Under Locker and Key

MAX #1

by Allison K. Hymas

Eleven-year-old Jeremy Wilderson teams up with his rival crime fighter to stop the stealing spree that’s wreaking havoc on Scottsville Middle School in this action-packed MAX novel.

Jeremy Wilderson is not a thief. In fact, he is his middle school’s one and only retrieval specialist. Confiscated cell phones, stolen lunch money—he’ll discretely retrieve it before the last bell rings. Business is good, and if it weren’t for the meddling of preteen private investigator Becca Mills, he’d be happier than a gym teacher on dodgeball day.

But a new job shatters his comfortable lifestyle. Now, thanks to Jeremy, the master key to the schools’ lockers is in the hands of an aspiring crime kingpin who doesn’t exactly have Jeremy’s strong moral character. Soon not even combination locks can protect the students’ textbooks and jackets. Retrieving the key is too big a job for one crime fighter, and only one person wants the key returned as much as Jeremy does: Becca Mills.

Lockers are being robbed, the teachers are looking for the culprit, and the only person Jeremy can turn to is the girl who most wants to see him in the principal’s office. Will Jeremy be able to trust Becca enough to get the key back in the right hands? Or could he end up in detention until the end of high school instead?

Genres: Middle Grade, Mystery, Realistic Fiction, Humor, Action, Contemporary, Adventure

257 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 18, 2017

About the author

Hello, readers! It's great to meet you!

I was born in Provo, Utah, but raised (along with my 4 siblings) in Virginia and Pennsylvania.

As a middle schooler, I was a law-abiding citizen (except for the occasional offense of reading under my desk when I should have been listening).

I now hold an MFA from Brigham Young University and currently live in Utah. Under Locker and Key is my first novel. I'm hard at work writing Jeremy Wilderson's further adventures.

Reviews

[Liz Friend · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story: Jeremy Wilderson is NOT a thief--he's a "retrieval specialist", and he only takes things that someone else took first. So when one of his ventures goes bad, Jeremy feels obligated to fix it, even when it attracts the attention of the school's self-appointed policewoman and do-gooder, Becca Mills. She wants to see Jeremy punished for his crimes, but he has other plans--plans that include getting her to work with him to bring down the real villain. (He never said it would be easy.)

June Cleaver's ratings: Language G; Violence PG; Sexual content G; Nudity G; Substance abuse G; Magic & the occult G; GLBT content G; adult themes (thievery and breaking of school rules, acts of breaking and entering and other delinquent activity) PG; overall rating PG.

Liz's comments: Hand this one to any kid who enjoyed Varian Johnson's "The Great Greene Heist". The characters talk more like 8th graders than 6th graders, but the snappy dialog is part of the story's charm, so kids aren't likely to complain. Fun for any kid who likes a caper story, and even the dreaded Becca grows a little as a character by story's end.

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was okay. Did not really have very much exciting mystery's in it though, and the key is not very hidden by the way (it's in the most obvious spot). Would recommend for those who like reading realistic fiction, but want to try out some mystery.

Jeremy Wildreson is the retrieval specialist at Scottsville Middle School. That's right...retrieval specialist, not "stealer" specialist. At least, that's what everyone says except Becca Mills, the goody-two shoes. If you loose something and need to get it back ASAP, Jeremy Wilderson is your guy. He can retrieve anything for you within minutes, any location, and at any time. He even drove to a different school just to retrieve a project for someone! Some master kid with ninja skills!

He can retrieve you anything literally...but maybe not the key.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful book for elementary and secondary students alike! The characters are well developed, loveable, and fun; the plot draws the reader in; and every line contains clever word play. An impressive debut by a new author.

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeremy is a retrieval specialist, stealing back the stolen and returning the goods to the rightful middle schoolers. But when a job goes bad, it goes REALLY bad.

[monita · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeremy yang hampir selalu melanggar aturan dan Becca yang kaku serta taat aturan bekerja sama untuk "mencuri" kembali kunci utama seluruh loker yang ada di sekolahnya. Hubungan mereka agak drama, namun hal tersebut yang membuat cerita dalam buku ini menjadi menarik. Narasi ditulis seakan-akan dunia Jeremy adalah dunia orang dewasa. Selain itu, kasus yang mereka hadapi juga ditangani dengan cerdik dan cukup menegangkan. Sangat menghibur!

