Crusher    by Niall Leonard Order:  USA  Can Doubleday Canada, 2013 (2012) Hardcover, Softcover, e-Book      Reviewed by Hilary Williamson Finn 'Crusher' Maguire and his stepfather barely scrape a living in London, England. In the nineties, Finn's Dad was 'everyone's favourite twinkly-eyed Irish actor'. His life's gone downhill ever since. An eternal optimist, he's trying to write screenplays while Finn, 'an illiterate dropout with no GCSEs stuck in a dead-end job', works minimal wage at Max Snax. Finn is also dyslexic. His mother deserted them both years before. Then Finn comes home from work to find his dad bludgeoned to death. DI Prendergast is convinced that Finn did the deed but has no proof. Elsa Kendrick, who claims to be from Social Services, shows up - what does she really want? Reading his dad's latest script revision leads Finn to investigate the Guvnor, Joseph McGovern, a big shot London gangster. He's fired from his job but finds a new one. He gets involved with Zoe, a teen with her own agenda. He learns of an inheritance. He's almost crushed in a steel crusher. He uncovers a ring of sex traffickers. And his mother re-enters his life. Niall Leonard's Crusher is a gripping, fast-moving thriller, with an enterprising young hero and surprises around every corner. And though it's intended for the YA market, it works just as well as an adult mystery. Highly recommended. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Teens books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews