The Perfect Shot by Elaine Marie Alphin
SUMMARY: This engrossing thriller weaves issues of civil rights, racial prejudice, the judicial system, and the lessons of history into a suspenseful tale of a high-school senior who wants to do the right thing. Brian's girlfriend, Amanda; her brother; and their mother are shot to death in their garage. The husband and father of the family is put on trial for the crime. On the day of the murders, however, Brian saw something that he thinks might affect the case. What might have been a straightforward mystery grows richer as Brian compares Amanda's father's situation to the 1913 Leo Frank murder case he is researching for class. Another thread follows the arrest of Brian's friend and basketball teammate Julius, one of the few African Americans in their small Indiana town. Brian's personal dilemma--should he speak out and make waves or keep his doubts to himself--will keep readers' attention until the very last page. (adapted from the SLJ review)
OPINION: Brian, captain of the high school basketball team, is under a lot of pressure to do well in school, to lead the team to the championships, and to deal with his grief over the death of Amanda. When a history teacher assigns a major project right in the middle of basketball season, it seems like nothing can possibly go right. But Brian gets assigned to research a court case that seems to have a lot of parallels to Amanda's father's situation. And he starts to wonder if what he saw that day could be the key to proving her father's innocence. This book blends basketball, murder, and history into a gripping mystery that I couldn't put down. I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish it!
1 comment:
Does Brian die in the end of the book, and what happens to Amanda's dad did he really kill his family?
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