THE MISSING JULIET

In an uneven mystery featuring gay and lesbian teen sleuths, a young actress’s disappearance alarms her co-stars and fans.

Unlike the first two Fisher Key adventures, which centered on twins Steven and Denny Anderson, this one stars out-and-proud, opinionated lesbian teen Robin McGee. When Robin’s longtime celebrity crush, Juliet Francine, and Francine’s co-star, Liam Norcott, begin filming a movie in nearby Key West, Robin and her friend Sean try to sneak onto the set. As luck would have it, they arrive just as the cast and crew discover a ransom note announcing Juliet’s kidnapping. The action somewhat runs out of steam when Juliet returns, but by then, Robin has landed an internship on the set with ex–boy-band member Austin, who turns out to be Liam’s secret boyfriend. An array of subplots and side characters—including a transgender woman whose portrayal is well-intentioned but occasionally disrespectful—keep the story moving. After relatively low-key encounters with a dreamy young policewoman and a dramatic but cordially resolved love triangle, the high-stakes kidnapping-related climax feels out of place, though enjoyable.

A mostly appealing cast of LGBTQ characters; a hit-and-miss plot.