Yes, I wish I had read the first book, Inside Out, before I read Upside Down,but I in no way felt cheated. The third book in the series, Side by Side, and will be released in September, 2005. These three books might make a nice trilogy gift for birthdays or Christmas. It's never too soon to have ideas.

Set in New Orleans, twelve-year-old Faith Ann Porter is the heroine of Upside Down. She is in her mother’s office one morning as her attorney mother meets with a client. It is the last client that her mother will ever advise. A man dressed as a policeman barges into the office and guns down the client and Faith Ann’s mother. Faith Ann has been hiding under a desk and witnesses the slaughter. Leaving the office, Faith Ann has the presence of mind to take a cassette that has the whole incident on tape. She also grabs some photos and negatives that will exonerate a client on death row, a man scheduled to be executed soon.

What Faith Ann doesn’t realize is that the negatives will also put her life in jeopardy. While they will free the innocent man, they will also implicate the guilty man, a man who is a powerful crime lord in New Orleans with many well-connected men who owe him favors. She suddenly has two missions: one to remain alive and the second to free the condemned man. She proves to be stalwart regarding both missions and ingenious in her determination to succeed. Her aunt and uncle are visiting New Orleans and are victims of a hit and run driver. Her aunt is killed on the scene, while her uncle clings to life. Almost making contact with them, Faith Ann witnesses the execution. Now hiding becomes essential. Enter Winter Massey, an ex-U.S. marshal, with his quest to find and rescue Faith Ann.

Upside Down exudes realism as Faith Ann is pursued by crooked police and two ruthless killers. Sensing that the police will not help her, her world is indeed “upside down.” All the characters are fleshed out; the good guys are good, while the villains are indeed heinous. Just as Winter Massey thinks that he has the situation in hand, an assassin arrives with a secret mission, a secret motive, and the perfect plan. There are some finger biting moments as Faith Ann is almost rescued by Winter until. . . It’s the until that makes this plot riveting.

John Ramsey Miller is an accomplished wordsmith whose readership should grow as his body of work increases. Winter Massey has the strength to become an easily recognizable hero, one even discussed at the “literary” water cooler. Do yourself a favor and make it a point to meet Winter Massey.

--Linda Mowery