KEEPERS OF THE LABYRINTH

Sixteen-year-old Lil travels to Crete in hopes of connecting with her deceased mother’s mysterious past.

While on Crete attending a Future Leaders International conference, Lil finds herself in the middle of a mystery of mythological proportions. Lil and teammates Sydney, Charlie, and Kat attend various workshops intended to test their intelligence, creativity, and strength. Together they must solve a series of riddles and compete in various challenges in order to win scholarships. But when their mentor, Bente, is killed during a burglary, the four girls must use their combined talents to solve the mystery of the labyrinth hidden beneath the manor house where the conference is held and thwart a group of religious zealots determined to steal the ancient artifacts hidden within. An interesting plot is undermined by forgettable characters, stilted dialogue, and uneven pacing. And while the intermingling of mythology and modern times is alluring, the concept has been attempted before and executed more successfully—it’s unlikely that readers won’t be making comparisons to Percy Jackson. The setting is lush and the labyrinth, suitably spooky, but unnecessary details and confusing descriptions make following the action difficult.

A promising idea that misses its mark.