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The Underdogs
Everyone has secrets…
Who killed Annabel Harper?
When a popular teen beauty’s body is discovered by the pool at an elite tennis club, the regulars are shocked—especially twelve-year-old Evie and her best friend, Chelsea. While everyone else is haunted by Annabel’s death, Evie and Chelsea jump on the case, dogging the footsteps of the lead detective as he investigates. As temperatures soar ver the summer, tensions rise, fingers are pointed, and a heroic act sets in motion a chain of events readers will never see coming.
Who killed Annabel Harper?
When a popular teen beauty’s body is discovered by the pool at an elite tennis club, the regulars are shocked—especially twelve-year-old Evie and her best friend, Chelsea. While everyone else is haunted by Annabel’s death, Evie and Chelsea jump on the case, dogging the footsteps of the lead detective as he investigates. As temperatures soar ver the summer, tensions rise, fingers are pointed, and a heroic act sets in motion a chain of events readers will never see coming.
320 pages, Hardcover
First published May 31, 2016
14 people are currently reading
604 people want to read
About the author
Sara Hammel
4 books28 followersAward-winning journalist and bestselling author Sara Hammel has written for national and international publications including Newsweek, People, U.S. News & World Report, The Sunday Times Magazine (UK), Glamour and Shape. Her latest book is THE STRONG ONES: How a Band of Civilian Women Made Their Mark on the Army (Feb. 9, 2021), based on a 1995 Army study of women’s strength she participated in while on staff at the Middlesex News (now MetroWest Daily News). She is also a fiction writer and the author of two mystery novels: The Underdogs (FSG BYR, 2016) and Famous Last Words (2018).
In 1999, she contributed to the feminist anthology Letters of Intent (Free Press, 1999) alongside such icons as Ntozake Shange, Gloria Steinem and Judy Blume.
NOVELS
Sara is an avid reader and writer of mysteries.
When her resignation letter after fourteen years at PEOPLE magazine went viral, Hammel walked away with her stories, and her sources, intact.
Her latest novel FAMOUS LAST WORDS blends fact and fiction in a sizzling summer read packed with real celebrity stories and juicy blind items.
Her first novel, THE UNDERDOGS, is known for it's breathtaking twist and is on sale now.
In 1999, she contributed to the feminist anthology Letters of Intent (Free Press, 1999) alongside such icons as Ntozake Shange, Gloria Steinem and Judy Blume.
NOVELS
Sara is an avid reader and writer of mysteries.
When her resignation letter after fourteen years at PEOPLE magazine went viral, Hammel walked away with her stories, and her sources, intact.
Her latest novel FAMOUS LAST WORDS blends fact and fiction in a sizzling summer read packed with real celebrity stories and juicy blind items.
Her first novel, THE UNDERDOGS, is known for it's breathtaking twist and is on sale now.
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 101 reviews
May 10, 2018
3,5/5
It was a fun read. At first it was a bit confusing with Before and After. But it got interesting.
It was a fun read. At first it was a bit confusing with Before and After. But it got interesting.
April 17, 2016
Well, we were told twice in the book description that a twist was coming. Even so, this twist took me by surprise and had me looking back through the book for clues.
It begins with a murder. Popular teen Annabel Harper is found dead by the pool of the athletic club. Twelve-year-old Evie and her friend Chelsea hang out at the club every day. Chelsea's mom mans the reception desk and Evie's dad is one of the teaching tennis pros. Both are easily overlooked. Chelsea is accepted by everyone but Evie has a harder time. Her mom dropped her off like an unwanted parcel with the father who didn't know she existed. He is at a loss about what to do with her. His parenting style seems to be a combination of benign neglect spiced with careless, hurtful remarks. Evie is a little overweight and self-conscious about it. It doesn't help that one of the tennis campers has made her his victim of choice for constant harassment.
When Annabel is murdered, Evie and Chelsea begin to follow the detective around and spend a lot of time listening in on conversations they shouldn't be hearing. There are plenty of suspects. Is it the jealous girl who has lost numerous boys to Annabel? Is it one of Annabel's admirers? The lifeguard who has watched her from afar? One of the two boys who are best friends and elite tennis players whose friendship is threatened when they both fall for her?
