The Dead Boy Detectives
Ghosts Edwin Paine and Charles Rowland, introduced in Neil Gaiman's fourth Sandman opus,Season of Mists(1994), and featured in Thompson'sAt Death's Door(2003), are still avoiding Death and still finding time to run their own detective agency. Their latest case brings them stateside to a girls' boarding school in Chicago. While undercover, they work their way through the clues to find an absent classmate. They and their new friends at the school suspect the worst, and the teachers' mysterious attitude about the missing girl isn't helping. Thompson's cute art, distinctive while remaining within traditionalmanga-anime conventions, fits a story full of well-written over-the-top screwball comedy and featuring cameo appearances by Death and the Sandman. Sandman series fans may be a little disappointed (it's too cute), butmangamavens will be in heaven.Tina ColemanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved