This series really is Lanyon at the top of his game. So clever. So understated. I'm not much of a mystery fan, I confess. With that bias stated, I will say that the mystery here is... mildly entertaining wallpaper for me. However, Jake and Adrien are very interesting. They strike all the right notes, and their interactions are just fascinating.It's funny. My first read through, this series was all about Adrien. Rereading it a couple of years later, my focus shifted to Jake more and more. He had to have been a real challenge to write. Not only is he so tightly controlled, but he is conveyed through Adrien's (slightly self-centered) perspective. Still, over the course of the series you get such a clear picture of who he is, painted in heartbreakingly subtle brush strokes. A really, really enjoyable series. Even if, like me, you're not generally a fan of mysteries. It seems like Mr. Lanyon poured a lot of heart into these books, that I sometimes feel is lacking in some of his other work.