Payback Time

Written by Carl Deuker

Narrated by Stafford Clark-Price

Through the eyes of a distinctly non-athletic protagonist-a fat high school journalist named Mitch-veteran sports novelist Deuker reveals the surprising truth behind a mysterious football player named Angel. When Angel shows up Lincoln High, he seems to have no past-or at least not one he is willing to discuss. Though Mitch gets a glimpse of Angel's incredible talent off the field, Angel rarely allows himself to shine on the field. Is he an undercover cop, wonders Mitch? Or an ineligible player? In pursuit of a killer story, Mitch decides to find out just who this player is and what he's done. In the end, the truth surprises everyone.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Recorded Books, Inc.
• Release date: Jun 13, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490639000

Carl Deuker

Carl Deuker is the author of many sports novels, including On the Devil's Court, Heart of a Champion, and Painting the Black, all of which were selected as ALA Best Books for Young Adults. He lives in Seattle, Washington.

Reviews for Payback Time

[alsparks324 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mitch is a reporter for his high school newspaper. The new player is great before practice but when he plays in front of the coach he suddenly becomes mediocre. The team has a shot at a great season and a state title but the coach is not playing this new player. When Mitch investigates he learns some details that just might put him in danger. Can Mitch solve the mystery while keeping Kimi, his photographer and hopefully girlfriend safe? Read to find out.

[sullywriter_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

I've always been a fan of Deuker's fiction. His novels are inevitably lumped in with "sports fiction," which is fair enough since sports is at the center of his stories, but there is a lot more to them than just the sports action. Deuker is a pro at creating engaging multi-layered plots, with interesting characters and compelling themes. Payback Time is no exception.

[mjspear_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

In his senior year "Mitch" dreams of being his high school newspaper editor-in-chief and writing great espose's. Instead, he is relegated to covering sports. It's not all bad news as his photographer and partner, Kimi, is a beautiful (and uber-inteligent) Korean girl. In covering the championship-caliber football team, Mitch uncovers a greater story --and mystery-- than he could have ever imagined. slow start but a great ride/read thereafter. Mitch is a great everyman. Angel (mysterious football player who, it turns out, is not a ringer but, rather, in the witness protection program for his involvement in a gang slaying, is a great bad/mystery man. Even Mimi, in danger of being the stereotypical over-achieving Asian has a unique back story. The football action is great, there are moments of real danger and suspense, and the ending is a satisfying surprise. Highly recommended for anyone who likes football, mysteries, and a fast-paced read.This is what great YA literature should be: fast-paced, competently written, a teen-focused topic and theme. Characters are believable, if not deep, and the plot has some satisfying kinks. Nothing at all objectionable. Deuker scores a touchdown on this one!

[lchs1mrso · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The book that I read was Payback Time by Carl Deuker. Mitch True is the sports reporter for his school newspaper and his photographer is Kimi Yon. They both want to break a big story and make a name for themselves and when they discover Angel Marichal, they have one. Angel is bigger, faster, and stronger than anyone on the football team, but the coach, Coach McNulty, plays him just enough to win but not get him noticed. Mitch and Kimi think he’s cheating and that Angel is too old, making him ineligible. They confront McNulty but discover that he isn’t cheating, he is protecting him from gang members. Angel is from Philadelphia; he played high school football their but had to move for his own protection after he witnessed gang members shooting a young boy and pointed them out to the police. These gang members now want revenge and have a chance to get it because they have come in contact with Mitch and Kimi. The team makes the state championship and Mitch knows that they are going to try something then, so he comes up with a brave plan and stops the gang members and Angel is able to play, and then get far away from his enemies. The cover design of this book was appealing; it showed a helmet being raised in the air. This image caught my eye because it was well done and I enjoy football books. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sports books, thrillers, or mysteries.

[lnommay · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Book talk:You hear it on the news and you can read about it in magazines like Sports Illustrated. There's cheating at all levels in athletics. There was the 12 year old that pitched a perfect game in the Little League World Series. Unfortunately, his birth certificate had been altered and he was really 14 and ineligible. And at the high school level, a report that was based on interviews across the country with 5,275 high school athletes, concluded that too many coaches are "teaching our kids to cheat and cut corners." Then there is the problem of steroid use all the way from teenagers to professional athletes. So you can see why the main character in Payback Time, Mitch True, would want to do everything possible to prove there is something suspicious going on with the high school football coach, a coach who wants to win the state championship so he can get himself noticed and get a college coaching job. As sports reporter for his high school newspaper, as well as a contributing reporter for the Seattle Times, Mitch is told not to report on anyone on the team except the star quarterback. And that means leaving out reporting about the transfer student who is obviously the best athlete on the team. What is Coach McNulty hiding? Perhaps an ineligible player who is really too old to be playing on the high school team? With some persistent investigating, Mitch and the school newspaper photographer Kimi uncover some startling information just as their high school gets ready to play in the state championship game. A story this big could land Mitch's name in top newspapers all over the country and insure him acceptance at a top college of his choice. And along the way, quite a few people will have their lives change forever. If you like a good mystery with lots of game-time action mixed in, Carl Deuker's Payback Tine is a great book for you.

[bethanne79 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

My first Carl Deuker book. The characters were interesting and well written. Not really what I am use to reading but it was from Netgalley. I would recommend this book for boys ages 12 and up.

[amandacb_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

Mitch, an overweight school newspaper writer, is the last person who should be writing about sports. But the new editor places him on that assignment, so he wants to do his very best. He espies a new football player, Angel, who is not like the others—Angel can throw and play like a professional, but the coach does not utilize him like he should. Angel is very mysterious and Mitch sees an opportunity to uncover a story that would catapult him to the front pages.However, when he begins to dig deeper into Angel’s past, Mitch quickly discovers that Angel is involved in something dangerous. Much of the danger is interspersed with football writing, as Mitch covers various football games during the season. The ending is rather abrupt and quickly tied up, but satisfactory. This book would be ideal for reluctant male high school readers.

[mniday_1 · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

This was a fun, young adult novel. I love football so this was right up my alley. The author is very knowledgeable about sports and it really shows with the exciting play-by-play sprinkled throughout the story. You can tell when someone tries to fake it, but this is spot on.The main character, Mitch, navigates through life challenges that all teenagers must face at one point or another. He comes to terms with who he is and the changes that he wants to make. He experiences his first love and the agony of defeat when another student is appointed editor of the school newspaper. There is plenty of suspense and action to offset the coming of age story. An investigation of a football player's background leads to exciting and dangerous places.My only complaint about the book was the ending. I realize this gets said quite a bit, everyone likes to think they could write a better ending. To me, it seemed like the author just gave up and did not bother with the ending. That may sound like a death sentence for a book, but, actually, it still worked out and there was enough closure for me.This was well worth the read. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I think a few more books just went on to my growing To-Be-Read list.

[lrobe190 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

Mitch True is an overweight high school student who dreams of becoming a famous journalist. He is building his portfolio by writing for his high school newspaper. Assigned to the sports beat by the new editor, he is disappointed, but soon discovers a mystery surrounding one of the high school football players. If Mitch can sniff out the details, there could be a huge story involved with his name attached.Payback Time is one of Deuker's best. The play-by-play accounts of the football games went right over my head, but football aficionados will love it. The story is told in Mitch's voice. a fairly typical high school senior who has a goal and is dogged in his pursuit of it. As his story evolves, he realizes that every story has two sides and sometimes there are consequences when the "truth" comes out.Teenagers should enjoy the action and suspense. This one entertains until the very last page.