“The hottest sleuth to appear in children’s books since Nancy Drew.”
--The Boston Globe
Sammy Keyes has a brand new look, with book club guides inside!
Quick Guide
- Sammy is a girl, but not a girlie girl. She’s tough, funny, and a little irreverent, and the series is enjoyed by girls, boys, and adults.
- The series opens during the first week of 7th grade and ends the last week of 8th grade.
- Each book takes place about a month later in Sammy’s world. There is an overarching storyline.
- To get the most out of character growth it’s ideal to read the series sequentially, but Books #1-15 work fine as individual titles. (For readers introduced to the series in 7th-8th grade diving in at #5 or #7 actually works best.)
- Due to through-thread storyline revelations, Books #16-18 should be read in order, and only after Books #1-15.
- Paperback edition art has a different look, but the content is the same!
- The series is available on audio through Live Oak Media, Overdrive, and Audible.
- See bottom of page for downloads available now: Casebook Activity, Character Costume Guide, two Hotel Thief puzzles.
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This documentary is a good overview of the series, from conception to final book, and includes footage of "Santa Martina" and the tiny house where the first six Sammy Keyes books were written. Run time is about 13 minutes.
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Book #1 (Hotel Thief) Summary: Introduces our spunky heroine and her cast of friends, family, and enemies in a race to catch a thief before he finds her. Sammy negotiates living illegally in a seniors-only apartment complex with her grandmother, navigates the minefield of middle school (including mean-girl Heather Acosta), and infiltrates the seedy Heavenly Hotel to get to the bottom of a burglary she’s witnessed.
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Winner of the Edgar for Best Juvenile Mystery
Theme: Things are not always what they appear to be.
Setting: Starting a new school
Length: 163 pages
Best for grades: 4-7
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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Winner of the Edgar for Best Juvenile Mystery
Theme: Things are not always what they appear to be.
Setting: Starting a new school
Length: 163 pages
Best for grades: 4-7
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Book #2 (Skeleton Man) Summary: Sammy and friends go out looking for treats on Halloween and wind up tricked and trapped. They soon discover that the secrets inside the town’s spook house are more frightening than the rat-eating man that everyone says lives there. Adding turmoil to terror, they must infiltrate Heather Acosta’s costume party to debunk the wicked rumors Heather is spreading about Sammy.
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“Mystery Sensation of the Year” Buffalo News
Theme: Don't judge a book by its cover
Setting: Halloween
Length: 172 pages
Best for grades: 4-7
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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“Mystery Sensation of the Year” Buffalo News
Theme: Don't judge a book by its cover
Setting: Halloween
Length: 172 pages
Best for grades: 4-7
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Book #3 (Sisters of Mercy) Summary: What do singing nuns in purple Spandex pants, a homeless girl, and an out-of-control motor home have in common? Sammy Keyes, of course! Serving food to the homeless at St. Mary’s soup kitchen, Sammy discovers that a girl her age is secretly living in a refrigerator box on the outskirts of town. Meanwhile, Sammy’s softball team goes up against Heather’s for the Sluggers’ Cup championship. Dirty tricks abound. (Introduces Holly, of the stand-alone Runaway.)
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California Young Reader Medal nominee
Theme: Gratitude—as bad as things may seem for you, someone nearby has it worse.
Setting: Thanksgiving
Length: 210 pages
Best for grades: 4-7
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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California Young Reader Medal nominee
Theme: Gratitude—as bad as things may seem for you, someone nearby has it worse.
Setting: Thanksgiving
Length: 210 pages
Best for grades: 4-7
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Book #4 (Runaway Elf) Summary: Chaos at the Christmas parade leaves Sammy Keyes on the hook for a wealthy woman’s dognapped Pomeranian, and a young girl mysteriously vanishes. The blackmailer and the dog owner are definitely naughty, and Heather is back with a vengeance and is certainly not nice. But it’s the missing girl and Sammy’s cranky neighbor who help Sammy put the pieces together.
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“The smartest, feistiest, most endearing teen sleuth in fiction.” – Teacher Magazine
Theme: The merits of forgiveness
Setting: Christmastime
Length: 186 pages
Best for grades: 4-7
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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“The smartest, feistiest, most endearing teen sleuth in fiction.” – Teacher Magazine
Theme: The merits of forgiveness
Setting: Christmastime
Length: 186 pages
Best for grades: 4-7
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Book #5 (Curse of Moustache Mary) Summary: Non-stop action as Sammy and friends spend a spooky weekend on the outskirts of town and meet an eccentric old woman and her enormous pet pig. When a fire erupts on the old woman’s property, a decades’ old feud comes to light, as does hidden gold and what’s really going on in the property’s abandoned shack.