[Rebecca Ross · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeremy Wilderson is a "retrieval specialist" at his Middle School, which means he stays pretty busy helping the students who request that he recover anything from their stolen lunch money to stolen papers. Occasionally, that requires his lock pick and sticky fingers. But "J" is no "thief," as fellow student and self appointed PI Becca believes. While she is determined to find J breaking the law and order of Middle School life and land him in eternal detention, J is determined to continue helping the students who need his special services.

But when the master key of the school goes missing, and a crime spree begins to take over the school, J must work double time to right his accidental wrongs and catch the thief. But he'll need help to do it...he'll need none other than his true nemesis, Becca.

I was so lucky to read an ARC of this amazing debut! It's clever, witty and fun, with an incredible voice that soars right off the page.

Highly recommended!

[Wendy MacKnight · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fun book! Jeremy Wilderson is his school's "retrieval specialist". But he may be getting a tad cocky. Lucky for him, his arch-enemy Becca is around to keep him in check. It's a lot of fun until one of his clients proves to be even more clever than Jeremy. If he's going to fix his mistake, he's going to need some help...

Hymas' debut is clever, well written and great fun. She expertly captures middle grade friendships and rivals and Jeremy's exploits made me think "Middle Grade Mission Impossible"

This book is a delight and a must-read!

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great, great book. It's not often that a book makes me giggle or snicker audibly, but this one did it. The writing is clever and tight, the characters are genuine, and the plot is endlessly thickening and twisting in delightful ways. Loved it. Pick it up for the characters you'll wish you'd had as friends in middle school, the fast-paced adventure, and the sparkling wit.

[Mark Maciejewski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Under Locker and Key is a funny, fast paced, caper with a fantastic cast of characters. I love the voice of the MC and I especially love the ending. This is a book you want to put in the hands of a reluctant reader to show them how fun and exciting reading can be. It's the exactly the kind of book I wish I had when I was 10 years old.

[Amanda Hosch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun!
UNDER LOCKER AND KEY is a great, fast-paced, fun read. Jeremy, the "retrieval specialist" has to team up with his school enemy, Becca, aka "the detective" to right a wrong. Jeremy's voice is hilarious and captivating.
I was lucky to read an ARC of this totally captivating middle grade story.

[Alexandra Ott · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so much fun! It's fast-paced and funny and clever, with a fantastic middle grade voice and tons of entertaining hijinks. I loved Jeremy and Becca; they make such a great duo. Recommended to all middle grade readers looking for a fun adventure!

[Mary · Rating 2 out of 5]

While it was an enjoyable read, it really is a book about lying and deception, and I just can't get past the fact that they got away with pulling a fire alarm with no consequences. I take fire seriously.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is fun read! It doesn't release til Spring 2017, but keep it in mind. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters.

[Rebekah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book!! I would recommend it for any middle grade child who likes action/adventure books. The characters are very relatable, and the pacing is perfect.

[Nancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fast-paced read for middle school masterminds! Lots of cloak and dagger, red herrings, good times.

[Susan Tan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great story with amazing, vibrant characters! I laughed out loud so many times while reading!!

[Tessa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly unbelievable but still very cute. I liked the characters and it made me laugh out loud several times. I'll read the sequel.

[Aliah Eberting · Rating 4 out of 5]

Under Lock and Key is a delightful heist story about Jeremy Wilderson, a middle school “retrieval specialist” (a.k.a. a thief with the morals of Robin Hood) who gets himself into a spot of hot trouble in the line of duty. I enjoyed the book as an adult, and I’ve now passed my copy on to a ten-year-old who is gobbling it up.
There are a lot of things to love in this wonderfully quirky book, but I thought Hymas’s dialogue really shone. Throughout the story main character Jeremy has several verbal battles with his nemesis Becca, a clever middle school detective who would like nothing better than to put him behind bars. Reading their arguments was cathartic because both of them are always able to think of, on the spot, the clever comebacks that never occurred to me till hours later when I was in middle school. The verbal repartee made a fun, snappy story even snappier.
From a grown-up perspective, I also enjoyed how the story handled differing perspectives on morality: Jeremy as a thief/not thief and Becca as the Les Miserables’ Javert-esque “good guy.” Hymas thoroughly explores the pros and cons of both perspectives.
On a less-analyzing note, this story was just sheer fun. From bullies to misplaced gym shorts, Under Locker and Key has all the middle school drama. And Jeremy is just a really cool guy. What middle schooler hasn’t dreamed of escaping through a window with a grappling hook? And this guy can actually pull it off.
I really liked the book. And now it’s joining the other titles on my recommendation list.