Chelsea is the narrator of the story and we gather bits and pieces of her story. She has recently been adopted after escaping a very abusive situation - a situation that has left her with physical injuries that are permanent. Her abusers have never been caught. But despite her past, she is happy with her new mother and has a surprisingly upbeat attitude. Her main worries are for her friend Evie.
This story was exciting and fast-paced. And that final twist... Read it and find out!
It begins with a murder. Popular teen Annabel Harper is found dead by the pool of the athletic club. Twelve-year-old Evie and her friend Chelsea hang out at the club every day. Chelsea's mom mans the reception desk and Evie's dad is one of the teaching tennis pros. Both are easily overlooked. Chelsea is accepted by everyone but Evie has a harder time. Her mom dropped her off like an unwanted parcel with the father who didn't know she existed. He is at a loss about what to do with her. His parenting style seems to be a combination of benign neglect spiced with careless, hurtful remarks. Evie is a little overweight and self-conscious about it. It doesn't help that one of the tennis campers has made her his victim of choice for constant harassment.
When Annabel is murdered, Evie and Chelsea begin to follow the detective around and spend a lot of time listening in on conversations they shouldn't be hearing. There are plenty of suspects. Is it the jealous girl who has lost numerous boys to Annabel? Is it one of Annabel's admirers? The lifeguard who has watched her from afar? One of the two boys who are best friends and elite tennis players whose friendship is threatened when they both fall for her?
Chelsea is the narrator of the story and we gather bits and pieces of her story. She has recently been adopted after escaping a very abusive situation - a situation that has left her with physical injuries that are permanent. Her abusers have never been caught. But despite her past, she is happy with her new mother and has a surprisingly upbeat attitude. Her main worries are for her friend Evie.
This story was exciting and fast-paced. And that final twist... Read it and find out!
April 1, 2017
Wow! While this book was a good murder mystery read, I was blown away by the twist at the end. I won't give away the ending. Read it for yourself!
February 22, 2019
Two best-friends, Evie and Chelsea, both young girls, set out to solve the murder of a popular local teen girl named Annabel Harper during summer break. But there’s much more to it. When the news gets around that the body of 16-year old Annabel is found at the country club pool, everyone is shocked and very sorrowful. No one could ever imagine why someone would do this to her. She was the most perfect girl, smart, beautiful, nice, everyone adored her. Everyone sees her murder as just plain out sickening and ghastly, all except two specific people, which you’d learn about later. And that’s where the story begins. Everything was normal at a tennis club in Boston until Annabel’s death. It shook everyone, especially her wonderful brother Nicholas, that everyone also loved to the bone. With Detective Ashlock on the case, everyone worries the killer is still out there. Evie and Chelsea get right on the case, eavesdropping, snooping around the club, doing anything they can to find clues. Everyone is a suspect. Lots of weird things start happening, not only with setting, but the people at the club as well. Detective Ashlock finds a “mystery item” that end up playing a big part in the murder. A girl named Lisa, who everyone kind of hates, seems to be one the biggest suspect right now, being that she always compared herself to Annabel and was always very jealous. Another big suspect is Goran, a Russian tennis player who had a “thing” with Annabel. He was also supposedly there the night she died. Another one of the biggest suspects was a boy named Patrick, who was obsessed with Annabel, but when he found out she was in love with Goran, he took a dark turn. Evie starts to play tennis, and gets in shape. She got bullied from being “fat” and was always eating. She becomes a great tennis player, and Chelsea is there to watch. Chelsea is the most uplifting, cheerful, supporting friends you’ll ever meet. She only wants what best for everyone. Her way of narrating the story really gives you a great picture of what life is like there. Lisa actually gets framed and sent to jail for a little bit, but then someone clears it up, that she’s not the killer. But then that means the killer is still out and about. We learn that Evie and Chelsea both came from horrible pasts, where Evie got deserted by her mother, and put with her dad, Lucky, a pro tennis player, who always forgets about her. And chelsea was horrendously abused but finally taken away and adopted by a kind women, Beth. Towards the end of the story, you start to realize something isn’t right with Chelsea. Evie knows it too. As they get closer and closer to solving the mystery, they find out the killer is someone they know, and love, and was hiding under their noses the whole time, and ends up shooting one of the main characters, your favorite character out of extreme anger and mental problems. And if you thought it couldn’t get any worse, the unbelievable happens, something you would never see coming, something that changes your whole perspective and what you thought you knew. If you thought you had a good idea about what was going on in the book, you’re wrong. Believe me, you would’ve never guessed. Aside of all the crazy things that happen in this book, it’s a fantastic mystery, fun adventure, humorous, and very realistic book. Even a little scary when you read it at night. By far, one of the best books I’ve read in a long time.
