Griff Carver, Hallway Patrol (review)

A disgraced and hardened cop relocates to a new town, promising himself and his old lady that this time will be different, this time he won't let the job consume his life, this time he won't fall prey to the shiny lure of the badge and lose himself to the seductive power of law enforcement. Soon, however, Mr. Straight-and-Narrow finds himself back on the mean streets again, getting high off the adrenaline rush that only comes with putting bad guys in their place. It's a tale as old as cops and robbers, but here the cops happen to be school safety patrolmen and the streets are the rough-and-tumble hallways of Rampart Middle School (the loyal little woman is the protagonist's mother). Griff Carver, fabled hallway monitor and loose cannon, has gotten a whiff of something rotten and suspects a counterfeit-hall-pass ring led by none other than Marcus "The Smile" Volger. In a clever nod to classic noir detective stories, first-time author Krieg pulls out all the stops, including the fresh-faced Boy Scout who's Griff's rookie partner and a prickly but charming dame with an ulterior motive as the possible romantic interest. Griff himself is a bit over the top with his impenetrable bravado and constant cop lingo, but kids in on the joke will surely appreciate his scathing critique of middle-school politics and his deliciously biting one-liners ("A hero's just a sandwich the cafeteria served us every Wednesday"). With an action packed ending that leaves plenty of room for a sequel, this one is sure to garner plenty of fans and may inspire a few budding officers.