Grooves: A Kind of Mystery

By Kevin Brockmeier
Genre: Mystery/Science Fiction/Funny
Rating: 3 3/4 stars
Reviewed by Noelle

After learning about how a record is made up of grooves with sound recorded on them in science class, 7th grader Dwayne Ruggles decides to experiment with other grooves around his house. The wallpaper, celery, the shampoo bottle cap all just make a skritch sound. Then Dwayne runs the speaker over his blue jean grooves and hears, "Please. You must help us. He's stealing the light from our eyes." Say what? Dwayne, his friend Kevin, and tagalong Emily also find a message on the grooves of potato chips, and the coincidence of both the jeans and the chips being made by the town's own Thigpen industries is too much. The threesome break into the factory complex and investigate. They find the factory workers acting like zombies while Howard Thigpen, the owner, has some mysterious lights dancing in his shadow. What is happening at the factory? And who is involved? Telling you any more will give it away! Readers will be engaged by this quick pageturner of a story that mixes elements of mystery, science fiction and humor. A fun read!