Scarlett Fever

Sweet Scarlett (OHara) Martin from Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson is back in Scarlett Fever. Also back is her dysfunctional family, older sister Lola who has just broken up with mega-rich Chip, Maureen who has recovered from cancer and is being nice to everyone for some unknown reason and Spenser, still trying to make an acting career. Mrs. Amberson has recently moved out of her suite at the Hopewell Hotel and has started a talent agency, her only client at the moment being Spenser.

I know youre all going to pounce on this book, so Ill just give you a little of the action. Scarlett Fever begins right after Suite Scarlett ends. Scarlett still has a crush on Eric, who as you probably remember, had a girlfriend at the time he kissed Scarlett. Shes watched his pizza commercial about 352 times. Lola broke up with Chip, who nobody but Lola likes, but Maureen sets them up again, creating agitation in the Martin household. Spencer is going on audition after audition, getting rejection after rejection until he gets a prime part on Crime and Punishment, a popular TV cop show. However, his character kills the most popular TV cop ever, causing Spencer to become the most hated man in New York. Finally, Mrs. Amberson gets a new client, Chelsea Biggs, primarily because her bad-boy brother Max goes to Scarletts school and Mrs. Amberson promises that Scarlett will spy on him. Is that enough? You bet. It keeps Scarlett busy from the end of the summer to the end of the year.

As with all of Maureen Johnsons books, theres action, romance, humor, adventure, etc. Mrs. Amberson is as loony as ever, naming her borrowed dog, Murray, after the apartment buildings doorman, Murray, who hates the dog. Thats only the tip of the iceberg. Scarletts life is as frenetic as ever, running from school to Mrs. Amberson to Chelsea Biggs to home. Johnson has quite an imagination because I could never think of the things shes written in the book. You have to like all the characters in the book, even the ones youre not supposed to like.

And the ending yells SEQUEL, SEQUEL, SEQUEL. So, dont get scarlet fever the disease, get Scarlett Fever the book and spend some time with Scarlett.