“You’ve probably never heard of Vincenzo Perugia.”

From Frank Cottrell Boyce’s Framed.

Manod, Wales is a quiet, almost dead town where nine-year-old Dylan, as the only boy in the small town, wishes that he could play soccer instead of helping out at the family business: the Snowdonia Oasis Auto Marvel gas station.  While Dylan’s sister, Minnie, spends all her time focusing on criminal history and great art heists and his dad avoids the tax men who keep coming around to ask questions, Dylan spends his time logging the fuel usage for the station.  After spending so much time logging the fuel used, Dylan has become familiar with everyone’s cars, average gas usage, and even their favorite snacks, so when several trucks drive through town and up the mountain to the abandoned mines, it instantly stands out to Dylan as odd and gets him wondering what is happening.  While most of the adults in town are too worn down by the crumbling economy to look into the strange arrival of the trucks, Dylan makes it his mission to find out the truth behind the entire thing.  As Dylan learns the truth about the mysterious visitors and the contents of the trucks, events are set in motion that will change Dylan’s life and the small town of Manod forever. 

This story is filled with mystery and adventure that will appeal to readers of all ages.  Cottrell Boyce crafts an unexpected story that is captivating, and because it is partly inspired by real life events, genuine.  While there are some slower portions, Framed is a rewarding read that will stay with readers long after the story is finished.