Awards
2006 Edgar Award for Best Young Adult Novel
Synopses & Reviews
Framed for a stranger’s near-fatal overdose at a party, blackmailed into finding a mysterious flash drive everyone in school seems anxious to suppress, and pressured by his shady best friend to throw an upcoming match, high school soccer player Charlie Dixon is juggling more than his share of drama. Add in a broken heart and the drinking he’s been doing to soothe it, and he’s near the breaking point. In this fast-paced, layered mystery, Charlie spends a frantic week trying to clear his name, win back the girl of his dreams, and escape a past friendship that may be responsible for all his current problems. This book captures the tone and style of the best crime fiction while also telling a high-stakes story of peer pressure gone tragically awry.
Praise for High and Dry
"A dark, well-constructed mystery with a strong voice."
--Kirkus Reviews
"Skilton’s latest covers a tense and complicated week during which Charlie must unravel relationships, desires, lies, and truths in order to clear his name, regain his sense of self, and set his world right again."
--Booklist
"School drama, romance, and mystery make a heady mash-up and an involving quick pick."
--The Bulletin of The Center for Children’s Books
"With a strong subtext about the dangers of test-driven curriculua, this novel will find an audience in most high schools."
--School Library Journal
Review
"[Feinstein] writes as if he's having a fine time at the keyboard, and the result will entertain not only young readers, but the oldsters looking over their shoulders as well." Boston Globe
Review
"Score! That's exactly what author John Feinstein does with this mystery." Dallas Morning News
Review
"You'll feel as if you have a courtside seat at the SuperDome. Last Shot is Feinstein's first entry into fiction for young people, and it's an impressive one. The story is intriguing, the dialogue snappy and the finale exciting." Bookpage
Synopsis
Steven Thomas is one of two lucky winners of the U.S. Basketball Writer's Association's contest for aspiring journalists. His prize? A trip to New Orleans and a coveted press pass for the Final Four. It's a basketball junkie's dream come true!
But the games going on behind the scenes between the coaches, the players, the media, the money-men, and the fans turn out to be even more fiercely competitive than those on the court. Steven and his fellow winner, Susan Carol Anderson, are nosing around the Superdome and overhear what sounds like a threat to throw the championship game. Now they have just 48 hours to figure out who is blackmailing one of MSU's star players...and why.
Synopsis
Steven Thomas is one of two lucky winners of the U.S. Basketball Writers Associations contest for aspiring journalists. His prize? A trip to New Orleans and a coveted press pass for the Final Four. Its a basketball junkies dream come true!
But the games going on behind the scenes between the coaches, the players, the media, the money-men, and the fans turn out to be even more fiercely competitive than those on the court. Steven and his fellow winner, Susan Carol Anderson, are nosing around the Superdome and overhear what sounds like a threat to throw the championship game. Now they have just 48 hours to figure out who is blackmailing one of MSUs star players . . . and why.
Praise for John Feinstein:
“The best writer of sports books in America today.”The Boston Globe
“Feinsteins beat, it turns out, isnt sports; its human nature.”People on A March to Madness
“A basketball junkies nirvana.”Sports Illustrated on A March to Madness
“One of the best sportswriters alive!”Larry King, USA Today on A Good Walk Spoiled
About the Author
John Feinstein is the author of many bestselling sports books, including A Season on the Brink and A Good Walk Spoiled. Feinstein worked for The Washington Post as both a political and sports reporter for more than 10 years and continues to contribute articles. He is a regular commentator for National Public Radio and Sporting News Radio and an essayist for CBS Sports. He lives with his wife, son, and daughter in Bethesda, MD, and Shelter Island, NY.