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MUSIC AND ENTERTAINMENT 2: A Basketball Mystery

In his first book for young readers, titled "Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery," author John Feinstein turns “March Madness” into a March mystery. The two main characters are basketball fans and aspiring journalists, Steven Thomas and Susan Carol Anderson. The pair wins the prize of their dreams: a trip to cover the NCAA Final Four. With press passes in hand, the two eighth graders set out to explore the Superdome in New Orleans. But a behind-the-scenes look at the tournament reveals a game more serious then they ever could have imagined.

To add to the suspense, Steven and Susan Carol overhear an ominous threat. Someone is pressuring Chip Graber, Minnesota State’s star player, to deliberately lose the championship to Duke. With just 48 hours to title game tip-off, Steven and Susan Carol are determined to figure out who is threatening Chip and why.

Just like NCAA basketball, "Last Shot" is full of surprises, including an unexpected ending and fun cameo appearances by sports personalities Dick Vitale, Jim Calhoun, Tony Kornheiser and Coach K. Despite the fictional plotline, the story offers scores of informational facts about NCAA regulations and tournament traditions.

“I wanted to make it feel real to the reader,” explained Feinstein in a televised interview with Charlie Rose. As a sports writer, Feinstein has been to 25 Final Fours. “This is what it feels like to be there,” he said.

Before "Last Shot," Feinstein wrote several non-fiction books for adults, including "A Season on the Brink," the bestselling sports book of all time. He has also worked for National Public Radio, CBS Sports, ESPN and Sports Illustrated. But he didn’t always plan to write about sports. In an interview with Random House, Feinstein said he spent most of his childhood “planning to be either the point guard for the Knicks or play centerfield for the Mets.”

"Last Shot: A Final Four Mystery" is 256 pages long and recommended for readers age 9 to adult.

--Written by Diane Bobis

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