Overview

“Guaranteed to bring out the inner hero in all of us.” —Janet Evanovich, #1 New York Times bestselling author “Super sly, super fun.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred review) For graduates of Percy Jackson and fans of Alex Rider comes the second book in the adventure-filled Evil Villains International League series, bringing a maelstrom of epic proportions as Keeper Chance and his friends must beat the paradoxes of time to conquer a dangerously deceptive enemy. Keeper Chance hasn’t been an E.V.I.L. villain for long, but there are two things he knows: One: Nothing is ever as it seems. That goes double when you’re up against a doppelgänger. It’s going to take patience and perseverance for Keeper and villainous teammates Toby and Y to figure out who is who and why someone who can be anyone would want to kidnap a senior member of E.V.I.L. Two: It helps to have time on your side. But the doppelgänger seems to have recruited flunkies who can bend time to their will. Even worse, there’s Toby’s brother, who’s no slouch when it comes to being a parental snitch. Before the clock runs out (or back), it’ll take a showdown with the time benders—not to mention some seriously vicious cats—to unmask the imposter and end the mayhem. Someone is going to have to step up and save the day. But will it be an E.V.I.L. hero…or a H.E.R.O.?

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9781665960076

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Reviews

Sixteen-year-old Keeper Chance and his best friend, Toby Boggs, are the youngest recruits to E.V.I.L., the Evil Villains International League. Each member has special talents (e.g., Toby has super tech skills, amazing hearing, and an excellent sense of smell), but Keeper doesn’t know what his are yet. In this follow-up to Keeper Chance and the Conundrum of Chaos (rev. 1/25), fellow E.V.I.L. member Showboater has disappeared with an important file, and the rival Heroic Elite Reconnaissance Organization is also trying to find him. Keeper and Toby are joined by Y, a beautiful girl with an affection for our protagonist. The long crime story is studded with scenes of bedlam and mayhem balanced by humorous dialogue, rollicking situations, and clever wordplay. Frustrating the search for Showboater is Ditto, a spy for hire whose skill is doppelgänging: everyone mistakes him for someone else, and thus no one really knows what he looks like, making it difficult to find him—and making it hard for him to know himself. Within the larger madcap hunt for Showboater, Ditto and Keeper both are on paths to discover their true selves. As with the first volume, this book is all about the sheer fun of reading. -- Horn Book * November/December * This entry in a cozy mystery comes with a side of glitter and sequins. Two opposing alliances, E.V.I.L and H.E.R.O., vie for the allegiance of new members who seem normal but boast unique ­superpowers. Some control time. Others can create clone-like identities: doppelgangers. Readers will relate to the ­dynamics of this trio of friends. Keeper, Toby, and Y are just like any other kids, only they find themselves in some wild and crazy situations while trying to sleuth out the story of the mysterious key discovered at the Cat’s ­Curiosity shop. ­Never ­before have feline characters stolen the show from the superheroes while creating such havoc. With just the slightest hint of a budding romance, full of twists and turns, Keeper’s mission will keep readers alert and scrambling for answers. A satisfying reveal of a surprise mastermind ­tidies up the action and leaves readers ready to dive into the next installment in the series. VERDICT For readers who are clamoring for more ­adventure in the vein of Alex Rider, Artemis Fowl, and Percy Jackson.  -- School Library Journal * 10/1/25 * A secret agent who can look like anyone leads a young villain in training and his questionably evil associates on a merry chase. It seems that Showboater—a sequin-shedding Elvis impersonator with the superpower of going unnoticed (“the more flamboyant he was, the more he disappeared”)—has vanished along with a certain very important file. Now, the rival Evil Villains International League and the Heroic Elite Reconnaissance Organization are anxious to get him, or at least the file, back. As it turns out, they aren’t the only ones. Tongue resolutely in cheek, Evanovich pits 16-year-old E.V.I.L. trainee Keeper Chance, his technologically adept best friend, Toby, and other parties (loyal allies or otherwise) against agent-for-hire Ditto. But Ditto is frustratingly able to stay a step ahead, thanks to both his own “doppelgänging” ability and a supportive trio of teenagers who can manipulate time in various ways. The ensuing hilarious misadventures add to the pleasure of watching the antics of superheroes with evocative monikers like Chaos and Joy Sucker (though the most fearsomely powerful of all is Toby’s mom) while contemplating the curiously narrow ethical gap between the tale’s villains and heroes. Better yet, having strung readers along through nearly two episodes about the exact nature of Keeper’s own mysterious superpower, the author finally sneaks in a credible suggestion toward the end. The cast largely presents white. Super sly, super fun. (Superhero adventure. 10-14)   -- Kirkus--STARRED REVIEW * August 1, 2025 *

Author Information

Alex Evanovich lives in North Carolina with her family. Her favorite Hobbit is Samwise Gamgee. The Sorting Hat says she’s a Ravenclaw. Her favorite Darth Maul is the one from Star Wars: The Clone Wars with giant robot legs. And she’s never rolled a nat 20.

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