[Nathan Austin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a charming book that I had the pleasure of reading. It took me, a male college student, one sitting, and the whole time I was enraptured with the characters, their interactions, and the story as a whole.
It reminds me of the books that I read while in middle school, as that is the target audience. The protagonist is very well written, and I wholly enjoyed reading from his perspective. His interaction with the other characters is believable and humorous, and puts off vibes of that of the cocky hero. The, uh, not-antagonist-but-still-kind-of-is, takes the tattle-tell to the extreme, and the pressure from her adds a constant sense of urgency to add on to the standard heist archetype. Without spoilers, the effort seen by the two of them is intense, thrilling, and a bit heartwarming. The story is driven and fun, with great plot and twists and the like, enough to keep a college student captive the whole time. There is also the fun of trying to out think the protagonist, and the thrill of not quite knowing what he is thinking, and the excellent release of finally discovering what he intends to do.
This book will remain on my shelf (I bought a physical copy) for my children to read, both my actual children and my students (going to be an English teacher, hence my fancy and long review) as I find this book to be a great short read. Fantastic work overall, I highly recommend reading it.

[Brittany Casselman · Rating 4 out of 5]

UNDER LOCKER AND KEY is an incredible MG Novel! Allison Hymas has pulled out a binge-worthy novel with all the elements of a crime novel wrapped in a middle school setting. Though after reading reviews I was afraid this book wouldn't hold my attention well enough as an older reader, it fit squarely into the "smart middle grade fiction" category. I'm usually pretty astute at picking up the plot clues, but Hymas had me guessing at every turn.
One of my favorite things about this novel was the "filme noir" aspect. I didn't quite think it was possible to write that voice from a middle schooler's perspective, but Hymas nails it, somehow taking the terse, hard-talking detective voice mystery lovers know and love from the filme noir genre and puts it in the head of a middle schooler without taking you out of the story one bit.
Becca, the story's antagonist, was a character who I didn't think was going to steal (pun not intended) my heart, but did. I've always wanted to find a lawful good antagonist, but I honestly didn't know if it could be done by anything except Les Mis. Hymas proved me wrong by creating a character who is a stickler to the rules to the extreme that the rules can't even be followed.
UNDER LOCKER AND KEY is a mysterious whodunnit focused on a "retrieval specialist" who steals back from the bullies and the class detective who wants to see his rule breaking streak end.

[Nate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a clever book that did not make me roll my eyes too much. Reading this brought me back to middle school, and all of the characters were very relatable in at least one aspect of character development. The perspective of a teacher’s child and student as a fallible hero is convenient. The female that snitches as a goody-two-shoes balances the free-willed main character's perspective. The dichotomy of the two main subjects makes for a series of real or ideological clashes that have a humorous effect at times. The plot points did not go too far outside of the realm of possibility of making an excellent realistic fiction novel for middle schoolers. I was intrigued by how much plausibility the story had, and it got me invested in the heist. I would like to see how a movie adaptation would portray the grappling hook scene.
There were no big loose ends, and the wrap-up was satisfying, without leaving much to be desired. From the premise to climax, there was suspense, and I was always motivated to keep reading. Plans are kept with enough ambiguity that the reader finds themselves tense during scenes. There are big plot points that get resolved, but they are accompanied by smaller facets of the events and circumstances that leave some things to the imagination, almost as if there could be a good sequel. I would recommend this to any reader in 8th grade, or in grade school, for a quick read and good entertainment.

[Marissa Noelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book for a class assignment, and I actually really enjoyed it! I was a bit surprised since I’m definitely a little out of the target age range, but it was still a very fun read. The concept kind of made me think of the TV show Leverage (one of my favorites!) but for a middle grade audience.
The voice in this book was probably the most standout part of it. Even from the very beginning you got a good sense of the main character and what he was all about. It was also pretty relatable and age-appropriate for the audience. It felt like a good and relatable look into the struggles of middle school, which I’m sure we can all relate to on some level or another. But it adds a kind of spice to the ordinary life of a middle schooler, making it more exciting. The characters were fun and relatable, a little bit caricatured, but it gave it that old-school heist story feel that I enjoy.
Another thing I think this book did pretty well was pacing. It started up fairly quickly and unfolded with the characters and plot very smoothly and naturally, keeping things moving at a steady pace. The rising tension was good and interesting, and it had a good resolution as well, while still retaining a lot of the excitement throughout. Overall, this book was very well done, especially for a first novel! I really enjoyed my time reading it.

