Though this is Norah McClintock’s first Robyn Hunter mystery published in Canada, there are Swedish editions of two other Robyn Hunter titles in print. Thus, Swedish readers may already know Robyn as a slightly uptight, conscientious kid. They may also have encountered her best riends, Billy and Morgan, and have heard that her mother, a lawyer, and her father, an ex-cop, are now divorced. But for English-speaking readers new to the series, McClintock inobtrusively fills in all the backstory required.

Several unfortunate incidents at an animal-rights protest march have landed Robyn in trouble, and to avoid more, she’s doing community service at the local humane society. This moves her experience of animal rights from the theoretical to the practical, something she might appreciate if she weren’t terrified of dogs and allergic to cats. Worse, she runs into Nick D’Angelo doing his own volunteer time there for unknown misdemeanours. Nick and Robyn have a history, Robyn having accused Nick of the theft that started his criminal record back in junior high. Nick is trying hard now, studying on his lunch hour – how bad can he be? But a break-in at the shelter suggests he’s returning to his old ways.

McClintock has done her research on humane societies as well as teen rehab programs using dogs. Animal-loving kids will love the detail of the book, at times verging on docudrama. This is the kind of taut, intelligent writing that has won the Toronto-based author the Crime Writers of Canada’s Arthur Ellis Award for Best Juvenile Crime Novel five times over. If there’s anything to complain about, it’s that the brisk pacing doesn’t allow us to linger with a bunch of interesting people. But there’s a very good chance we’ll see Robyn Hunter again.