To Catch a Cheat: A Jackson Greene Novel: A Jackson Greene Novel

About this book

A video frames Jackson Greene and his friends for a crime they didn’t commit — how will they prove their innocence?

Jackson Greene is riding high. He is officially retired from conning, so Principal Kelsey is (mostly) off his back. His friends have great new projects of their own. And as he’s been hanging out a lot with Gaby de la Cruz, he thinks maybe, just maybe, they’ll soon have their first kiss.

Then Jackson receives a link to a faked security video that seems to show him and the rest of Gang Greene flooding the school gym. The thugs behind the video threaten to pass it to the principal — unless Jackson steals an advance copy of the school’s toughest exam. So Jackson devises a three-part plan to foil the blackmailers, clear his friends’ names for good, and trap the true bad guys along the way. As Gang Greene executes another multi-step caper full of twists and turns, they learn that sometimes it takes a thief to catch a cheat.

Reviews

Praise for The Great Greene Heist:

"It's a thrilling ride that may con reluctant readers into settling down on the couch with books like The Great Greene Heist instead of the remote control." -- The New York Times
* "It's refreshing to read a story about middle-school life that's smart, complicated, and funny, with a cleverly constructed plot and a sweet relationship between a boy and a girl. ... The lively (and racially diverse) cast of characters and the intricate plot will make this a story to read again for the sheer fun of it all." -- The Horn Book Magazine, starred review

* "The elaborate bait and switch of this fast-paced, funny caper novel will surprise its readers as much as the victims." -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Like all entertaining heist tales, The Great Greene Heist assembles a motley crew of characters, each with their own specialty. . . . Varian Johnson keeps the pace lively and the 'Star Trek references flying." -- Austin American-Statesman