Vicki Silver: The Stolen Gem

by Alissa Wood

A young woman and her group of friends in Sport, Maine, are immediately on the case when a priceless diamond is stolen from the Heritage Museum. Can they piece together the puzzle and discover the... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0980186102
• ISBN13: 9780980186109
• Release Date: November 2007
• Publisher: Summertime Books
• Length: 156 Pages
• Weight: 0.39 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 5.0" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

A POSITIVE TEEN TALE

This is a great read. I truly enjoyed Alissa's characters Vicki Silver, CJ and all of their friends. It was great to read about how these teens have a goal and life and go after it! They do not let their young age keep them from solving the mystery of the stolen gem. These kids really have their priorities straight which is a reflection of the author's ability to put her beliefs into words in an entertaining manner that isn't preachy. It truly shows that you can be a faithful Christian and still have an exciting life. I look forward to reading the next book in the series and sharing it with all ages!

Vicki Silver: The Stolen Gem is an excellent book!

I grew up on the Hardy boys and liked Nancy Drew even better when I read her books to my two kids, so I was overjoyed to read on the back cover how author Alisa Wood began writing "The Stolen Gem" at the age of 14 and by the time she graduated from high school had completed seven in the series. Wow! If this novel is any indication she has real talent as a mystery writer, handling dialogue, action and the interplay among characters with the sophistication of someone twice her age. And she has one incredible advantage over them. She not only knows her audience, she was a recent member of the age group she is targeting. That said, this saga steams forward on plot action rather than character development or atmospheric setting. We have a good idea of the thief a third of the way through and there aren't many surprises as far as a "mystery" goes. Typically it's, "Everyone split up and look for clues." Oh, there are a few red herrings, but I wish Alyssa had taken a bit more time with her heroine's attorney parents--she describes Vicki and her older sister's home life by saying, "The way their parents ruled the household was to turn everything into an argument, a legal argument, and `to the victor go the spoils.'" Now that is original and would be fun for the reader to experience first hand. I have to say that I was caught up in Vicki Silver's enthusiasm and "can do" attitude. This is also one series in which girls know how to handle themselves in a fight. I even liked her over-the-top, foot steps in the shadows, paranoia. The major problem these undercover teen-aged sleuths face is that grown-ups, such as the police, don't believe them. There is a slight switch in Chapter 2 away from Vicki's 3rd person point of view to get some information across to the reader, but I don't think most readers would even notice; and what a good climax this story has! Two other things I particularly liked were ending the book with the friends going to a clichéd, male-hero action film (nice contrast) and the dedication, which includes many of the author's English teachers. They have a lot to be proud of. And the advice she follows--to base fictional characters on real people--serves her well. Keep them coming, Alissa. Meanwhile I'll look for Vicki, CJ, Joe and Justin at the Ultimate Pizza. I know another mystery awaits them. Next time we adults will be paying more attention.

A Great Read!

I just finished reading this book and want to say that the author has created great characters and situations that will make you want to keep reading through to the very end! Alissa Wood shows teens the value of friendship and keeping good moral standards while working to bring criminals to justice. If you're a teen reader or know any teen readers, this would make a great gift. I believe that Vicki Silver will appeal to people of all ages and look forward to the rest of the series. Vicki Silver: Cruise Control

Thought book was great

Vicki Silver is a Nancy Drew-type with a cool group of friends that help her solve the mystery and get her out of some dangerous situations. The book has action and suspense starting on page 1 and continuing until the very end. This will be a good series to follow! Neiman, age 10