by Brian McBride
publisher’s synopsis
Hardy Boys meets Indiana Jones in this new adventure novel.
After the death of his father, misfit and aspiring paleontologist Tommy Rhodes seeks refuge in the ramshackle lighthouse that stands guard over the city of Mammoth, Washington. Left in disarray by years of bad weather, it’s the perfect place for Tommy to hide from everything that’s gone wrong with his life – and to party with his band of friends, the Jailbirds – the only family he has left.
After a storm uncovers a secret hidden in the walls of the old lighthouse, Tommy unravels a mystery beyond his wildest dreams and the deadly conspiracy that surrounds it – and Tommy’s entire life seems tangled at the heart of it all.
Tommy and the Jailbirds – Jude, Maya, Mars, and newcomer Lydia – are thrust into the middle of a deadly hunt for the truth that will challenge their bond, uncover the secrets that lurk beneath the surface of Mammoth, and test just how far they’ll go to set things right.
With a rich and diverse cast of uniquely compelling characters, Mammoth’s “Jailbirds” prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that they can hold their own against legendary ensembles like Outer Banks’ “Pogues” and The Grishaverse’s “Crows.”
Storms, treasure hunting, and secrets!
Balancing six POV’s isn’t an easy feat, but McBride does it pretty well. All of the characters also had their own narrative voice.
Personally, the Bluecoats and Jailbirds rivalry threw me off a little bit. There was something about it that just seemed a little strange. Maybe because it was akin to a gang war, except it was between the upper and lower classes? McBride uses the tensions greatly in the plot, so it does tie into the story. But something about it didn’t click for me.
Mammoth, while having its own resolving plot, leaves the door open for plenty of other treasure-finding, villain-thwarting adventures for the Jailbirds. For content reasons, I’d recommend it for older, mature teens and up.
Caution: innuendo; moderate romance; attempted assault; a few kisses; mentions of underage characters drinking or doing drugs; moderate/heavy violence *
*it’s been a little bit since I finished Mammoth, so I may have forgotten a caution
(I received a review copy from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.)
Hailey Huntington 
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