By Carl Deuker
(Warning: Spoiler Alerts)
As I've I said before, I am willing to read any book, so to prove that I walked into my school’s library and picked up the first book I saw: Payback Time by Carl Deuker. I scanned the back of the book and then checked it out, to emphasize again I am willing to read ANYTHING! I also want to tell those who are fans of football, mystery, or romance, this a book for you. Am I the only one who thinks that this a weird yet unique combination of fans?
Payback Time takes place in Lincoln High School in Seattle, and all of the action occurs with senior Mitch True, reporter for Lincoln Light. Mitch pours his heart and soul into his reporting; when he receives the news that he has been moved to the sport section of the paper he is disappointed - Mitch doesn't really like sports since he has had bad experiences with them, mostly because he is overweight- but because of his passion for journalism he agrees. Football season is already in full swing, a month before school starts, and Mitch will be talking to Coach McNulty and interviewing the all-star player Horst. Mitch’s partner, photographer Kimi- a girl Mitch seems to have a crush on- joins him, she complains she is bored of all the sports articles being about Horst. Just then they spot a new student passing a football to another unknown man. With his physical appearance and skills they assume he is a professional football player. At first the coach resists their request to interview the new student. Eventually coach relents and calls him over. Coach asks for his name, “Angel”, says the player, he is then requested to toss the football. When Angel throws it was not all as good as he did before, coach laughs at Mitch and Kimi. As tryouts continue they see that Angel is not trying at all to be his best, what is he hiding?
Mitch and Kimi try to figure out what was going on with Angel. Why does he look a lot older than what he claims to be? Why does he look so sad? Why with great skills didn't try his best in tryouts? As the games go on they realize Coach McNulty is trying to hide him. Every time they have a football game the number on Angel’s shirt changes. He also notices that coach doesn't use Angel until the end of the games, but why, when Angel is amazing? When Mitch gets an opportunity to write for the Seattle Times about the football games, every time he mentions Angel it gets cut out. When Mitch asks the head of the Seattle Times why, he learns that the team roster McNulty gives the editor never includes Angel. Mitch and Kimi meet to try to solve this mystery; he also meets with her for “other” reasons, which may explain why he is always running to lose weight. Both Mitch and Kimi draw a conclusion: rumors have been going on that McNulty had lost his position as coach in a university and has been trying to regain it, so he got Angel, a boy who probably got kicked out of his old school for drugs or something, to win the State Championship.
Little by little the reporting team gain evidence to prove their theory, and if they are right they have a story that can open doors to their dream jobs, so they decide to confront Coach McNulty. McNulty laughs, saying they've got it all wrong. After McNulty tells them the truth that puts them in a life or death situation, they must choose between writing a story of a lifetime or protect Angel.
My Rating:
Great entry!! I might check that book out sometime.
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