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Edgar Award nominee; YALSA Quick Pick title
Theme: The edge of the world is actually a slippery slope
Setting: New Year’s Eve
Length: 239 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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Edgar Award nominee; YALSA Quick Pick title
Theme: The edge of the world is actually a slippery slope
Setting: New Year’s Eve
Length: 239 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Book #6 (Hollywood Mummy) Summary: Sammy and her best friend hop the bus to Hollywood to tackle the biggest mystery of Sammy’s life—her mother. But Lana Keyes has lied about her age and situation and won’t even acknowledge that Sammy is her daughter. There’s tension and desperation among actors, and when one of Lana’s competitors for the part of a lifetime is found dead, Sammy needs to know—is her mother the next likely victim…or the prime suspect?
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YALSA Quick Pick title
Theme: Beauty comes from within
Setting: Hollywood
Length: 256 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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YALSA Quick Pick title
Theme: Beauty comes from within
Setting: Hollywood
Length: 256 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Book #7 (Search for Snake Eyes) Summary: When a desperate teen hands Sammy a bag and begs her not to call the cops, Sammy finds herself in strange and dangerous territory—the bag contains a baby! When the gang leader “Snake Eyes” starts looking for the girl...and the baby, Sammy knows she’s in way over her head. For once, Heather Acosta is not the scariest person in Sammy’s life! “An explosive combination of high-stakes sleuthing, hilarity, and breathlessly paced action.” – Kirkus Reviews.
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Edgar Award Nominee
Theme: Choose your friends wisely
Setting: Softball season
Length: 277 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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Edgar Award Nominee
Theme: Choose your friends wisely
Setting: Softball season
Length: 277 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Book #8 (Art of Deception) Summary: Who knew art could be so funny…or so dangerous? When a masked man crashes a fancy art reception to steal a valuable painting, Sammy and her high-tops spring into action only to come mug to muzzle with a gun. While intrigue grows about the mysterious artist and the stolen painting, Sammy faces off with her archenemy at a Renaissance Faire, this time over the growing affections of Heather’s brother Casey.
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Edgar Award Nominee / Winner of Disney Adventures’ Mystery Book of the Year
Theme: What makes something art?
Setting: Renaissance Faire / Art Galleries
Length: 272 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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Edgar Award Nominee / Winner of Disney Adventures’ Mystery Book of the Year
Theme: What makes something art?
Setting: Renaissance Faire / Art Galleries
Length: 272 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Book #9 (Psycho Kitty Queen) Summary: Sammy’s mother comes to town to break some very bad news, cats around town keep disappearing, and El Gato—the strange student at Slammin’ Dave’s Pro Wrestling School—is obviously hiding something. Meanwhile star-crossed sweethearts and school tensions escalate into a public smackdown between Heather and Sammy.
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“A strong female character looking for more than just a boyfriend. Highly recommended.” - Children’s Literature
Theme: You can’t go back, so move forward.
Setting: Birthdays
Length: 293 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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“A strong female character looking for more than just a boyfriend. Highly recommended.” - Children’s Literature
Theme: You can’t go back, so move forward.
Setting: Birthdays
Length: 293 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Book #10 (Dead Giveaway) Summary: Sammy’s the one who-dun-it, but everyone thinks it’s Heather. Should Sammy confess, or let sweet revenge rule the day? Meanwhile, Sammy helps an old woman who lives in a train car and uncovers a shocking truth during a pirate-themed group date: Aaargh, Matey! Time to walk the plank! “Great for readers ready to move beyond Nancy Drew.” School Library Journal
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“One of the best entries in this popular, long-running series.” –Booklist
Theme: Explores the concept and impact of eminent domain
Setting: End-of-school dances and parties
Length: 277 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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“One of the best entries in this popular, long-running series.” –Booklist
Theme: Explores the concept and impact of eminent domain
Setting: End-of-school dances and parties
Length: 277 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Book #11 (Wild Things) Summary: Sammy and friends go camping and get lost amidst snakes, scorpions, ticks, wild boars and a high-stakes condor poacher. S’mores, anyone?
“Think a combination of Carl Hiaasen's Flush and Janet Evanovich's "Stephanie Plum" and you'll be right on target” – School Library Journal
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Edgar Award Nominee
Theme: Endangered animals and their value to our world.
Setting: Summer / Camping
Length: 293 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
“Think a combination of Carl Hiaasen's Flush and Janet Evanovich's "Stephanie Plum" and you'll be right on target” – School Library Journal
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Edgar Award Nominee
Theme: Endangered animals and their value to our world.
Setting: Summer / Camping
Length: 293 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Book #12 (Cold Hard Cash) Summary: While sneaking up a fire escape, Sammy accidentally scares a man to death. With his dying breath he instructs Sammy to throw the wads of cash he’s carrying into the bushes below. She does, but retrieves them later only to discover that others are after the money…and now her. Meanwhile friends and crushes converge at an annual pool party where water hoops isn’t the only game being played.
