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MAX #2
Arts and Thefts
Middle school retrieval specialist Jeremy Wilderson must team up with preteen private detective Becca Mills once again to solve his most mind-boggling case yet in this action-packed MAX novel.
Ahh, summer vacation! Jeremy Wilderson, Scottsville Middle School’s first (and only) retrieval specialist, is enjoying a slower-than-usual season of retrieving (NOT stealing) lost objects in order to help the under thirteen population of Scottsville.
But crime doesn’t take a vacation! And when sabotage strikes Scottsville’s event of the year—the Summer Art Show—threatening to ruin the burgeoning painting career of Jeremy’s best friend, Case, it’s up to Jeremy to figure out what’s going on. Of course, his archrival Becca Mills, who just happens to think Jeremy, Case, and their friend Hack are involved in the crime, is also looking into it.
Jeremy has only a few precious hours to stop the sabotage before more contest entries—and kids’ dreams—are slashed and burned.
But Jeremy’s specialty is retrieval…not detective work! The only solution is to team up with Becca to solve the case, something Jeremy’s not exactly thrilled to do. Not to mention, he has to keep his alliance with Becca a secret from Case and Hack, who will disown him if they see him working with the enemy. Somewhere between being stuck inside an air vent and slathered in red paint, Jeremy has to wonder: is he in over his head?
Ahh, summer vacation! Jeremy Wilderson, Scottsville Middle School’s first (and only) retrieval specialist, is enjoying a slower-than-usual season of retrieving (NOT stealing) lost objects in order to help the under thirteen population of Scottsville.
But crime doesn’t take a vacation! And when sabotage strikes Scottsville’s event of the year—the Summer Art Show—threatening to ruin the burgeoning painting career of Jeremy’s best friend, Case, it’s up to Jeremy to figure out what’s going on. Of course, his archrival Becca Mills, who just happens to think Jeremy, Case, and their friend Hack are involved in the crime, is also looking into it.
Jeremy has only a few precious hours to stop the sabotage before more contest entries—and kids’ dreams—are slashed and burned.
But Jeremy’s specialty is retrieval…not detective work! The only solution is to team up with Becca to solve the case, something Jeremy’s not exactly thrilled to do. Not to mention, he has to keep his alliance with Becca a secret from Case and Hack, who will disown him if they see him working with the enemy. Somewhere between being stuck inside an air vent and slathered in red paint, Jeremy has to wonder: is he in over his head?
353 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 13, 2018
6 people are currently reading
389 people want to read
About the author
Allison K. Hymas
4 books73 followersHello, readers! It's great to meet you!
I was born in Provo, Utah, but raised (along with my 4 siblings) in Virginia and Pennsylvania.
As a middle schooler, I was a law-abiding citizen (except for the occasional offense of reading under my desk when I should have been listening).
I now hold an MFA from Brigham Young University and currently live in Utah. Under Locker and Key is my first novel. I'm hard at work writing Jeremy Wilderson's further adventures.
I was born in Provo, Utah, but raised (along with my 4 siblings) in Virginia and Pennsylvania.
As a middle schooler, I was a law-abiding citizen (except for the occasional offense of reading under my desk when I should have been listening).
I now hold an MFA from Brigham Young University and currently live in Utah. Under Locker and Key is my first novel. I'm hard at work writing Jeremy Wilderson's further adventures.
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
January 23, 2018
Special thanks to Allison Hymas for sharing an ARC of Arts and Thefts with my #bookexcursion group. Arts and Thefts will be released in February 2018.
Do not call Jeremy Wilderson a detective. He is a retrieval specialist who helps his fellow middle school peers get back what is rightfully theirs. When one of his best friends and talented artist Case is accused of stealing brushes and paints from another student, Jeremy is incensed. Especially because the accusation is coming from his nemesis, Becca Mills, the town’s tiny yet terrifying private detective.
Becca believes that the brushes were intentionally stolen to sabotage artwork entered in the Scottsville Art Show, the most important competition of the summer. Becca’s hunch comes true, and Jeremy is worried about his best friend. With Case’s painting in the show, Jeremy is determined to not only clear his best friend’s name but also protect Case’s art from being a target of the saboteur. Even if it means having to team up for a second time with Becca. (Read Under Lock and Key to find out about their first alliance, which was kept secret from Jeremy’s friends Case and Hack.) Reluctantly, Becca agrees, and the two covertly join forces to retrieve the stolen paint and brushes and capture the culprit.
I love a good mystery, and Arts and Thefts does not disappoint. I applaud Jeremy for his loyalty to his dear friend Case, which drives him to join forces with Becca. Jeremy and Becca’s banter was truly the highlight of the book because while they mostly disagree, they make an amazing team. Makes me hopeful for another Jeremy-Becca alliance in perhaps Book 3?
