Ronan Boyle and the Bridge of Riddles by Thomas Lennon

 Ronan Boyle is the son of two Irish scientists who have been wrongfully convicted of stbrealing a valuable artifact.  Ronan, though just 15, joins the Irish secret police as an intern, hoping that from that position he can find evidence to prove his parents' innocence.  He is surprised when he is recruited into special forces that are charged with monitoring fairy influence in the human world. As he bumbles his way through his first case, he learns information that could help his own investigation.

That plot summary sounds super serious, but there is very little about this book that is serious.  It is very silly and full of slapstick and potty humor. I think that 8 to 10-year-olds of a certain disposition would really love it.  I enjoyed it myself.  It brought many smiles to my face and maybe I even chuckled outloud once or twice.  I also enjoyed the references to Irish folklore. I had recently done some research about Irish fairy folklore for a project at work, and it was fun hear references to the creatures I had learned about.  A note about the audiobook.  It is read by the author.  At first I assumed he was an native of Ireland, but when I looked him up he isn't.  He is an actor who has done a lot of voiceover. He is also the screenwriter for Night at the Muesum. He has played several Irish roles before so I wonder if it is in his cultural heritage. (305, 2019)