate its educational value for kids. It teaches a lot about countries, very international, and introduces concepts like child trafficking in a basic and less than horrific way. However, the story and writing is pretty inconsistent and I think the book doesn't quite achieve the right balance between info dumping and actual plot/character development.

I'll give it 3 stars because although I wouldn't recommend it, I understand that I'm not exactly the target audience.
3 reviews
December 5, 2018
It was not very intersesting, but it got a little bit better as it went on. I would suggest it for ages 10 and below.
8 reviews
February 19, 2020
Great book

Loved every moment of this book especially the baby Gini. I look forward to the next books in the series.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 49 reviews

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