Do not call Jeremy Wilderson a detective. He is a retrieval specialist who helps his fellow middle school peers get back what is rightfully theirs. When one of his best friends and talented artist Case is accused of stealing brushes and paints from another student, Jeremy is incensed. Especially because the accusation is coming from his nemesis, Becca Mills, the town’s tiny yet terrifying private detective.
Becca believes that the brushes were intentionally stolen to sabotage artwork entered in the Scottsville Art Show, the most important competition of the summer. Becca’s hunch comes true, and Jeremy is worried about his best friend. With Case’s painting in the show, Jeremy is determined to not only clear his best friend’s name but also protect Case’s art from being a target of the saboteur. Even if it means having to team up for a second time with Becca. (Read Under Lock and Key to find out about their first alliance, which was kept secret from Jeremy’s friends Case and Hack.) Reluctantly, Becca agrees, and the two covertly join forces to retrieve the stolen paint and brushes and capture the culprit.
I love a good mystery, and Arts and Thefts does not disappoint. I applaud Jeremy for his loyalty to his dear friend Case, which drives him to join forces with Becca. Jeremy and Becca’s banter was truly the highlight of the book because while they mostly disagree, they make an amazing team. Makes me hopeful for another Jeremy-Becca alliance in perhaps Book 3?
July 10, 2019
Middle-school students, Jeremy Wilderson, a retrieval specialist who returns lost and stolen items to his clients, and his nemesis, Becca Mills, an impetuous detective who solves crimes, team up during the Scottsville Summer Art Show and Competition to stop whoever is sabotaging the event. If Jeremy’s two best friends, Case (who has a painting in the contest) and Hack (who has great technology skills) discover his betrayal in working alongside Becca, his friendships and retrieval business will be on the line. On top of all this, Becca believes Jeremy, Case, and Hack are the culprits trashing the show’s top contender—and she can’t wait to expose them. Readers will want to catch up with the Under Locker and Key (2017), if they missed it, while waiting for the release of the third book in this clever mystery series.
March 13, 2019
It was fun to have a real mystery in this one -- to focus more on Becca's skillset. Although we still got some really great retrievals and cons. I love Jeremy so much. This series continues to be fun and totally engaging and I want the next book so bad!
July 6, 2020
Perfect mystery
This book is absolutely amazing. In fact it is like those books that the best selling author Stuart Gibbs writes except with a whole new writing style. It is filled with twist and turns at every corner and I am hoping for a part 3 soon.
This book is absolutely amazing. In fact it is like those books that the best selling author Stuart Gibbs writes except with a whole new writing style. It is filled with twist and turns at every corner and I am hoping for a part 3 soon.
January 30, 2021
Fabulous sequel to Under Locker and Key! I loved seeing the characters grow and Jeremy's struggles with an unlikely agreement to solve the mystery. The characters are witty and well-written. This is a very engaging book and a quick read. Wish there could be a third book.
April 23, 2018
Fantastic! More of a traditional mystery than book one (which is more heist/con). Both were terrific. I hope there will be more books in this series - highly recommend for mystery fans!
March 13, 2018
This was one of my favorite books to read. It is full of wit (with a bit of sarcasm from the characters) and humor I highly recommend this book.
July 23, 2018
Middle grade action/adventure mystery that, while technically is a sequel, can be read on its own.
July 31, 2018
Great sequel, another cliffhanger!!!!!!!
December 11, 2018
3.5 stars. Cute book.
November 2, 2019
3.75 stars.
I need more of Larissa and Jeremy in the future.
I need more of Larissa and Jeremy in the future.
September 5, 2020
I still don't really get why Larissa must steal Heather's brushes and paints. Jeremy and Hack's skill impress me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2020
a very good book, would recommend for 12 yr olds that like detective books.
October 26, 2017
I love a good heist story. I'll sit down for an episode of Leverage any day even though I've watched the series through several times. That's what made me enjoy Under Locker and Key so much, and why I was so excited to get my hands on an ARC of Arts and Thefts. This book is not a heist; it's more of a mystery. Instead of having a known perp from the start and executing various retrieval plans, Becca and Jeremy spend this book gumshoeing around to discover an art saboteur before the rest of the pieces at the competition can be destroyed. As much as I miss the heist, the shift in genre works well for this story, and since Becca had to enter into Jeremy's world of retrieving in book one, it's only fair that Jeremy be thrust into her world of detective work in this one. But fear not, heist-lovers, Hymas includes a number of heisty elements to keep us satisfied, including an impromptu chase through air ducts, crazy disguises, several cons, and some covert retrieving.
Hymas also does an excellent job of concealing the identity of the saboteur. As I read I thought several times, "Person X is obviously a red herring; the saboteur is clearly Person Y." And I was wrong. Dead wrong. Finding out who the actual guilty party and actual red herrings were was very satisfying.
I did dislike how utterly convinced Becca and Jeremy were of their presumptions on who was guilty. For much of the story, they both ignored evidence that contradicted their theories. And while I usually love Becca-Jeremy banter, it got a bit old rehashing their pet theories again and again. But that's my only real complaint about the book.
