Mastermind

S.M.A.R.T. : Secret Missions and Rad Technology #1

by Thomas Lockhaven

They may be just middle schoolers, but Aiko, Dex, Emily, and Jayden are not your average kids. As Team Kaboom, they've conquered the Mastermind Competition, but that's just the beginning of their incredible journey. Each member brings a unique set of skills to the table, from hacking to judo, chemistry, and expert observation. And there's a secret they're the FBI's ultimate weapon against crime!
When notorious thief Pierre plans a daring escape, Team Kaboom's talents are put to the ultimate test. With the FBI by their side, these young prodigies must race against time to outsmart Pierre and prevent his getaway. But Pierre is no ordinary criminal; he's always one step ahead, making their mission a thrilling rollercoaster of codes, chemistry, and cunning.
As the tension escalates, can Team Kaboom use their extraordinary abilities to capture Pierre and save the day? Join them on this heart-pounding adventure filled with suspense, surprises, and the power of young minds at work.
Dive into the world of Secret Missions and Rad Technology – Mastermind and experience the ultimate page-turner! Join Team Kaboom and help them catch Pierre before it's too late. Buy now and embark on a journey of intellect, courage, and unstoppable determination!

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2023

About the author

So grateful to have won the prestigious Mom’s Choice Award! Thank you!

You can blame my 7th grade English teacher, Mr. Ownby. I began writing mysteries in middle school, with gripping titles like, The Secret in The Swamp and The Ghost of Hollow Lake—Mr. Ownby, would kindly read them, and then encourage me to keep writing and reading the classics. His words, some day I'll be reading your mysteries with the rest of the world inspired me.

Forty years later, I was able to fulfill my dreams and become a full time writer. When I began writing, I decided that my books would be a safe-haven from the real world. My children's series all have strong messages of perseverance, thinking outside the box, friendship and loyalty. I have a daughter, and as I work through my manuscripts, I always try to imagine what I can say to inspire and entertain at the same time.

For my cozy readers, I spent much of my life traveling to small coastal towns in North Carolina and then later in my life to the coastal towns in New England. I've always loved the idiosyncrasies of the locals, and I've always wanted to bring them to life in a book series. My Coffee House Sleuths stories are just that. And just like my children's books, I endeavor to write stories that are clean, with very little violence and no profanity. I do my best to help people disappear from the craziness of life, even if just for a little while.

I currently live in Boston, but my dream is to move to a small coastal town, stare out over the ocean, and to let the words flow. I have an incredible wife who constantly inspires and encourages me- and an amazing daughter who is my most harsh, but loving critic. As I said earlier, my passion is to write and to continually improve and perfect my craft. For those of you who read my books, I humbly thank you. For those of you who have never read my books, I welcome you with open arms.

Reviews

[Karen (BaronessBookTrove) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy from the Author. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Mastermind by Thomas Lockhaven lets four genius teenagers help to save the world.
Will Team Kaboom capture Pierre?

Team Kaboom
We have four teenagers that are geniuses and great friends.

First, we have our two boys in the group: Dexter "Dex" and Jayden. Dex is the group leader, and he is excellent with computers. He loves to spike his hair and thinks of himself as a flirt. Jayden is great at solving math problems or encryption and is incredible at ciphers. Another thing that Jayden loves doing is judo, and the best thing is that no one expects him to be good at that.

Now we have our two girls in the group: Aiko and Emily. Aiko loves watching people, so she's the group's human behaviorist and psychologist. Emily has eidetic memory and is a great scientist.

Each member has their specialty, and because of the Mastermind competition, they became even better friends. I loved reading about their bickering, how only fantastically best friends bicker, and how they all have each other's backs. Mr. Lockhaven is awesome at showcasing friendships in his novels, and this one is no different.

The Story
Team Kaboom has one competition left for the Mastermind corporation to see which team is the best nationwide. They were competing against three other teams from three different states, and it was a tough competition. It was a whirlwind of activity, with Team Kaboom going everywhere. I have to say that this book had me on the edge of my seat while reading it, especially when Pierre escaped from prison. How will Team Kaboom get him back?

Five Stars
My rating for Mastermind by Thomas Lockhaven is five stars. I also want to recommend this book to anyone out there. This book is for you, whether a parent or an adult who wants to feel like being a kid again. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this and wondering what would happen next. It's a nail-biter of a mystery, and I can't wait to see what happens next with Team Kaboom!

Thank you for dropping by! I hope you enjoyed this review of Mastermind by Thomas Lockhaven.

Until the next time,



Happy Reading!

This review was originally posted on Baroness' Book Trove

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this first book of the Secret Missions and Rad Technology (S.M.A.R.T) Series, four highly intelligent High School students, each with their own unique set of skills that make up Team Kaboom, are recruited to help the FBI catch an escaped bank robber. At first I found the banter between Dex, Emily, Jayden and Aiko slightly annoying but as the story develops so do their characters and in the end they prove how well they can work together in an exciting climax that really draws the reader in. A book that many High School students will identify with, Team Kaboom thinks outside the box and encourages you to do so too! An enjoyable read that is filled with both excitement and humour - yes I grimaced, smiled and laughed my way through and found myself rooting for Team Kaboom all the way to the end.

[Big Fat Hairy Man · Rating 5 out of 5]

A team of four precocious middle-schoolers win a national contest and get recruited by the FBI for a new crime-fighting program. Dex, Jayden, Emily, and Aiko follow the action while having a lot of laughs along the way. This is a fun, middle-school story kicking off a new sleuthing series with lots of adolescent action and chuckles to boot.

I'm a member of the ARC team and have left an honest review voluntarily.

[B Pastore · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a very entertaining and extremely well written book!

It is about 4 middle school kids that team together to enter a mastermind contest which is held across the country. They win the final and become the mastermind champions who are then recruited by the FBI to help solve cases and puzzles as part of a new crime fighting program.

Looking forward to putting this book in our Little Free Library for visitors to select and enjoy!

[Cheryl Hollingsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my gosh, the idea behind this book/ series is wonderful! Kids in the FBI - and such a wonderful way to recruit them! (You'll need to read the book to find out how they were recruited.) This book was a page-turner... I kept wanting to find out what happened next and how things turned out!.

I received a free copy of this book via Twisted Key Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Phthon · Rating 5 out of 5]

How fun! This is an entertaining and exciting story! I loved Team Kaboom! They are a group of creatively thinking intelligent individuals who work extremely well together. I loved their repartee. I found it to be fun that they all had very different strengths and skills yet they were very close friends. This is a blast to read!

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

They may be jus middle school children but they are brainy and have many adventures. This is just one of them and it shows how they get on as well as what skills they have. A great read.

I received a free copy of this book via Twisted Key Publishing and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Callie O · Rating 5 out of 5]

My daughter (she’s 11) was gifted the book by the author and this is what she says.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
loving it
It was really great, I love Dex’s personality, he is so funny. The characters all have special characteristics that makes them so cool.