August 2, 2016
This review contains spoilers, but I have hidden them. Seriously: if you intend on reading this book, do not read the spoilers.
"This is a book that takes a chance and will genuinely surprise readers." - Booklist
"...readers' feelings... will depend on whether they're delighted or annoyed by the surprise ending." - Kirkus
"...mystery lovers will want to go back and read it all again to find the hidden clues." - School Library Journal
I'm not usually drawn to middle grade mysteries. They tend to lack bite, so in my Middle School Library Readers' Advisory Skills, I am greatly lacking in the mystery department. But after reading the reviews for Sara Hammel's The Underdogs, I was beyond intrigued.
I regretted this decision by page 100. The Underdogs was a drag. Though the murder happens immediately, the book is decidedly character-driven, which I often like. But when I'm reading a mystery, I want a fast pace, loads of suspense, and shocking turns. But Hammel doesn't deliver any of these. By page 200, I was struggling, and was complaining endlessly to my partner about what a slog the novel was. I couldn't imagine giving this book more than 2 stars, though I was closer to 1 star. It was just so sluggish and, with the exception of Evie, the characters were flat and indistinguishable. And some of the narrator's observations were just flat-out weird and jarring; I started to wonder if middle grade readers would be confounded. God knows I was.
And then, twenty-five pages from the ending, the twist happened.
Seriously, Bert. That was my reaction.
I stormed out to the balcony, where my partner was reading. "David!" I bellowed, "The [observation redacted] is [observation redacted]!"
He burst out laughing.
I was pissed.
PISSED.
It felt like an enormous rip-off, and I almost threw the book off the balcony.
"How did Hammel blindside me?" I wondered. "Was I that dense? Did I really miss something that big?"
So I flipped through the first 285 pages, re-reading moments in the book that popped out as curious.
Nope. The clues are all there, but they are so subtle that it is really tough not to admire the chutzpah of Hammel. It's almost audacious what she gets away with.
So for that reason - this big ole twist that the review publications trumpeted - and the sheer brilliance in which Hammel pulls it off with almost near air-tightness, I can't give it anything less than three stars.
I can't wait to see what my students think of it.
UPDATE
Omfg, there's a on the back cover of the book!!!
"This is a book that takes a chance and will genuinely surprise readers." - Booklist
"...readers' feelings... will depend on whether they're delighted or annoyed by the surprise ending." - Kirkus
"...mystery lovers will want to go back and read it all again to find the hidden clues." - School Library Journal
I'm not usually drawn to middle grade mysteries. They tend to lack bite, so in my Middle School Library Readers' Advisory Skills, I am greatly lacking in the mystery department. But after reading the reviews for Sara Hammel's The Underdogs, I was beyond intrigued.
I regretted this decision by page 100. The Underdogs was a drag. Though the murder happens immediately, the book is decidedly character-driven, which I often like. But when I'm reading a mystery, I want a fast pace, loads of suspense, and shocking turns. But Hammel doesn't deliver any of these. By page 200, I was struggling, and was complaining endlessly to my partner about what a slog the novel was. I couldn't imagine giving this book more than 2 stars, though I was closer to 1 star. It was just so sluggish and, with the exception of Evie, the characters were flat and indistinguishable. And some of the narrator's observations were just flat-out weird and jarring; I started to wonder if middle grade readers would be confounded. God knows I was.
And then, twenty-five pages from the ending, the twist happened.
Seriously, Bert. That was my reaction.
I stormed out to the balcony, where my partner was reading. "David!" I bellowed, "The [observation redacted] is [observation redacted]!"
