One of the things I did like was Pearson’s use of U. S. Marshal Roland Larson from his previous adult novel, Cut and Run. It’s nice to see that all of Pearson’s characters live in the same world, and you have to wonder if a boy with a photographic memory will soon put in an appearance in one of Pearson’s adult novels.

I liked Steel’s partner-in-peril, Kaileigh Augustine, a lot. The idea of a poor little rich girl isn’t a new one, but it establishes Kaileigh’s character and independence almost immediately. Plus, it gives her and Steel financial freedom of a sort with further adventures. I just hope Kaileigh is in them because Steel needs someone to play off of in order to work well.

The plot got almost a little too twisted and complex. It was relatively simple in the long run, but setting it up and moving through multiple permutations got difficult to deal with while juggling a half-dozen characters. But it kept me from solving everything till right at the end – which is exactly the best place for a reader that’s been playing fairly with the mystery to figure everything out.

I was surprised at how much the adults played roles in the novel, but it didn’t bother me too much over all. I would have liked to see Steel handle more action, and I definitely want to see more science in the books as the series progresses. Pearson does mention in interviews that the book began as an adult novel and he rewrote it from Steel’s point of view. It’ll be interesting to see how the adult/teen ratio changes in the next book in the series.

But I want Steel’s family to stay close as well. I liked his mom and dad, and the parts they had to play in everything. Cairo, Steel’s dog, was a hoot and I was cheering him on at the end when he caught the bad guy’s scent and they went flying after him.

Steel Trapp: The Challenge isn’t on the same level as Alex Horowitz’s Alex Rider series (which gets a nod in Pearson’s book!), but it’s a fun read. Since there’s only one teen spy book coming out a year from Horowitz, Pearson’s teen troubleshooter is a welcome addition to the adventure scene. You won’t find many writers that can provide the same kind of headlong pacing that Pearson does.