A Dark Inheritance by Chris D’Lacey (review)

Michael can’t initially figure out how he saved the dog—one moment he was observing a dog at risk and the next instant he was holding it out of harm’s way. It turns out that Michael has an ability to alter reality, which makes him valuable to a group called UNICORNE, a group with which his father had been secretly associated before his disappearance three years earlier. Michael’s first task on the team isn’t, as he’d hoped, to begin searching for his father but rather to investigate the rescued dog, his deceased owner, and a mystery around a classmate whom the dog seems to find particularly appealing. Michael’s sardonic younger sister provides a refreshing counterpoint to his general earnest tone, as does the sexy, dangerous Chantelle, a member of UNICORNE who is masquerading as household help to keep an eye on Michael. The plot’s a little overstuffed, but presumably future volumes in the series will sort it all out for the reader; in the meantime, the snappy pace and amiable protagonist who knows he is making things up on the fly, and notes so with wry resignation, make for a lively and enjoyable read.