He burst out laughing.
I was pissed.
PISSED.
It felt like an enormous rip-off, and I almost threw the book off the balcony.
"How did Hammel blindside me?" I wondered. "Was I that dense? Did I really miss something that big?"
So I flipped through the first 285 pages, re-reading moments in the book that popped out as curious.
Nope. The clues are all there, but they are so subtle that it is really tough not to admire the chutzpah of Hammel. It's almost audacious what she gets away with.
So for that reason - this big ole twist that the review publications trumpeted - and the sheer brilliance in which Hammel pulls it off with almost near air-tightness, I can't give it anything less than three stars.
I can't wait to see what my students think of it.
UPDATE
Omfg, there's a on the back cover of the book!!!
April 15, 2020
I enjoyed this book. It's a well written, fast paced mystery for the middle grade set. It had some fairly heavy topics for what is essentially a children's book. I didn't mind the before/after the murder back and forth chapter set up. I'll admit the author got me with the twist (I definitely thought, "what on earth did I just read," but it made sense.) However, I felt that the solution the murderer's identity came a little out of left field. Still fun and enjoyable to read.
April 23, 2020
** Books 54 - 2020 **
This books to accomplish Tsundoku Books Challenge 2020
3 of 5 stars!
I thought this books will be interesting since it was about a murder in tennis' field court but turn out it didn't. Too many girls drama in the tennis club that i can't handle with
Thankyou Big Bad Wolf Jakarta 2018!
This books to accomplish Tsundoku Books Challenge 2020
3 of 5 stars!
I thought this books will be interesting since it was about a murder in tennis' field court but turn out it didn't. Too many girls drama in the tennis club that i can't handle with
Thankyou Big Bad Wolf Jakarta 2018!
February 7, 2022
Chelsea is a dog?! How did I not notice that she was a dog?!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 31, 2016
Originally posted on
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
My oldest daughter is nine years old, and she and I are very fortunate to have received the opportunity to read ARCs of some middle grade books. When I first read the synopsis of Sara Hammel’s The Underdogs, I knew that I would like it, but I wasn’t sure how my daughter would react. She tends to be a sensitive soul, but we had enjoyed reading Isabel Feeney, Star Reporter, so I gave it a shot.
Chelsea and Evie are best friends, who spend their days together at a tennis club. Chelsea’s mom works at the front desk, and Evie’s dad is a tennis pro. Their club is rocked to its core when one of the most popular members is found murdered. Annabel Harper was beautiful and vivacious, and did not seem to have any enemies. Chelsea and Evie are stunned, and they decide that it’s up to them to help the police solve the case. As they follow the detective around the club, the two girls discover that the club holds many secrets- but none of these secrets seem to lead the girls any closer to discovering who could have killed Annabel.
The Underdogs is so much more than a murder mystery. Over the course of the summer, Chelsea and Evie discover more about themselves. Evie is bullied by some of the kids at the club, and tries to figure out where her strengths lie. Likewise, Chelsea comes to terms with events that happened in her past.
That said, the mystery was satisfying and surprising. There’s also a twist that you won’t see coming. This is a middle grade book, so it’s appropriate for readers in the later years of elementary school and middle school too. The material isn’t too graphic, and there certainly aren’t any implications that anything untoward happened to Annabel before she was killed. My daughter did get a little scared during one scene, but as I mentioned, she does get scared easily.
I would absolutely recommend The Underdogs. My daughter and I read this together most evenings, and it took a great deal of self-control not to read ahead after she went to bed. I appreciated that this book was about more than just the mystery; it gave my daughter and me an opportunity to talk about bullying. There’s also a twist that neither of us saw coming. This is a stunning debut, and we are looking forward to reading more books by Sara Hammel in the future.
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
My oldest daughter is nine years old, and she and I are very fortunate to have received the opportunity to read ARCs of some middle grade books. When I first read the synopsis of Sara Hammel’s The Underdogs, I knew that I would like it, but I wasn’t sure how my daughter would react. She tends to be a sensitive soul, but we had enjoyed reading Isabel Feeney, Star Reporter, so I gave it a shot.
