Creature of the Night by Kate Thompson 250 pages

A thief and a liar at 14, 14 year old Bobby is a thief and a liar. When his mother decides to move the family from Dublin to the country to try to keep him out of trouble he is furious. His first action is to steal the landlord's car and the consequences having to work off his debt becomes his salvation. Turns out that the country isn't all that quiet and sleepy. His younger brother starts talking about a "little woman" creature and Bobby becomes a nighttime detective. This book earned starred reviews. It deftly juggles several topics including personal responsibility and fantasy. This Irish author knows how to spin a tale.