The Legendary Scarlett & Browne (Scarlett & Browne 3) by Jonathan Stroud

What worked:

Scarlett and Albert Browne are outlaws. Albert has the brains and voice of reason in the pair, while Scarlett is the muscle. Scarlett is athletic, a crack shot, and always carries a knife. Characters know that when she makes a threat, she’ll follow through. Albert has supernatural abilities; he can read minds and use telekinesis to move objects. He knows what attackers plan to do before they do it and can hurl objects and destroy structures by thinking about it. However, the telekinesis often takes a physical and emotional toll on him. An early scene describes Scarlett and Browne robbing a bank, but it reveals a few things about the characters. One, they steal very little money, as Scarlett is mainly looking for records of slave transactions to help find her little brother. Second, Albert is reluctant to harm others and allows the hostages to escape. And third, they are daring and calculating, as they allow themselves to be surrounded and “trapped” inside the bank. The banter between them and Scarlett’s swear jar provides levity to the seriousness of the plot.

The Faith Houses and High Council are cast as the bad guys, as evidenced by a barber being sentenced to execution for speaking out against them. Scarlett and Browne come to his rescue to remind readers that they aren’t common criminals and have good intentions. The High Council has new leadership and is aggressively spreading its influence to new regions. Slaves are commonly sold everywhere, and slavery is rampant throughout the story. The Faith Houses have created the White Hat Company, which acts as enforcers and intimidators. They are taking slaves from markets to be used for a secret mining project at the Devil’s Mouth. The White Hats carry devastating weapons powered by rock shards, and Scarlett and Albert wonder what they are still searching for that might be more powerful than that.

The author adds another surprising character named Mallory, whom Albert thought he had killed earlier in the series. This character adds intrigue because he tried to murder Scarlett and Albert on several occasions. They question his motives and sincerity, and another character named Joe is the most suspicious. Mallory used to work for the Faith Houses until Albert dropped a whole building on top of him. He used to share Albert’s abilities, but he can no longer summon his telekinesis. Despite his questionable loyalties, Mallory’s knowledge of the Faith Houses is invaluable, including the location of Stonemoor. The scientists in the facility did countless, painful experiments on Albert, and he’s always dreamed of returning to learn more about his early life. Will he find answers to his questions, or will he uncover new nightmares?

What didn’t work as well:

The story is more violent than many middle-grade books. Scarlett doesn’t have a problem shooting people who threaten her or harm others, and the White Hats are ruthless intimidators. Their weapons fire a blue light that can blow a hole through someone.

The final verdict:

The author is a master of description, as he brings the characters and their emotions to life. Readers will form connections, especially with Albert, as the author shares the characters’ thoughts, feelings, and dreams. I recommend you try this series by starting with the first book, The Outlaws Scarlett and Browne.