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Sammy Keyes and the Showdown in Sin City

ebook
2 of 2 copies available
2 of 2 copies available
"The most winning junior detective ever in teen lit. (Take that, Nancy Drew!)" —Midwest Children's Book Review
In this pivotal book in the Sammy Keyes series, Sammy tackles the persistent mysteries of her own life. Mysteries like: Who is her father? And why has her mother kept it such a secret? How long can she manage to hide out in Grams' seniors-only building before someone catches on? Is her mother really planning to marry her boyfriend's father? (Ew.) And why, why is Heather Acosta so nasty?
During one crazy weekend in Las Vegas, with the help of an entire army of Elvis impersonators, Sammy finally gets some answers. But of course knowledge comes at a price—and solving the mysteries of her own life will cost Sammy more than she ever meant to pay. . . .
The Sammy Keyes mysteries are fast-paced, funny, thoroughly modern, and true whodunits. Each mystery is exciting and dramatic, but it's the drama in Sammy's personal life that keeps readers coming back to see what happens next with her love interest Casey, her soap-star mother, and her mysterious father.
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    • Kirkus

      December 1, 2012
      Thirteen-year-old Sammy has a habit of uncovering mysteries and finding trouble. In her latest adventure, the dauntless sleuth seeks to decipher the secrets in her own life. Sammy is accustomed to subterfuge, living--covertly--in elderly housing with her grandmother while her mother pursues an acting career. Another enigma is Sammy's father, whose identity her mother refuses to reveal. Sammy also continues her relationship with boyfriend Casey, despite his mother's objections. When Sammy learns her mother is traveling to Las Vegas, possibly to marry Casey's dad, she decides to confront her mother and demand the truth about her father. The result is an impromptu, clandestine trip to Las Vegas. Sammy demonstrates an abundance of ingenuity in her scheming, which includes enlisting an entourage of Elvis impersonators to track down her elusive mother. Yet Van Draanen subtly reveals Sammy's vulnerability beneath her bravado. Through an unlikely collaboration with Casey's sister--and Sammy's longtime nemesis--Heather, Sammy not only discovers insights into Heather's behavior, but gains a greater understanding of her own situation. Sammy's hijinks and a surprisingly poignant ending make this a captivating addition to the series. (Mystery. 10-14)

      COPYRIGHT(2012) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

    • Booklist

      January 1, 2013
      Grades 5-8 The detective work gets very personal in the sixteenth story in the popular series about smart, junior-high sleuth Samantha ( Sammy ) Keyes. Here the setting moves to Las Vegas, where Sammy tracks down her diva mother, who is secretly marrying Sammy's boyfriend's dad, who is also the father of Sammy's worst enemy. Packed with angry spats and surprises, including Sammy's discovery of her own dad, and set against the wild background of casinos, malls, hotels, and Elvis wannabes, the young teen's angry, wry account will grab new readers as well as series fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)

    • The Horn Book

      July 1, 2013
      When Sammy learns that her absentee mother is getting hitched in Vegas (complicating fallout: Sammy's boyfriend would then be her stepbrother), she teams up with her archenemy (and future friend?!), Heather, to disrupt the wedding. In this sixteenth book, Van Draanen unleashes Sammy's bitterness and anger toward her mom, and the author drops a bombshell: her thirteen-year-old protagonist finally discovers who her father is.

      (Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Formats

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Languages

  • English

Levels

  • ATOS Level:4.4
  • Lexile® Measure:770
  • Interest Level:4-8(MG)
  • Text Difficulty:3-4

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