Hard Hits - by Daphne Benedis-Grab (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

"We play with passion and we play with heart. And sometimes that passion goes too far."

When a violent event sends a middle school reeling just before the Homecoming football game, secrets start to come to the surface...

The Cottonwood middle school's undefeated football team, the Coyotes, are on the field, working to maintain their record. But suddenly the game comes to a halt. A hard hit has taken a player down--and he's been injured so badly he'll never play again. And then the very next day, the athletic office and coach's computer are found totally trashed.

A culprit is found almost immediately: Brian Miller, "the Destroyer," one of the best players on the team. Except . . .why would such a loyal and talented player do something like that to his own team?

Unless he didn't actually do it. Three kids decide to figure out what really happened. But as they start to ask questions, the threats start arriving.

What happens when winning is more important than anything else, and when obedience to the team is more important than anyone else?

This is a gripping read about what happens when a culture of total loyalty goes too far.

A high-stakes whodunit, this is perfect for readers interested in:

• Tim Green, Tommy Greenwald, Mike Lupica, and Kwame Alexander's sports stories
• A fast-moving plot
• Sinister secrets
• Lots of action, on and off the field
• Sports drama
• Quick reads

Review Quotes

Praise for I Know Your Secret:

"[A] compulsive middle grade thriller." -- Book Riot

"The twists and turns offer thrills -- An entertaining story." -- Kirkus Reviews

"This enjoyable middle grade thriller tackles bullying, environments in which it is allowed to propagate, and the importance of speaking truth to power." -- Publishers Weekly

"A middle-grade tour de force. An exploration of why we conceal the truth, I Know Your Secret forces four children to come to terms with the secrets they have hidden from everyone." -- The Nerd Daily

"If you wished you had a middle-grade counterpart to a Karen McManus or Pretty Little Liars novel, you should definitely pick up this twisty and compelling novel." -- The Young Folks

"Unique... A well done young adult mystery novel in the same vein as Lois Duncan and R.L. Stine -- just creepy enough to entertain and short enough to keep the reader engaged." --This Bliss Life

About the Author

Daphne Benedis-Grab is the author of the middle-grade thrillers I Know Your Secret, I Know You're Lying, and I Will Find You. She is a school librarian and gets to hang out with kids and books all day (she is a very lucky person!). She lives in Boulder, Colorado, with her family and has a cat who has been known to sit on her computer if he feels she has been typing too long. Visit her at daphnebg.com.