Game Theory

Gr 9 Up—Jamie is something of a mathematician and when he helps his sister obtain the winning numbers to the 7.5 million-dollar-lottery, he's hoping for at least a thank- you—but Summerlee is too busy funneling her life into the toilet with drugs and parties. After Summerlee's stint in jail, Jamie feels like the family has finally written her off as a lost cause, but the arrest was just a catalyst for the tragic consequences that follow. Phoebe, their youngest sister, is kidnapped and Summerlee's money is their demand for her safe return. Oddly, the kidnapper dictates Jamie as point man, and the plot that follows, full of twists and turns, is all based in something Jamie believes in heavily: game theory, the concept of considering what the other player might do instead of what you must do. The result—a skillfully woven mystery and nearly impossible-to-predict thrills. Will Jamie save Phoebe from the kidnapper's grip or will game theory steer him horribly wrong? Teen fans of thrillers will become immersed in the realistic characters and the unique plot facilitated by game theory.