Chelsea and Evie are best friends, who spend their days together at a tennis club. Chelsea’s mom works at the front desk, and Evie’s dad is a tennis pro. Their club is rocked to its core when one of the most popular members is found murdered. Annabel Harper was beautiful and vivacious, and did not seem to have any enemies. Chelsea and Evie are stunned, and they decide that it’s up to them to help the police solve the case. As they follow the detective around the club, the two girls discover that the club holds many secrets- but none of these secrets seem to lead the girls any closer to discovering who could have killed Annabel.
The Underdogs is so much more than a murder mystery. Over the course of the summer, Chelsea and Evie discover more about themselves. Evie is bullied by some of the kids at the club, and tries to figure out where her strengths lie. Likewise, Chelsea comes to terms with events that happened in her past.
That said, the mystery was satisfying and surprising. There’s also a twist that you won’t see coming. This is a middle grade book, so it’s appropriate for readers in the later years of elementary school and middle school too. The material isn’t too graphic, and there certainly aren’t any implications that anything untoward happened to Annabel before she was killed. My daughter did get a little scared during one scene, but as I mentioned, she does get scared easily.
I would absolutely recommend The Underdogs. My daughter and I read this together most evenings, and it took a great deal of self-control not to read ahead after she went to bed. I appreciated that this book was about more than just the mystery; it gave my daughter and me an opportunity to talk about bullying. There’s also a twist that neither of us saw coming. This is a stunning debut, and we are looking forward to reading more books by Sara Hammel in the future.
May 29, 2017
Like some other reviewers, I figured that I'd solve the mystery in this book right away, and while I was pretty sure that I had the murderer pegged early on, there were other surprises that made this book a delight to read. Often, I am a tad bit bored by the predictability of middle grade titles, but that wasn't the case for this one. (Of course, after I finished I reading it, I really understood the double meaning of the clever, clever title.) The book revolves around the murder of popular teen Annabel Harper whose body is found at a tennis club near Boston. As Detective Ted Ashlock interviews everyone who knew Annabel and tries to figure out possible motives, best friends Evie and Chelsea are on the case as well, eavesdropping on interviews and forming their own theories about whodunit. As the story shifts back and forth in time from what happened before Annabel died and what happened after she died, readers will quickly realize that there's something not right with the picture being painted. Twelve-year-old Evie has been dumped on her father, a former tennis pro, while her mother goes off to find herself, and he hasn't a clue about what to do with Evie. So self-absorbed and thoughtless is he that he even forgets to feed her or make her lunches, and she spends most of her time at the club hiding from some of the bullies who make fun of her size, weight, and eating habits. Chelsea often seeks her out and provides much-needed companionship. But it also becomes evident that Chelsea has a past too, and has suffered trauma that has left her emotionally and physically fragile. While it's true that this is a murder mystery, it's also a character study featuring a girl who somehow rises above all that life has thrown at her and finds herself in tennis. I loved when Evie starts pounding those tennis balls against the wall and later when Will starts practicing with her, and I simply adored how loyal Chelsea is to her friend. As the book nears its conclusion, the author's hints about Chelsea will have many readers rereading passages to identity when they first knew for sure what was going on. This was a satisfying debut novel, inspired by the way humans can often behave toward other humans, not to mention their four-legged friends.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2016
Pretty girl Annabel is found dead at the local tennis club. Best friends Evie and Chelsea are fixtures at the club since their parents both work their. Because they hang out at the club all day they are aware of a lot of what is going on, but they have no idea who killed Annabel. Evie and Chelsea start stalking the detective investigating the case. They listen in while he interviews people and they do a bit of sleuthing of their own. They are also dealing with their own issues. Evie was recently given to her dad when her mom wanted to "find herself" and he isn't the best parent. Evie is a bit overweight and spends a lot of time hiding from the tennis club bullies who pick on her. Chelsea has recently been adopted by her new mom, but still has issues because of a trauma she suffered in the past.
