Listened: "Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma" by Trenton Lee Stewart

Listened: Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma by Trenton Lee Stewart, 2010, Overdrive download.

I listened to the first two, well maybe I read the second, I do not recall.  This is sequel and I'm not sure how much a new reader would get out of it.  Stewart does go back over previous happenings.

Reynie, Sticky, Constance and Kate are still living in Benedict's large, guarded home in Stonetown and call themselves the Mysterious Benedict Society.  Their parents are living with them as well and all of them are under the protection of Milligan, other guards, and the government.  Ledroptha Curtain is still on the loose and wants to recover The Whisperer.  The children are forbidden to leave the house because Curtain would try to kidnap them to force Mr. Benedict to return The Whisperer.  Mr. Benedict knows Curtain has spies in the government his Curtain's Ten Men are still skulking.

A government functionary is demanding Benedict either use the whisperer in interrogations or turn it over.  One of Curtain's spies brings forged papers saying he is Constance's father. Constance has discovered he can sometimes read minds and use telepathy.  Constance demands the Whisperer be used to recover her memory.  Constance gets upset about something and runs away.

Shotly after Constance runs away a mysterious, citywide, nighttime blackout leaves all power and communications down.  The amphibious Salamander vehicle from Book Two drives through the back wall of Benedict's urban compound.  The Salamander's sound dampening technology alerts no one but the four kids see it out the window and flee.  Things happen. 

One of Benedict's guards is a plant.  The Society follows some clues left by Ten Men and walk into a trap set by Curtain.  Curtain laid the clues and they followed them into a kidnapping.  The Society is locked into an abandoned prison with Ten Men and Curtain.  Benedict and others come to the rescue.  Lots of tension, fighting, and Milligan bravery.  Lots of Reynie thinking hard.  Lots of Sticky remembering things.  Lots of Constance being an ornery and grouchy 4-year-old.

Comments:
1.  A fun view of a big, pretend city.
2.  No guns.  Just Milligan and his tranquilizer gun and boomerang.  The Ten Men with shock watches and throwing super sharp pencils.
3.  Obviously set-up as a third and final book with Curtain being captured and imprisoned.  The four kids end up living together, with their families.  Either they live inside separate apartments in Benedict's house or across the street.