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Table of Contents
About The Book
An intrepid boy teams up with Alfred Hitchcock himself in this rollicking mystery rife with action, adventure, intrigue, and all the flavor of film noir.
After the mysterious death of his mother, eleven-year-old Jack Fair is whisked away to San Francisco’s swanky Fairmont Hotel by his wicked Aunt Edith. There, he seems doomed to a life of fetching chocolates for his aunt and her pet chinchilla. Until one night, when Aunt Edith disappears, and the only clue is a ransom note written…in chocolate?
Suddenly, Jack finds himself all alone on a quest to discover who kidnapped Aunt Edith and what happened to his mother. Alone, that is, until he meets an unlikely accomplice—Alfred Hitchcock himself! The two embark on a madcap journey full of hidden doorways, secret societies, cryptic clues, sinister villains, and cinematic flair.
After the mysterious death of his mother, eleven-year-old Jack Fair is whisked away to San Francisco’s swanky Fairmont Hotel by his wicked Aunt Edith. There, he seems doomed to a life of fetching chocolates for his aunt and her pet chinchilla. Until one night, when Aunt Edith disappears, and the only clue is a ransom note written…in chocolate?
Suddenly, Jack finds himself all alone on a quest to discover who kidnapped Aunt Edith and what happened to his mother. Alone, that is, until he meets an unlikely accomplice—Alfred Hitchcock himself! The two embark on a madcap journey full of hidden doorways, secret societies, cryptic clues, sinister villains, and cinematic flair.
About The Author
Photograph by Tim O’Meara
Jim Averbeck is the author of the Sophia series, illustrated by Yasmeen Ismail; In a Blue Room, illustrated by Tricia Tusa; and of the novel A Hitch at the Fairmont. He is also the author and illustrator of the picture books Oh No, Little Dragon! and Except If. He studied children’s book writing and illustration at the University of California Berkeley and now makes his home in San Francisco. You can visit him at JimAverbeck.com.
About The Illustrator
Nick Bertozzi has written and drawn many comics over the years, including The Salon, Lewis & Clark, and the New York Times bestselling Shackleton: Antarctic Odyssey. He’s also written the upcoming Becoming Andy Warhol. Bertozzi has won multiple Harvey and Eisner awards, the highest honors in comics. He lives in Queens, New York, with his wife and daughters.
Product Details
- Publisher: Atheneum Books for Young Readers (June 24, 2014)
- Length: 416 pages
- ISBN13: 9781442494473
- Grades: 3 - 7
- Ages: 8 - 12
- Lexile ® 690L The Lexile reading levels have been certified by the Lexile developer, MetaMetrics®
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Raves and Reviews
"Macabre twists that wouldn’t be out of place in a Dahl book."
– Kirkus Reviews
"A fun mystery...fast-paced with plenty of intrigue and suspense."
– Booklist
"Clever, intelligent, and completely entertaining. Read it!"
– Patricia MacLachlan, author of Newbery Medal-winning Sarah, Plain and Tall
"A Hitch at the Fairmont is terrific...a fun plot, wonderful characters, belly-laugh humor, and lots of truly lovely writing."
– Linda Sue Park, author of the Newbery Medal-winning A Single Shard
Awards and Honors
- Kansas NEA Reading Circle List Junior Title
- Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year Selection Title
Resources and Downloads
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): A Hitch at the Fairmont Hardcover 9781442494473
- Author Photo (jpg): Jim Averbeck Photograph by Tim O’Meara(1.8 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