All my favorite parts of the book were from the end, so I can't go into too much detail without entering spoiler territory. I loved one of the new characters and hope this person makes appearances in later books as a retriever-in-training. I also really liked the ending. One of the things that I hated about White Collar was the way it completely reset Neal's character at the end of every season. "We need some tension....lets make Neal and Peter distrust each other. Again. That won't feel contrived at all!" You can do that once, but not every season for five seasons plus the stupid extra tack-on half season that contradicted everything that had been set up previously. *storms off ranting about lost opportunities and character growth* Ahem. Sorry about that. Arts and Thefts avoids that trap. Book one does leave off with Becca and Jeremy distrusting each other again, but book two does something different. I'm trying to be circumspect enough to avoid spoilers, but the ending leaves both the Becca-Jeremy relationship and the Jeremy-Hack-Case relationship with some interesting new avenues to explore in book three.
Overall, Arts and Thefts is thoroughly enjoyable. It's lighthearted and funny, and I am definitely looking forward to the next installment of Jeremy's adventures.
**I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.**
Hymas also does an excellent job of concealing the identity of the saboteur. As I read I thought several times, "Person X is obviously a red herring; the saboteur is clearly Person Y." And I was wrong. Dead wrong. Finding out who the actual guilty party and actual red herrings were was very satisfying.
I did dislike how utterly convinced Becca and Jeremy were of their presumptions on who was guilty. For much of the story, they both ignored evidence that contradicted their theories. And while I usually love Becca-Jeremy banter, it got a bit old rehashing their pet theories again and again. But that's my only real complaint about the book.
All my favorite parts of the book were from the end, so I can't go into too much detail without entering spoiler territory. I loved one of the new characters and hope this person makes appearances in later books as a retriever-in-training. I also really liked the ending. One of the things that I hated about White Collar was the way it completely reset Neal's character at the end of every season. "We need some tension....lets make Neal and Peter distrust each other. Again. That won't feel contrived at all!" You can do that once, but not every season for five seasons plus the stupid extra tack-on half season that contradicted everything that had been set up previously. *storms off ranting about lost opportunities and character growth* Ahem. Sorry about that. Arts and Thefts avoids that trap. Book one does leave off with Becca and Jeremy distrusting each other again, but book two does something different. I'm trying to be circumspect enough to avoid spoilers, but the ending leaves both the Becca-Jeremy relationship and the Jeremy-Hack-Case relationship with some interesting new avenues to explore in book three.
Overall, Arts and Thefts is thoroughly enjoyable. It's lighthearted and funny, and I am definitely looking forward to the next installment of Jeremy's adventures.
**I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.**
February 27, 2018
DRC was provided courtesy of NetGalley.
A solid sequel to what is becoming a reliably smart, witty and interesting series. Jeremy Wilderson, "retrieval specialist" (re: thief) and his arch rival, preteen detective Becca Mills, are back solving another case for the under thirteen middle schoolers of Scottsdale. This adventure centers around an art competition and the skullduggery, fraught rivalries, and friendships between the characters make for a good read. Jeremy and Becca's complex rivalry and partnership adds tension to the twisty narrative. The debates about what constitutes "real" art, the pressures on kids to succeed no matter what, how to be a good friend, and whether stealing and revenge can ever be justified no matter the motives, kick the themes up a notch to ambitious and relevant. Becca can be an overly brutal character, both physically and personally, and Jeremy is a naturally duplicitous and slick operator, charming but untrustworthy. As always, parents stick to the margins and the amount of lowgrade criminality in Scottsdale is slightly exaggerated. But the day long timeline races to a tidy conclusion, and ends on a cliffhanger that guarantees return readers curious to see what Jeremy and Becca have in store for themselves next time.
A solid sequel to what is becoming a reliably smart, witty and interesting series. Jeremy Wilderson, "retrieval specialist" (re: thief) and his arch rival, preteen detective Becca Mills, are back solving another case for the under thirteen middle schoolers of Scottsdale. This adventure centers around an art competition and the skullduggery, fraught rivalries, and friendships between the characters make for a good read. Jeremy and Becca's complex rivalry and partnership adds tension to the twisty narrative. The debates about what constitutes "real" art, the pressures on kids to succeed no matter what, how to be a good friend, and whether stealing and revenge can ever be justified no matter the motives, kick the themes up a notch to ambitious and relevant. Becca can be an overly brutal character, both physically and personally, and Jeremy is a naturally duplicitous and slick operator, charming but untrustworthy. As always, parents stick to the margins and the amount of lowgrade criminality in Scottsdale is slightly exaggerated. But the day long timeline races to a tidy conclusion, and ends on a cliffhanger that guarantees return readers curious to see what Jeremy and Becca have in store for themselves next time.
December 4, 2018
it was a great book
Want to read
September 24, 2017Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
March 14, 2018
Hamas does a wonderful job playing with problem solving, friendship and challenge in this story. Hoping for more from her!
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews