LitPick Review
Blank Confession by Pete Hautman is a cross between a mystery and an adventure about a mysterious boy named Shayne Blank who walks into a police department and confesses he committed a crime. His story is that he is new in town and attends a new high school. The first friend he meets apparently owes 500 dollars that he doesn't have and doesn't, in fact, owe to a high school drug lord. Shayne and Mikey must try to mend the situation and bring down the drug lord's drug operation in the process. They do this by using the crazy fighting skills that Shayne has. What crime does Shayne commit?
Opinion:
This book is an insightful, witty, gripping look into a drug riddled high school and two boy's fight to stop the drugs from flowing through the high school. Hautman uses authentic voices to tell his story, and the narration is clear and focused. Mikey's voice is witty, and Shayne's voice is dark and serious. I could always picture the setting, and I was always right there with the characters. This book is very moving, with a great twist at the end, and I always wanted to read just one more chapter. I learned about integrity from this book, and so will you. I would only recommend it to mature readers because there is some violence and drug usage. I give this book a complete A+.