The most compelling thing about this book is that the main character, Will Halpin, is deaf. He leaves the safety and security of his deaf school for the mainstream experience of public school. It's edifying to "hear" the difficulties of being deaf in a public school: he can't hear the bells; his teachers turn their backs to him making it impossible for him to lip read; kids don't understand why he stares at them (so he can read their lips), and more. Compound this with the fact that he's overweight, and it won't come as a surprise that he is bullied. He makes a friend of the school nerd, and their conversations take place in IM chat, which will no doubt appeal to teens. But the plot is standard fare -- "outcast, bullied teen solves the mystery and becomes a sort-of hero". The mystery involves the death of the rich, sleazy quarterback and is neither very interesting nor mysterious. Good read for someone interested in the deaf theme or who wants an easy mystery.