The Fellowship for Alien Detection by Kevin Emerson
Synopsis:
Haley and Dodger don’t have much in common. Haley lives in Greenhaven, Connecticut; Dodger lives in Port Salmon, Washington. Haley has a family who loves and supports her; Dodger can’t seem to ever get his dad’s approval. Haley is well-adjusted and passionate; Dodger hears strange voices in his head. But they both want something: a new map, a path away from home—or, perhaps, a path toward it.
Of course, this was all before they heard about the missing people, the untraceable radio signals, the unexplained phenomena. Before they both became the first recipients of a summer research grant from a certain mysterious foundation. Before they discovered that their fledgling theories about extraterrestrial life were all too accurate.
Now Haley and Dodger are the only ones who can figure out what is happening in towns across America, who can give voice to the people whispering “alien abduction.” At the very least, they’re both going to have the most eventful summer vacations of anyone they know.
Review:
Haley is a relatable girl with a lot of interests and passions. She’s embarrassed about sharing her summer plans, investigating instances of missing time from different areas of the country – possibly linked to alien abductions. Haley lies to her family about the details of her fellowship, and eventually gets herself in trouble with dangerous people with the choices she makes. Similarly, Dodger keeps quiet from his father the details about his investigation into a missing town – whose radio station seems to tune in straight to his own brain. But Dodger’s father is acting strangely and is keeping a secret from Dodger as well.
Young science fiction fans will enjoy the journey of these teens as clues lead them on a wild adventure. The mood is light-hearted with a bit of humor, yet has plenty of suspense, danger and mystery. Quirky characters, a fun mystery, and a nefarious plot made The Fellowship for Alien Detection a great standalone novel. Yet I would love to see the characters return for a series. I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced alien invasion story.