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An exceptionally good entry in an already remarkable series.” – Booklist
Theme: What seems free always comes at a price.
Setting: Summertime
Length: 293 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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An exceptionally good entry in an already remarkable series.” – Booklist
Theme: What seems free always comes at a price.
Setting: Summertime
Length: 293 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Book #13 (Wedding Crasher) Summary: Everyone wants the most hated teacher on campus gone, but threats indicate that someone wants him dead and gone. Sammy has to get her name off the list of suspects, but she’s distracted by her diva mother, an almost-boyfriend ducking her calls, and a poufy lavender bridesmaid dress. Blends mystery, comedy, and a dusting of fairytale magic as Sammy takes off her high-tops and puts on some party shoes.
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“Another rollicking addition to the series!” – Booklist
Theme: If the shoe fits...
Setting: Weddings
Length: 296 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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“Another rollicking addition to the series!” – Booklist
Theme: If the shoe fits...
Setting: Weddings
Length: 296 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Book #14 (Night of Skulls) Summary: Sammy & friends dress up as zombies for Halloween and before they know it they’re hiding from gravediggers, ghoulish embalmers and shady undertakers…not to mention Heather and her ever-scary mother. Cultures collide and skulls are unearthed, and a strange man with a hoe vanishes as intrigue in the graveyard comes to a frightening head.
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“The action is crisp and smartly plotted…upbeat, spooky, entertaining, and heartwarming.” - Booklist
Theme: How different cultures handle death.
Setting: Halloween, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), All Saints Day
Length: 304 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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“The action is crisp and smartly plotted…upbeat, spooky, entertaining, and heartwarming.” - Booklist
Theme: How different cultures handle death.
Setting: Halloween, Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), All Saints Day
Length: 304 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Book #15 (Power of Justice Jack) Summary: In a town with eccentric fortune tellers, Elvis impersonators, cockeyed taxidermists, and pro-wrestling maniacs, Sammy Keyes thinks she’s seen it all...until she meets Justice Jack—a “superhero” who rides a dirt bike with a sidecar, has a secret lair in a pink trailer, and tries hard to recruit Sammy to be his sidekick. But crime has gone up, not down, since Jack strapped on the Mask of Justice and Sammy is determined to find out why.
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"Our favorite female investigator.” – Children’s Literature
Theme: There’s a superhero inside us all.
Setting: New Year’s/ Sinter Klaas (Dutch Christmas)
Length: 294 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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"Our favorite female investigator.” – Children’s Literature
Theme: There’s a superhero inside us all.
Setting: New Year’s/ Sinter Klaas (Dutch Christmas)
Length: 294 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Book #16 (Showdown in Sin City) Summary: Gives the answers we’ve been waiting for: Why is Heather so evil? Who is Sammy’s dad? But after these are revealed with the help of a team of Elvis impersonators during a wild romp through casinos, wedding chapels, and the Las Vegas jail, the question becomes, Now what?!
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"The most winning junior detective ever in teen lit." —Midwest Children's Book Review
Theme: Redemption
Setting: Valentine’s Day / Las Vegas
Length: 270 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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"The most winning junior detective ever in teen lit." —Midwest Children's Book Review
Theme: Redemption
Setting: Valentine’s Day / Las Vegas
Length: 270 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Book #17 (Killer Cruise) Summary: Secret codes! Clues! Delicious red herrings! A classic whodunit on the high seas, where Sammy and her dad find themselves in some seriously shark-infested waters. In this penultimate installment, Sammy gets to know her father, what the future may hold, and what might have been.
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“Executes flawlessly.”--VOYA
Theme: The destructive effects of greed.
Setting: Cruise ship
Length: 305 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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“Executes flawlessly.”--VOYA
Theme: The destructive effects of greed.
Setting: Cruise ship
Length: 305 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Book #18 (Kiss Goodbye) Summary: Sammy has always managed to stay one step ahead of the bad guys. Until now. The breathtaking conclusion to this 18-book series puts Sammy in more than just danger and brings back the entire series cast to solve the mystery. “A fitting tribute to Sammy, who is as much a heroine for always staying true to herself and striving to do the right thing as she is for any crimes she solved.” – School Library Journal
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Theme: The ripple effect of kindness and small deeds/ Endings and new beginnings
Setting: End of school
Length: 236 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
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Theme: The ripple effect of kindness and small deeds/ Endings and new beginnings
Setting: End of school
Length: 236 pages
Best for grades: 5-8
Buy Links: IndieBound / Amazon / Barnes & Noble
Free Activity Downloads
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Character Costume Guide ---->
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Hotel Thief Crossword ---->
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Hotel Thief Word Search ---->
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Sammy Keyes Crossword Books 1-9 ---->
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Sammy Keyes Crossword Books 10-18 ---->
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Solve the Mystery Activity ---->
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