I am a bit torn on this book. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of it and how Evie and Chelsea were able to investigate without ever leaving the club. I liked the fact that there were a bunch of red herrings in the suspects and you were never really sure who killed Annabel because so many people seem to be good suspects. What I didn't really like was the fact that Evie is suddenly a tennis prodigy or the twist with Chelsea. Throughout the book you wonder why Chelsea never talks, but if you are like me you just assumed it was because of the past trauma. It's not. The twist is unexpected, at least it was to me. Not sure how I felt about it. It did make me want to reread the book and see if I could spot it earlier though.
I received this book from Netgalley.
I am a bit torn on this book. I enjoyed the mystery aspect of it and how Evie and Chelsea were able to investigate without ever leaving the club. I liked the fact that there were a bunch of red herrings in the suspects and you were never really sure who killed Annabel because so many people seem to be good suspects. What I didn't really like was the fact that Evie is suddenly a tennis prodigy or the twist with Chelsea. Throughout the book you wonder why Chelsea never talks, but if you are like me you just assumed it was because of the past trauma. It's not. The twist is unexpected, at least it was to me. Not sure how I felt about it. It did make me want to reread the book and see if I could spot it earlier though.
I received this book from Netgalley.
January 4, 2016
***SPOILER ALERT***
I devoured this book in a day (and being a full-time working mom of two young boys, this alone is amazing to me!) I loved the friendship between the girls -- the loyalty of Chelsea to her best friend, Evie, and the realness and RAWNESS of Evie's character. The bullying of Evie and the abuse Chelsea endured were painful to read but struck a chord -- I love when books do that. Hammel's writing took me right back to grade school -- the meanness, cruelness, heartlessness that Evie experiences from some of her peers is both truthful and heartbreaking. Readers will see a struggling, overweight, teased, and forgotten "underdog" in Evie and the best part about her transformation is that the focus is on getting her HEALTHY and ACTIVE (vs. changing who she is, or trying to get "skinny", or apologize for her shortcomings). I think this is so well done, not at all preachy, and will resonate will so many young girls during such a crappy time of life. On lighter notes, I laughed out loud a few times and often felt like I was in the club myself -- the characters and setting were well narrated. I was spellbound by the mystery and literally had to will myself not to skip to the end of the book to find out the ending. Now that I've read it once, it's definitely something I need to read again knowing what I know. A brilliant debut novel!
I devoured this book in a day (and being a full-time working mom of two young boys, this alone is amazing to me!) I loved the friendship between the girls -- the loyalty of Chelsea to her best friend, Evie, and the realness and RAWNESS of Evie's character. The bullying of Evie and the abuse Chelsea endured were painful to read but struck a chord -- I love when books do that. Hammel's writing took me right back to grade school -- the meanness, cruelness, heartlessness that Evie experiences from some of her peers is both truthful and heartbreaking. Readers will see a struggling, overweight, teased, and forgotten "underdog" in Evie and the best part about her transformation is that the focus is on getting her HEALTHY and ACTIVE (vs. changing who she is, or trying to get "skinny", or apologize for her shortcomings). I think this is so well done, not at all preachy, and will resonate will so many young girls during such a crappy time of life. On lighter notes, I laughed out loud a few times and often felt like I was in the club myself -- the characters and setting were well narrated. I was spellbound by the mystery and literally had to will myself not to skip to the end of the book to find out the ending. Now that I've read it once, it's definitely something I need to read again knowing what I know. A brilliant debut novel!
December 8, 2016
Surprisingly absorbing middle school murder mystery. This is the story of twelve-year-old Evie and the summer a teenage girl's body is discovered floating in the pool at the local swim/tennis club. Evie's father is one of the club's coaches so she spends her long summer days reading novels in a storage closet whilst cooling off with popsicles. But, when teen queen Annabel's murder sets the tight knit community on edge, Evie decides to harness her inner Harriet the Spy (one of her idols) and crack the case. By trailing, er eavesdropping on, detective Ashlock, Evie manages to generate a fair amount of information but, alas! no resolution. The ante is upped through a spiral of events putting Evie's own life in danger. Told from the point of view of her best friend, Chelsea, the reader is given a detailed glimpse into the inner workings of Evie's transformation from resident bookworm to heroine.
The real discovery here lies in the revealing of Chelsea's true identity. I had a true Homer Simpson 'Doh!" moment about halfway through the novel when I realized just who Chelsea was. I won't spoil it for you but let's just say, those who know me well are going to be mighty surprised I actually liked the book given the circumstances.
