Smart

Kieran is a unique young man; he is a devout student of criminal investigation from the many fictional detectives about whom he has read and considers himself a master of observation. It is not, however, until Kieran happens upon the body of a homeless man that Kieran's skills are put to practice.

The police have ruled the death an accident, another nameless vagrant who likely won't be missed. Kieran, though, is convinced that the man - who is, in fact, named Colin - was murdered, and takes the case. Keeping interviews of others in the homeless community and sketches of details from the crime scene in his notebook, Kieran gradually reveals a plot far more complex than the police are willing to consider that extends as far as his front door.

Kim Slater's Smart, is a sensitive portrayal of a boy about whom few seem to care honouring the death of one of the countless many that others would quickly brush aside. Addressing such subjects as domestic abuse, homelessness, and treatment of the Autistic, Smart would be well suited for a mature young audience, particularly those touched on any level by similar issues.