Deuker, Carl. Payback Time.

Deuker, Carl Payback Time
Houghton Mifflin/Clarion/Graphia/Kingfisher 2010 298p 16.00 978-0-547-27981-7 ms/hs journalism E-BN


Mitch True wants to be a professional journalist when he enters the work force. As the best writer on the newspaper staff, he believes that he will be the editor in his senior year. In the novel readers will see Mitch grapple with the power of investigative reporting and the effects of delving into someone╒s life. Mitch True wants to be a professional journalist when he enters the work force. As the best writer on the newspaper staff, he believes that he will be the editor in his senior year.
However, he soon learns that a popular girl is going to be editor. As events would have it, he doesn't get to be lead staff writer either. He is assigned to be sports editor by the new editor. Mitch challenges the editor as to why she made that choice. Her response was that Mitch was the best writer and that sports was the only topic really read in the newspaper.
Mitch gives it a good shot but is not really pacified. However, he soon picks up on a story involving someone on the football team. Why he wonders does the coach not capitalize on one of the best players on the team. As he investigates the beginnings of a story he pairs with Kimi Yon, photographer. The two of them delve into the player╒s (Angel Marichal) background while they cover the various sports events for the paper.

In the novel readers will see Mitch grapple with the power of investigative reporting and the effects of delving into someone╒s life. The events that lead up to the end of the book made them realize that it is not always in the best interests to dig to deeply into someone╒s life.
The story is fast paced containing an insight into the angst of growing up in today╒s society. Realistic Fiction McNeil(3), Linda