The real discovery here lies in the revealing of Chelsea's true identity. I had a true Homer Simpson 'Doh!" moment about halfway through the novel when I realized just who Chelsea was. I won't spoil it for you but let's just say, those who know me well are going to be mighty surprised I actually liked the book given the circumstances.
July 12, 2024
i uh….. can’t believe i uh….. didn’t see that twist sooner.
if you’re looking for a middle grade mystery that will make you feel STUPID and also probably make you cry…. jesus i truly can’t believe i didn’t see that, but i also know i NEVER would have guessed. my brain just was not there.
anyway. i’ll probably recommend this to kids who want mysteries until i’m blue in the face. i liked most things about it including the huge twist. there are some brutal descriptions of that i imagine kids would find disturbing but i think should make up for it. i was not a fan of
all in all, good middle grade novel that genuinely shocked me, touching on a couple extremely dark topics in a way that will not traumatize young readers
if you’re looking for a middle grade mystery that will make you feel STUPID and also probably make you cry…. jesus i truly can’t believe i didn’t see that, but i also know i NEVER would have guessed. my brain just was not there.
anyway. i’ll probably recommend this to kids who want mysteries until i’m blue in the face. i liked most things about it including the huge twist. there are some brutal descriptions of that i imagine kids would find disturbing but i think should make up for it. i was not a fan of
all in all, good middle grade novel that genuinely shocked me, touching on a couple extremely dark topics in a way that will not traumatize young readers
June 3, 2016
I had the opportunity to read a digital ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for this review. I have to say that this is just a terrific book for the start of my Summer of Reading! This is a juicy, summertime mystery that definitely has a surprise twist at the end! I thought that it would be pretty difficult to surprise me with a middle grade mystery (I am an experienced educator with a graduate degree), but I'll admit that I was already 90% through the book and thought I knew the answers to everything, before I figured out something VERY important about one of the main characters!
The book opens with the discovery of a sixteen-year-old girl's body at the side of the swimming pool of an advanced competitive tennis club in a suburb of Boston. Nobody is quite certain what exactly happened, but a police detective begins investigating immediately. There are plenty of suspicious characters around at this club, and twelve-year-old Evie and Chelsea are snooping around trying to get to the bottom of the mystery themselves.
To read my entire review: http://janatheteacher.blogspot.com/20...
The book opens with the discovery of a sixteen-year-old girl's body at the side of the swimming pool of an advanced competitive tennis club in a suburb of Boston. Nobody is quite certain what exactly happened, but a police detective begins investigating immediately. There are plenty of suspicious characters around at this club, and twelve-year-old Evie and Chelsea are snooping around trying to get to the bottom of the mystery themselves.
To read my entire review: http://janatheteacher.blogspot.com/20...
March 3, 2019
started out as a four-star book because i loved the summery vibes and the murder mystery was intriguing. bumped down to a three because 1) i thought the advertised Big Twist was going to have to do with the murder mystery, when actually it had to do with something i figured out pretty early on in the book and proceeded to take for granted; 2) the resolution of the actual murder mystery was unsatisfying to me and kinda gross in terms of mental health rep; and 3) i found a LOT of the comments on evie's weight throughout the book unnecessary or insensitive, whether they were coming from bullies who were supposed to be portrayed as mean like that, or from kinder figures in her life--even chelsea--who were talking about how much weight she lost after she started playing tennis and how good she looked then. irdk. but keeping it at a three stars because the summery vibes still did something for me, and these are characters i grew to care about.
July 22, 2016
THE UNDERDOGS by Sara Hammel is an exciting murder mystery with an unexpected twist.
When popular teen Annabel Harper is murdered at an elite tennis club, Evie and her best friend Chelsea set out to find the killer. From spying on the lead detective to conducting their own informal investigation, the two are intent on solving the crime.
Librarians will find youth re-reading this middle grade book looking for hidden clues to the book’s amazing twist. Ask readers to take a pledge of silence so they don’t give away the unexpected reveal near the end of the book. Although the mystery itself will be enough to keep most readers happy, it’s the unique twist that will keep this title circulating.
