Payback Time by Carl Deuker

Genre: Sports Fiction

# of Pages: 298

RAC: Yes

Mitch True is a reporter at his high school and is extremely unhappy when he is assigned the sports columns. Mitch dreams of one day being a star investigative reporter who breaks open huge stories, like Watergate. He really wants to work on the school paper, though, so he dutifully goes to the football and volleyball games. At one of the football practices he notices a new kid, Angel, off to the side with an amazing throw. When he asks the coach about Angel he is brushed off. When the season starts he sees that Angel is hardly ever played despite his obvious skills. The more Mitch investigates this student’s past the more confused he gets and he starts to wonder if this is his big story. Can Mitch find out why Angel’s trying to downplay his skills to everyone, including possible talent scouts?

Carl Deuker is a master of writing sports fiction high school boys love to read, but this might be his best yet. The football action is written in an exciting and easy to follow manner, but the mystery behind Angel’s past is almost more engaging. Even reluctant readers will struggle to put this mesmerizing sports mystery down. Highly recommended.

17 Responses to “Payback Time by Carl Deuker”

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1 Adriana November 20, 2010 at 8:26 pm

I don’t know why but, I’m getting interested in football. Thanks, its a football book that looks like it could be really cool. I found another of Carl Deuker’s books that sounds good – Runner.

- 2 Anonymous January 25, 2011 at 11:42 pm
  
  yea im starting to do that too i mean i have always liked football but now i guess im starting to like it even more its unexplainable
  
- 3 abella3000@yahoo.com March 9, 2011 at 9:44 pm
  
  pop by gordan korman is a great football book, it has a good base story, some teen parts (of course, they suck but are always put in) it made me cry i loved it
  
  - 4 kyle April 20, 2011 at 3:17 am
    
    i agree i just finished it and i loved but the end is like wow it just leaves you in aww
- 5 Anonymous August 24, 2011 at 8:23 pm
  
  runner is great
  
- 6 Anonymous December 8, 2011 at 1:27 am
  
  Read runner before payback time as the start of Payback Time contains parts of the plot from Runner, it’s a small continuation, but it helps for a better understanding
  
7 Beastmo March 16, 2011 at 2:53 pm

This book just doesn’t look near as interesting as books like “Heart of a Champion” or “Gym Candy” or “Night Hoops”. Runner was an ay-ok book, but it lacked sports. I think Carl Deuker needs to write more books about how the main character plays sports, not just watches, or runs around.

8 Anonymous July 15, 2011 at 6:10 pm

nice book should write more

9 Mat November 4, 2011 at 12:10 am

i have never read it this is for school and i needed to know about it thanks 🙂

10 Ashley November 9, 2011 at 6:18 pm

This book was great.!

11 Anonymous November 11, 2011 at 9:13 pm

i absolutly LOVE this book!!!!!!!!

12 bob December 15, 2011 at 1:50 pm

good book

13 yuyy February 9, 2012 at 2:12 am

Great book

14 dylan b. March 29, 2012 at 11:35 pm

good not great

15 Anonymous November 9, 2012 at 5:20 pm

absolutely loved this book

16 chandler R. November 14, 2012 at 9:34 pm

probably the best book i’ve ever read

17 Anonymous October 1, 2013 at 8:32 pm

It was great I loved it