Blink & Caution by Tim Wynne-Jones

Blink was only trying to steal some breakfast from a fancy Toronto hotel when he accidently witnesses a high-stakes hoax. Caution was fed up with ill-treatment from her former lover/pimp/pornographer and steals a huge wad of his cash. Chance brings the two homeless teens together and soon they have each other's backs. They are going to need all of their wits because they are in way over their heads... and that's not even counting the tragedies that sent them to the streets initially.

This is Tim Wynne-Jones' most adrenalin-fueled novel yet. The two teens are also really interesting individuals. I appreciated the subtle ways their characteristics were revealed: Caution's mixed Aboriginal ancestry, for example. She has her father's grey English eyes and comes from Wahnapitae in northern Ontario; her cousin (on her mother's side) has a broad, brown face and answers the door in moccasins.

The chapters alternate between Blink's story - told in second person - and Caution's, which is in third. Flashbacks are in italics, so it is always easy to orient oneself. Believable dialogue helps to move the action along quickly. I'd recommend this to anyone looking for a smart thriller. Grade 8 - up.