Pixie Dust -- Henry Melton

Henry Melton's been reviewed here on the blog before, and I've enjoyed all his books. This one's a bit different from the others. It's a big longer, I think, and the protagonist is a bit older, but it should still fit into the YA market and be attractive to older folks like me, too.

Jenny Quinn's working on an advanced degree in physics. During an experiment, things go wrong, and odd stuff begins to happen. Jenny's major professor dies in an accident. We mystery fans know about that kind of accident, and sure enough, this book is an SF mystery, one of those hybrids that's not easy to bring off, but Melton does it. It's also an "origin story." When Jenny starts to experience certain, um, powers, she has no real idea of what to do. But she thinks of a good source of guidance: comic books.

And when Jenny has to go on the run, she winds up living with carnies. So we have a mystery, some SF puzzlers, and carnies, all in the same book. There's more, but that should be a surprise. And there's even a good final twist. You can't go wrong. Check it out.