The Penalty

By Mal Peet

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A young soccer star from the poorest community of Puerto Rico goes mysteriously missing after performing uncharacteristically badly in an important game. There has been no request for ransom, no body, no clue as to where he might have gone.

But the journalist Faustino is on a leave of absence from his job as a sports reporter for La Nacion, taking time to write a biography of another soccer legend. He resists the impulse to get involved, even when a long-time comrade turns up mysteriously murdered.

Bit by bit, Faustino finds himself inexorably drawn into this strange case, involving ancient religions still practiced by the descendants of slaves, and supernatural forces that eventually turn against the evildoers who try to capitalize on the soccer star’s fervent beliefs.

Peet spins a masterful tale that flows easily from centuries-old Africa, colonial Puerto Rico and modern times. His characters are engaging and believable, and his combination of realism and fantasy produces a very appealing hybrid for this young adult mystery.