Sammy Keyes and the Skeleton Man - by Wendelin Van Draanen (Paperback)

About the Book

Seventh grade gumshoe Sammy Keyes returns in her second mystery--a Halloween intrigue involving Frankenstein and a skeleton man in a tale of greed, grudges, and getting on.

Book Synopsis

This Halloween is more than just tricks and treats--it's deadly serious.

It was supposed to be a simple ding-dong ditch. A dare to give them bragging rights. But as Sammy and her friends sneak up to the spookiest house in town, they get scared witless by a skeleton, and then witness something frightening enough to make even Sammy scream.

Things have taken a scary turn at school, too, with horrible Heather spreading embarrassing rumors about Sammy. Sammy devises a plan to expose her, but it's going to take a deceptive disguise, some good friends, and a lot of guts to pull it off...

Praise for the Sammy Keyes series:

"If Kinsey Millhone ever hires a junior partner, Sammy Keyes will be the first candidate on the list. She's feisty, fearless, and funny. A top-notch investigator!" --New York Times bestselling author Sue Grafton

"The sleuth delights from start to finish. Keep your binoculars trained on Sammy Keyes." --Publishers Weekly

"The most winning junior detective ever in teen lit. (Take that, Nancy Drew!)" --Midwest Children's Book Review

From the Back Cover

What does Frankenstein have that a skeleton wants?

Sounds like a bad Halloween joke. But Sammy Keyes isn't laughing. She's the one who collided with the skeleton while he was making his getaway. And she's the one who discovered Frankenstein tied to a chair with his head twisted around. Someone's taken "trick or treat" way too far.

When Sammy starts to investigate what really happened Halloween night, she's amazed at how many people have something to hide. Of course, Sammy's got a few secrets herself. And more than a few tricks up her sleeve...

Review Quotes

Praise for the Sammy Keyes series:

"Van Draanen offers such an explosive combination of high-stakes sleuthing, hilarity, and breathlessly paced action that it's impossible to turn the pages fast enough." --Kirkus Reviews

"There's no stopping Sammy."--Publishers Weekly

"An intelligent, gutsy, flawed, and utterly likable heroine."--Booklist

"Move over, Nancy Drew--a new sleuth is on the scene."--Girls' Life

"Think a combination of Carl Hiaasen's Flush and Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books and you'll be right on target." --School Library Journal

"A high-quality, high-amp mystery series." --The Horn Book

"This funny, clever series is NOT for kids only. I challenge the most seasoned mystery reader to guess 'who done it.'" --Cozies, Capers, and Crimes

"Sammy Keyes comes armed with attitude." --Orlando Sentinel

"Sammy doesn't find mysteries to solve--they find her." --Arizona Republic

"Humor, romance and adventure; this story is an absolute blast." --Chicago Tribune

"If you haven't met Sammy Keyes yet, now is the time." --Children's Literature

About the Author

WENDELIN VAN DRAANEN was a classroom teacher for many years before becoming a full-time writer. The books in the Sammy Keyes mystery series have been embraced by critics and readers alike, with Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief receiving the Edgar Allan Poe Award for best children's mystery. Wendelin is also the author of many award-winning novels, including Flipped, The Running Dream, Runaway, Confessions of a Serial Kisser, Swear to Howdy, The Secret Life of Lincoln Jones, and Wild Bird. You can find her online at WendelinVanDraanen.com and @WendelinVanD, and you can follow Sammy Keyes on Facebook.