Gordon Korman is one of those authors who I'm always suggesting for boys, and yet I never actually read anything by him until Masterminds. Now I can confidently, enthusiastically recommend him to anyone looking for a fun, action packed adventure. This won't be the last of his books I read (I've already requested Masterminds #2!). 
 Masterminds was such a fun book to read. There's a little bit for everyone - science, mystery, adventure, and heart-stopping thrills. I enjoyed the separate 1st person narratives from the children who are gradually uncovering the sinister secrets of their seemingly utopian town. This allows the readers to hear the different emotional effects that poor decisions (like lying and keeping secrets) can produce in people. 
 There's a few good lessons for kids in this one - first, you can be anyone you want to be and you don't have to follow a specific path just because you feel like you have to. Second, learn to be inquisitive. Ask questions, and don't just accept things as truth because a grownup or newspaper or authority figure said so. While many of us have been blessed with loving parents/aunts/uncles/teachers/etc, blind trust is never good. Especially when your parents may be up to something particularly dark and scary...