The Crimson Shard (Blackhope Enigma)
Gr 4-7-In this sequel to The Blackhope Enigma (Candlewick, 2011), Sunni and Blaise are lured through a doorway in a trompe l'oeil building into mid-18th-century London by the evil Throgmorton and his daughter, Livia. Put to work as virtual slaves with other boys in a house that doubles as an art factory, creating forgeries, they are desperate to return to their own time. As they escape and try to unravel the mystery around the house's owner, stolen paintings, and Throgmorton's ability to travel through time, they encounter various people who help and threaten them. The characters are appealing and the adventure is exciting and full of incident, but its meaning and significance remains elusive. Fans of the first book will most likely enjoy this one, too, and the door is left open for future adventures.-Sue Giffard, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, New York Cityα(c) Copyright 2011.  Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc.  No redistribution permitted.