[Aditya Rao · Rating 5 out of 5]

The book mainly focusses on a psychological battle of the minds between Jeremy, who is a middle schooler in constant need of stimulation , to put it mildly and a well fleshed out villain named Mark.
Mark did not have any generic bad guy dialogues, which I would've skipped through if it were so.
The scene where Jeremy prevents Mark's classroom door from locking during the later stages of the book was such a novel idea, I was inspired by it and I tried it out on a self locking door I had access to. It was a fun 2 hours. I just hope that with each passing book, the character trait of Case , that he is a ladies man get's explored more and more and it's not restricted in each book to one or two lines of gentlemanly banter and perusing. The title of the novel is great wordplay and I'm mildly curious why the author resisted the urge to make Jeremy's Dad a pun-ny guy. I did not like the character of Jeremy's brother for trivial reasons, but it would be fun to see Jeremy and his elder brother team up for a heist together in future books. It was very smart of the author to make Jeremy a 6th grader as it gives him a lot of appeal, like seeing a young Messi on the Spanish football grounds for the first time.

[LeeAnn · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Jeremy Wilderson: light-fingered, thinking-on-his-feet, rule-breaking retrieval specialist (NOT thief). Becca Mills: brainy, by-the-rulebook, middle school detective determined to bring Jeremy down. The last two people you'd expect to form a partnership. But that is exactly what Jeremy and Becca realize they have to do when the master key to every locker--and who knows what else--in Scottsville Middle School ends up in the hands of a greedy, wanna-be crime lord. Best of all? We get to come along for the ride. Bumps, bruises, grappling hooks, and all.

Hand this one to readers looking for a new mystery-caper series or to those who just like humor and fun. By the locker-full.

[Ethan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I normally am not one for middle grade books, particularly one that lacks any fantasy elements, but this book was incredible. I found it so engaging that I read most of it in a single sitting. The dialogue is fantastic, the characters are believable, the humor is on par, and the voice of Allison is amazing. I loved every moment and even found myself on some serious cliff hangers that brought out real emotion from me. If you are looking for a read that grabs you and keeps you rooted until the last page, both with laughter and intensity, this is the book for you, regardless of age.

[Keri Douglas · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an adorable book. Students who like the Loot series will love this. Jeremy is not a thief, he is a retrieval specialist. He steals things from thieves and returns them to their proper owner before the end of the school day (he's that good!). The only problem (well the initial problem) is Becca who is a rule-follower extraordinaire who will stop at nothing to make sure every student is following the school rules at all times at all costs! Cute and complicated crime novel for middle grades.

[Rachel Rooney · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 2019-2020 Missouri Mark Twain Readers Award preliminary nominee (grades 4-6).

Jeremy Wilderson is a retrieval specialist. He is NOT a thief. Except for that one time that he took something that didn't belong to the person that he gave it to and had to team up with his archrival to try to get it back and lied to his friends about what was going on.

I think I liked this book more than my 12-year-old son. He was 11 at the time that he read it, so well within the age range. Anyway, for that reason, I am rating it 3 stars rather than 3.5. After all, he is the target audience, not me.

[Jeanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

A solid example of the middle grade mystery. The protagonist skirts the law yet does develop a conscience as the story progresses. The sixth grade flirting (by flirting I mean harassing each other) is palpable. The only thing I didn't really care for is that the end should have been completely tied up rather than reopening the tension between the leads. It still would have been open for a sequel.

[Vivi · Rating 4 out of 5]

A whole ton of fun. Jeremy retrieves lost and stolen items with little to no regard for the rules. Sadly his lack of research on his customers leads to unintended consequences. Teaming up with the school detective (who's eager to bust him) leads to a long con and some serious reevaluation of his lifestyle. Don't worry, it doesn't get preachy. A good adventure book with a dose of ethics tossed in.

[Carli · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️/5. Jeremy is a “retrieval specialist” at his middle school - kids go to him when their things are stolen or confiscated and they need them back. When a client asks him to retrieve a key though, he finds out that he has been played and the client now has a master key to all the lockers in the school. Jeremy has no choice but to team up with his nemesis to get it back before he is framed. I can see some readers really enjoying this one.