Rush for the Gold: Mystery at the Olympics [Hardcover]

John Feinstein (Author)

Book Description

Release date: May 22, 2012 | Age Range: 10 and up | Lexile Measure: 820L (What's this?)

Bestselling sportswriter and Edgar Award winner John Feinstein is back with another sports mystery featuring Stevie Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson—this one set at the summer Olympics in London.  In this book, Susan Carol isn't a reporter—she's an Olympian, competing as a swimmer at her first Olympic games. Stevie is both proud and envious of her athletic prowess. And he's worried by the agents and sponsors and media all wanting to get up close and personal with Susan Carol.  But the more disturbing question becomes—how far might they go to ensure that America's newest Olympic darling wins gold?  

Sports novels abound, but Feinstein's books are all stars. They combine sports action, high-stakes mysteries, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of big-time sporting events.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Booklist, May 1, 2012:
"As in his earlier books in the series, the popular Feinstein takes readers inside a major sports venue, supplies fascinating details, and serves up a satisfying mystery."

Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2012:
"As is his wont, Feinstein salts the cast with real athletes and other figures from Michael Phelps to Bob Costas. He folds plenty of dramatic sports action as well as behind-the-scenes banter and personal and family conflict into a plot that moves smoothly to a suspenseful climax...A fast-paced caper."

About the Author

JOHN FEINSTEIN is the author of many bestselling books, including A Season on the Brink and A Good Walk Spoiled. His books for young readers offer a winning combination of sports, action, and intrigue, with Last Shot receiving the Edgar Allan Poe Award for best young adult mystery of the year. He lives in Potomac, Maryland, and Shelter Island, New York, with his family.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Age Range: 10 and up
  
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (May 22, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0375869638
• ISBN-13: 978-0375869631
• Product Dimensions: 5.8 x 1.1 x 8.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.5 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (70 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #67,431 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #20 in Books > Children's Books > Sports & Games > Sports > Water Sports

More About the Author

John Feinstein spent years on the staff at the Washington Post, as well as writing for Sports Illustrated and the National Sports Daily. He is a commentator on NPRs "Morning Edition," a regular on ESPNs "The Sports Reporters" and a visiting professor of journalism at Duke University.His first book, A Season on the Brink, is the bestselling sports book of all time. His first book for younger readers, Last Shot, was a bestseller.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Counting Down to London May 10, 2012

By Tina Says VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I am always surprised by how well known John Feinstein is. Yesterday I had brought along Rush for the Gold, Feinstein's newest book to be released in May to our library meeting. This is another installment in his kids sports mystery series. A few of my librarian friends who do not appear to be overly athletic or into sports commented on how they enjoyed his adult books. While I enjoy his books, I was very much unaware of how many different types of people enjoy his work.
Rush for the Gold is my latest Amazon Vine acquisition. I have always enjoyed reading about Stevie and Susan Carol at the various sporting events they are able to attend. Not only are their mysteries suspenseful, but Feinstein includes a lot of information about the sport his book features and the different athletes and rules within that sport.
The London Olympic games are just 84 days away, so it is no surprise that this latest book features Susan and Stevie at the London games. While Stevie is reporting as usual, Susan Carol is competing in the games as a swimmer. She has grown taller and gained weight in the past year and her swimming career has really taken off. The sudden fame is a lot to contend with and even Susan Carol's dad is a bit overwhelmed by the idea of millions of dollars in his daughter's future.
In typical fashion, there is more going on than just the games. Stevie begins to wonder if someone is trying to rig who is winning the gold medal in swimming events. Of course he and Susan Carol begin sleuthing around to try and solve the mystery on their own.
Although this is part of a series, it could certainly stand on its own. There are references to Susan Carol and Stevie's experience at Wimbledon in a prior mystery, and I was happy I had already read that title. However, even if I had not read any of these books by Feinstein, I would have very much enjoyed this one.
Rush for the Gold was a fast read, a good installment to this series, and has me counting down for London myself.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars So-So Mystery Set in the Current Summer Olympics July 19, 2012

By Ms Winston TOP 1000 REVIEWERVINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

As a sports novel aimed at younger teens interested in swimming, "Rush for the Gold" is entertaining, but as a mystery novel it is only so-so. The heroine, Susan Carol Anderson, has gone from being a better than average swimmer to a world class competitor in less than a year, and she is going to the 2012 London Olympic games. She has become the center of attention and the flavor of the month for reporters, agents, and sponsors. Susan and her boyfriend, Stevie Thomas, are usually the ones covering sporting events, so Stevie is a little overcome by the reversal of roles for Susan.

Most of the book is Susan preparing for the games. Stevie has a feeling that something is a little "off," but he doesn't know what it is that is making him feel that way. Frankly, this reader did not really care, and at the end where the mystery was given its reveal in London, my reaction was, "And...?" I kept expecting that there would be something more dramatic, and there was not; in addition, the ending seemed rushed, as though the author wished to get it over with. The characters are appealing, but not at all complex, and the writing is pretty straight forward with no literary elements. It is part of a series which I have not read, but it is a stand-alone book that the target audience could read without having read any other of Feinstein's books. I believe that the audience for this book would be young teenage girls passionately interested in swimming and/or the Olympics. The slightly romantic element provided by Stevie, who is a "good boyfriend," would not set off any alarm bells for concerned parents. I don't think this book is going to particularly stand up after the games are over, unless as part of the series, due to the specific nature of the venue. A good summer read for young teenage girls, in my opinion, but nothing deep here.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Susan Carol Goes to the Olympics May 10, 2012

By K. M. Martin VINE™ VOICE

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

This was an interesting story that takes a closer look at the lives of elite young athletes. Susan Carol Anderson is an elite swimmer. When the story starts she is reliving the World Championships in Shanghai instead of listening to the agents from the Lightning Fast Agency who are trying to get her to sign a contact with them. All of a sudden she has become a celebrity and, since she is a very pretty young woman, agencies are lining up to represent her. Her father decides to sign with Lightning Fast.

Susan Carol is suddenly under even more pressure as she gets ready for the Olympics. She is constantly trying to balance the demands of her agents and the needs of her coach. And her father is too dazzled by the thought of the huge amount of money that she might be able to make to pay attention to what Susan Carol really needs. Luckily, Susan Carol is a level-headed young woman who has friends who really do want the best for her.

Her best friend, boyfriend, and reporting partner, Steve Thomas, is watching as all this happens to his friend. Instead of working together to find and write the stories as they did in five previous mysteries, now Susan Carol is the story. Stevie has the advantage of being able to see the whole situation from outside and begins to get suspicious about just how far the agents will go to make Susan Carol a money-making star for them.

I liked the close-up view of the inside world of young elite athletes. It was interesting to get a look at the backstage activities like sponsors, agents, and endorsements. I liked that the book combined real people, like Bob Costas, Michael Phelps, Ryan Lochte and even the Queen of England, with the fictional stars of this story. It added a lot of realism.

This story spans the time from the World Championships, through the Olympic Trials, all the way to the London Olympics. It is packed with intrigue, slimy characters doing sneaky things, and good friends trying to protect their friend. I recommend it to both mystery lovers and lovers of sports stories. Now, I need to catch up on the earlier adventures of Stevie and Susan Carol because I want to see how they developed their great friendship. Luckily, my school media center has all the previous books!