To learn more about the author, go to http://www.sarahammelbooks.com/.
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux an imprint of Macmillan on May 31, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.
When popular teen Annabel Harper is murdered at an elite tennis club, Evie and her best friend Chelsea set out to find the killer. From spying on the lead detective to conducting their own informal investigation, the two are intent on solving the crime.
Librarians will find youth re-reading this middle grade book looking for hidden clues to the book’s amazing twist. Ask readers to take a pledge of silence so they don’t give away the unexpected reveal near the end of the book. Although the mystery itself will be enough to keep most readers happy, it’s the unique twist that will keep this title circulating.
To learn more about the author, go to http://www.sarahammelbooks.com/.
Published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux an imprint of Macmillan on May 31, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher.
September 20, 2018
The Underdogs was one of my favorite books ever. It consists of mystery along with action. When a girl gets murdered at a nice country club, everyone is on alert for the killer. This book takes you through the adventure of Chelsea and her best friend Evie and how they try to solve the murder themselves. It also includes there everyday lives that revolve around this country club that is now known as the horror club. Along with a striking ending that will make you think about what you just read for a couple minutes.
September 5, 2019
If you like murder mysteries, this book is definitely for you. Not only is there murder, but there is also comedy, heartbreak, and love. The character I enjoy the most is the narrator, especially because of the surprise twist at the end that I will try not to reveal. The plot can change any minute, and suspicions seem terribly wrong. Not only do you get to follow along with the characters, but the reader can even try to figure out the murderer themselves. I highly recommend this book and hope you enjoy it as much as I did. :)
May 12, 2020
Work from home 2020: book 44.
Unread shelf project 2020: book 33.
Ah! This was a surprisingly good — and surprisingly deep! — story about tennis, friendship, and murder. It touched on a lot of different hot topics: bullying, abuse, depression, perfectionism — as well as other topics like the courage to be yourself and the importance of friendship.
And while I did guess the big twist, it took me until about 40 pages to the reveal to get it, which — given the fact that this is a MG/YA book — was really good. Well done, Hammel, for that twist!
Unread shelf project 2020: book 33.
Ah! This was a surprisingly good — and surprisingly deep! — story about tennis, friendship, and murder. It touched on a lot of different hot topics: bullying, abuse, depression, perfectionism — as well as other topics like the courage to be yourself and the importance of friendship.
And while I did guess the big twist, it took me until about 40 pages to the reveal to get it, which — given the fact that this is a MG/YA book — was really good. Well done, Hammel, for that twist!
April 23, 2016
**I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**
A strong 4 stars, Underdogs was a gripping read. at first I thought it would be a fun mystery, solving the death of a local girl, when in truth there are serious elements of bullying and abuse, hidden at the edges.
A great summer read, this story will keep you guessing until the end, where you realize you never really new anything to begin with.
A strong 4 stars, Underdogs was a gripping read. at first I thought it would be a fun mystery, solving the death of a local girl, when in truth there are serious elements of bullying and abuse, hidden at the edges.
A great summer read, this story will keep you guessing until the end, where you realize you never really new anything to begin with.
September 27, 2019
I recommend this book because it is a mystery, so it keeps you on the edge of your seat, there are a lot of suspects which makes it interesting to read, and there are several twists that make you want to read more.
May 10, 2020
A bit slow-pacing but once you get to the middle and ending of the book, all of you will definitely want to read from the start again. Absolutely fantastic twist ending and quite a beautiful storyline about friendship, sacrifice, family love, and self-acceptance.
May 5, 2016
See my full review here!
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July 9, 2016
whoa. I do not see that curveball coming until I gasped so audibly I woke my husband. Love the plot twist, a reread is in order.
July 28, 2016
A good middle-ager mystery with a surprising twist.
November 5, 2018
What a lovely twist!
August 5, 2019
I was not into this at first but the end pulled it all together. My 11-year old and I are still talking about it. It was full of a great cast of characters and plot twists.
January 5, 2023
Such a cute summer mystery it's so nostalgic and cosy, my favourite mystery
May 4, 2023
*4.25 ⭐️ I have no words… that ending 🤯
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