Murder at the Winter Games. (The Screech Owl Series, No. 18). Roy MacGregor. Toronto, ON: McClelland & Stewart, 2004. 123 pp., pbk., $6.99. ISBN 0-7710-5647-8. Grade 5-8 / Ages 10-13. Review by Tanus Tosh McNeill. *** /4

excerpt:

Round Two of the Gross-Out Olympics was under way!

"Fifteen more seconds!" Nish barked into his cordless microphone.

"Ten seconds!"

Hands worked furiously. The big room was echoing with the sound of tearing and ripping as the teams tore off strips of duct tape and slapped them over every part of the players' bodies to secure them more firmly to the wall. There was tape over pants and T-shirts and socks and bare skin - and even tape over tape wherever possible.

"Five seconds!"

Travis could barely hear himself think for the furious ripping of the sticky tape.

"Four.three.two...ONE!"

"STOP TAPING!"

Hockey, Gross-Out Olympics, a kidnapping and a murder, what more could a middle-years reader desire? MacGregor has created another captivating mystery novel for students who want action and adventure in their reading.

     The eighteenth volume in the “Screech Owls Series” can stand alone, but students will certainly enjoy reading more about these unique hockey players in other situations. There is fun and excitement both on and off the ice as this plot unfolds.

     The story opens with the Screech Owls Pee Wee hockey team in Salt Lake City for an international hockey tournament. One of the more colourful Screech Owl players, Nish, has created the Gross-Out Olympics which will run concurrently with the hockey tournament. Gross-Out events include duct taping a fellow player to the wall, "Snot Shots" which require players to compete to see who can shoot a jelly bean farthest from their nostril, and other zany antics. All of this excitement is overshadowed when a player, Brody Prince, from the elusive Hollywood Stars team, is kidnapped, and the Screech Owl's tour guide is discovered murdered. Predictably, the players from the Screech Owl team discover that the two incidents are connected.

     After a harrowing escape through the underground tunnels of Salt Lake City and a treacherous toboggan ride, the Screech Owls help to catch the murderous kidnappers. The Owls and the Stars meet on ice for the final game of the hockey tournament. This highly publicized match sees Brody Prince playing against his rescuers, and the finals are held in the same arena where the Canadian men and women hockey teams won gold medals in the last Olympics. The Screech Owls win the tournament, and Brody and Nish are named the most valuable players.

     Travis, the protagonist and captain of the team, is a subtle and levelheaded character. MacGregor effectively portrays the reverence and superstitious nature that swirls around hockey and other sports as he repeatedly shares Travis’ pulling "his jersey over his head, making sure to kiss it just as the captain's 'C' slid[es] by." Travis often serves as a contrast to his teammate, Nish, who has difficulty staying out of trouble but somehow frequently ends up being the hero. Many other quirky characters round out the Screech Owl hockey team.

     Obviously students who enjoy hockey or the topic of the Olympics will be drawn to this book. Also, because the Screech Owls are a co-ed team, both male and female hockey fans will relate to this story. MacGregor describes Salt Lake City's rich history, including the secret tunnels and the bootlegging of liquor. Readers interested in mysteries, the prohibition, or the glamour of Hollywood will also enjoy it. With three plots unfolding simultaneously, the hockey tournament, the kidnapping, and the murder, it may be confusing for the reader. Everything, however, does neatly tie together by the end of the book.

     This predictable mystery effectively uses hockey, history, and humour to draw in readers. The “Screech Owl Series” will have added appeal for reluctant readers because of the fast paced plot, the interesting related topics, the book’s shorter length, and the fact that there are more books in the series.

Recommended.

Tanus Tosh McNeill is a teacher-librarian in Winnipeg, MB.

To comment on this title or this review, send mail to cm@umanitoba.ca.

Copyright © the Manitoba Library Association. Reproduction for personal use is permitted only if this copyright notice is maintained. Any other reproduction is prohibited without permission.

Published by The Manitoba Library Association ISSN 1201-9364

Hosted by the University of Manitoba.

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