12 year old Lenny “the boy with the golden voice” loves hanging out on the couch with his best friends and announcing the play-by-play for the games of his beloved hometown team, The Philadelphia Phillies. When he wins the chance to do it for real, as the “Armchair Announcer,” for one inning of an upcoming game, Lenny knows this is the future for him. Surely it will be the chance he’s been waiting for: to be noticed and recognized for his skills, both by major league pros and by his own, self-obsessed, work-aholic parents.
But the game goes wrong before Lenny’s chance to announce: a promising young pitcher, in his first major league game, drops dead on the field. The official cause of death is heart attack, but Lenny suspects something more. So he enlists the help of his loyal best friends, Mike and Other Mike, and they start tracking down leads, hot head online “fans” who’ve made some threatening statements, and even one of the Phillies’ own catchers who seems to be hiding something big.
For baseball fans, budding detectives, and those who like a good buddy-comedy, Josh Berk‘s Strike Three You’re Dead will provide a healthy dose of entertainment, sports-fanaticism, humor, and odd-ball friendship. Lenny and the Mikes are a likable trio of middle grade guys who want nothing more from their summer than to hang out, watch sports on TV, and laugh at their own jokes. With the tenacity of a dog guarding its bone, some surprising sleuthing skills, and some help from an unlikely source, the guys end up having a summer way more interesting than they ever imagined.
- Posted by Cori