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Reviewed by Lit Amri for Readers' Favorite
In Action Men and the Great Zarelda by Susan Joy Clark, Jack Donegal and Andy Westin are returning to New Jersey from a Toy Expo in Dallas. During their flight back, Andy is smitten by a passenger next to him, an enigmatic female magician named Zarelda. She invites Andy to be her assistant in her upcoming show. However, Jack is convinced that Zarelda is involved in an illegal side business and persuades Andy to investigate. In a sequel to the Jack Donegal Mysteries series, the duo once again gets caught up in another mystery adventure filled with magic tricks, Latina flair, colorful exotic birds, cute baby tigers, and danger.
Like its predecessor－Action Men with Silly Putty－the plot is fast-paced. The humor element incorporated into the story line, the clear-cut prose, as well as the witty dialogue made the reading enjoyable and flawless. Even though this is Book 2 of the series, it is a standalone. Characterization is solid; toy inventor Jack Donegal is as eccentric as ever and has more spy gadgets for Andy, his level-headed but sometimes naive marketing manager and friend, to use. I enjoyed their funny banter and silliness. New characters are introduced; Zarelda is a perfect antagonist to the duo. That said, I felt her part in the story could be longer and that her character can be developed more. Book 2 is shorter than its predecessor. Nevertheless, Action Men and the Great Zarelda is another pleasant, light mystery by Susan Joy Clark and it will satisfy the fans of the series.
