Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief

By: Wendelin Van Draanen

Narrated by: Tara Sands

The debut mystery that kicked off the popular series about a live-wire girl detective, this Edgar Allan Poe Award-winning story takes place in Sammy's neighborhood - right across the street from her grandmother's apartment, in fact.

While looking out the window with her grandma's binoculars, Sammy witnesses a crime across the street at the Heavenly Hotel. What's worse, the thief saw her spying! As Sammy attempts to find the burglar who has made several other hits in the neighborhood, she finds herself trying to keep him from uncovering her - or worse, the police discovering that she's living illegally with her grandmother in the seniors-only housing!

A modern-day Nancy Drew, the saucy, smart Sammy Keyes is a sleuth whose escapades entertain and inspire teens.

©1998 Wendelin Van Draanen Parsons (P)2000 Live Oak Media

Critic reviews

"The solution will likely come as a surprise, and the sleuth delights from start to finish." ( Publishers Weekly)
"Children will admire Sammy's inadvertent genius for ruffling feathers as much as they'll like her sharp powers of observation and deduction; she is a tough new gumshoe with another caper scheduled for fall." ( Kirkus Reviews)

Great Family Listening

My kids aged 12, 9 and 7 were enthralled with this book. Each breakfast they scrambled to the table eagerly awaiting the next chapter and cried for more (though school was starting soon!) Great book and great listening!

From a Christian perspective

I love the Sammy Keys stories. It could have done without the astrology and all the lying throughout the story. Sends the message that telling lies is fine.

Fun read for young kids!

My daughters (8 & 7) were hooked on this book while we drove cross-country. It's funny, heartfelt and suspenseful. The characters are quirky and performed very well by Ms. Sands.

I loved this

This book got me binging the entire series and cried when it ended I love this.

Sammy Keyes, Kid detective

Would you listen to Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief again? Why?

I would and I have.

If you’ve listened to books by Wendelin Van Draanen before, how does this one compare?

This was actually my first, but not my last.

Have you listened to any of Tara Sands’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

I have not had the pleasure. But I did enjoy her performance. Its hard to find a good reader for young stories. She was very good.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

I felt for Sammy, having to sneak in and out of her grand-mother's apartment. and how her mother is not actually behaving as a mother should.

Any additional comments?

Great story, I look forward to other of this series.