The Dirt Bike Detectives are a group of five middle schoolers who fancy themselves as the mystery solvers of Raven Ridge. They live up to this role most of the time, but not without leaving trouble in their wake. In The Dirt Bike Detective 2: The Beast in the Shadows by Douglas Hoover, Chase, Oliver, Jax, Eduard, and Gio are employed to investigate a pizza theft. But this seemingly simple investigation becomes complicated when they learn that a local was attacked by a beast on the same night of the pizza theft. Are these two incidents related? Against all warnings, threats, and bullying, the team attempts to crack both cases. Chase thinks there is some paranormal beast on the loose, and Jax thinks Chase is hopelessly delusional.

Douglas Hoover’s The Beast In the Shadows is a thrilling fantasy-mystery story for older children. Although this is the second installment in the series, it can be read alone. I like that I could easily follow the story even though I hadn’t read the first book, and I am impressed to the point of wanting to read it. The narrator is Oliver, but the mastermind is Chase, and I liked this unique dynamic because it made the narrative more objective. It also added an element of surprise, as I didn’t know what the brain of the team was thinking. I also enjoyed sharing Oliver’s secret love for Jax which introduced some romantic drama. I found the book’s tone and style fitting, and the ending is brilliant. This installment ends with a couple of loose ends that are perfect leads for a new adventure, which I’ll be willing to follow.

One of the biggest highlights of this book was its presentation. I listened to the audio version and the narrator, Ramon De Ocampo, did an excellent job of bringing the characters to life. I was simply awed by how he could imitate the range of characters and express their emotions. At no point was I confused about who was speaking, and I didn’t experience any hitches while listening. The Dirt Bike Detective 2 is a great listen, and I recommend it.

If you’re a fan of Scooby-doo and the Mystery Gang, Nancy Drew, and Harry Potter, then The Beast in the Shadows by Douglas L. Hoover is just the book for your curious kids. Our junior sleuths are called in to investigate a pizza delivery gone wrong which coincidently occurred on the same night as a supposed animal attack on a local hiker. This sends our young heroes on the hunt to uncover the bizarre mystery as the clues pile up. Let’s not forget the map leading to hidden treasure and a meeting with the school’s elusive gambling ghost.

This was such a great listening experience and I felt like I was part of the gang right alongside Chase, Oliver, Jax, Eduard, and Gio. The audiobook is narrated by Ramon De Ocampo and is set at just over five hours of reading time. Ramon brings such liveliness to the characters that he makes you feel like you are experiencing the adventure with them. The audiobook was read at a moderate pace. Apart from the main storyline, there were several themes that kept things interesting. I loved each character Douglas L. Hoover presented in The Beast in the Shadows and the childlike wonder each seems to have. I liked the double meaning of the title and how that was echoed in the story itself. I highly recommend this to parents whose kids love all things magic, supernatural, and mystery.