• Age: 9 to 12
• Grade: 4 to 7
• Reading age: 9 to 12

Angus and his best buddy, Shahid, equipped with rearview sunglasses and an informant who lurks in the washroom, bungle their way through a series of hilarious encounters.

Angus and Shahid share a love of science and their robot, Gordon. But recently, the artistic Ella Eckles has had a peculiar effect on Angus. When a stink bomb at the school provides a chance for him to talk to her, Angus claims to share her interest in reading facial expressions and declares his ambition to become a crime-solving mentalist. He impresses Ella by identifying the stink bomber, but fails to mention he witnessed the kid setting off the bomb. When Ella's treasured sketchbook is stolen, she asks Angus to find the thief. Shahid thinks Angus should confess that he's not a mentalist, but Angus is certain he can learn to read people and recover Ella's sketchbook.

This short novel is a high-interest, low-reading level book for middle-grade readers who are building reading skills, want a quick read or say they don’t like to read! The epub edition of this title is fully accessible.

K.L. Denman was born in Calgary, Alberta, and spent her childhood in a house one street away from the open prairie. When she was 11, her family moved to Delta, British Columbia, and she got to know life on the coast: tides, clam digging, rain gear, green grass year-round and enormous trees. It was there that Kim and her sisters got their first pony. She continued to live near Vancouver for many years while finishing school, attending college, and eventually getting married and starting a family. She always loved writing and when her teen children and their friends provided inspiration and re-kindled memories of this challenging passage, writing for teens became an irresistible venture.

Today she lives on a small farm on British Columbia's Sunshine Coast with her family of people, two dogs, three cats, two horses and an elderly mule. When she's not writing or caring for critters, she's reading, trying to grow vegetables, taking pictures, or volunteering at therapeutic riding. More information about Kim is available on her website at www.kldenman.com.

K.L. Denman's profile page

• Commended, Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA) Quick Picks

"Fast and funny, with many surprising twists and turns, this short, clever mystery in the Orca Currents series will grab avid and reluctant readers with the contemporary drama of secrets, sleuthing, and romance...The tension will hook readers to the last page."

Booklist

"With relatable emotions and well placed moments of humour, Denman slips readers easily into Angus's head. Best friend Shahid acts as an excellent foil and also creates spots of tension that give their relationship a realistically rocky trajectory...With plenty of wit and seamless movement...Agent Angus reads fluidly enough for any reluctant reader to sail through."

CM: Canadian Review of Materials