I thoroughly enjoyed reading Masterminds by Gordon Korman.
Korman gives us a story of 4 twelve and thirteen year olds from Serenity, New Mexico. A friend is sent to his grandmother's and leave his best friend a cryptic note, causing his friends to try to discover what is really happening in their town.
My first impression of the cover was that this book was a graphic novel, which it's not. This was probably the only thing I felt didn't work.
The chapters alternate between each of the main characters, which allows Korman to give each his/her own voice. I found this to work well as it helped develop each character very well. I can see this as a great read for 9-12 year olds.
****This Advance Reader's Edition was won in a Goodreads giveaway courtesy of Harper Collins Children's Books.****