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Uncovering Sadie's Secrets
Libby Sternberg Book Review

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Plot Summary of Uncovering Sadie's Secrets
"

Bancroft, Jan 2003, 16.95, 190 pp.
ISBN: 1890862231

Bianca Balducci is a sophomore at St. John's Parochial School in Baltimore. Her best friends Kerri and Nicole know that Bianca has a crush on junior Dog Patterson. So her pals arrange for the three coeds to meet Dough and his friend at the mall. Also there is weirdo Sadie Sinclair. The discussion between giggles focuses on Bianca's older sister Connie, a private investigator. Sadie shows interest for the first time and asks what Connie could do for someone being framed for murder. Bianca gives Sadie her sibling's business card.

Bianca sneakily checks her sister's voice mail and learns that Sadie using the alias Bobbie McCormick called Connie. As the mystery of Sadie grows, Bianca deals with two stalkers including a woman claiming motherhood. The soph gets deeper into the mess even as her social life seems ready to take off with Doug that is once she uncovers Sadie's secrets.

This is an engaging young teen mystery that is fun to read, as the lead protagonist hooks the audience with her combination of sweet innocence and crafty guile. UNCOVERING SADIE'S SECRETS entertains readers because the mystery is fun but the cast seems so real. Libby Sternberg's Balducci tale would make a fine present for especially the female Potter crowd and us geriatrics that grew up with the hardy Nancy Drew novels.

Harriet Klausner
"

Harriet Klausner, Resident Scholar



Review Analysis of Uncovering Sadie's Secrets
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale (Low to High)
Plot

Composition of Book
descript. of violence and chases - 10%
Planning/preparing, gather info, debate puzzles/motives - 40%
Feelings, relationships, character bio/development - 40%
How society works & physical descript. (people, objects, places) - 10%




Tone of story - suspenseful (sophisticated fear)
How difficult to spot villain? - Difficult, but some clues given
Time/era of story: - present (2000-2010)
Misc. Murder Plotlets - Proving innocence of very obvious suspect
Kind of investigator - amateur citizen investigator
Kid or adult book? - Adult or Young Adult Book
Any non-mystery subplot? - life in that culture
Crime Thriller Yes
Murder Mystery (killer unknown) Yes

Main Character
Gender - Female
Profession/status: - student
Age: - a teen
How much violence does he/she use? - a little
Ethnicity/Race - White/American
How sensitive is this character? - middling sensitive to others' feelings
Sense of humor - Strong but gentle sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - very athletic

Main Adversary
Identity: - Male
Age: - 20's-30's
Profession/status: - mastermind
How much of work is main antagonist actually present in: - a moderate amount
Motive of antagonist - revenge
How sensitive is this character? - hard edged
Sense of humor - Cynical sense of humor
Intelligence - Smarter than most other characters
Physique - average physique

Setting
United States Yes
The US: - Southeast

Style
Person - mostly 3rd
Accounts of torture and death? - generic/vague references to death/punishment
How many deaths? - 1
Amount of dialog - significantly more dialog than descript
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