Among the Harriets and Nancys of the mystery world, Sammy Keyes has always been a breath of fresh, relatable air for kid readers. The first book in her eponymous series — Sammy Keyes and the Hotel Thief — was published in 1998, and author Wendelin Van Draanen went on to expand Sammy’s world with a whopping seventeen more titles! In Episode 51 of SSR, we take a closer look at the first book, reminiscing about how much we loved the zany cast of characters, reflecting on the lessons it teaches about avoiding snap judgements, discussing its take on interpersonal relationships, and swapping notes on a few elements that have aged a little less well. We also make lots of hilariously random pop culture references.

Thanks to LA-based writer and comedian Jocey Coffman for guesting! Follow Jocey on Twitter (@joceydotcom) and Instagram (@joceydotcom) for biting room temperature takes.

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