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* KickTheSonOfABitch: Casey sees Heather and her posse attempting to steal the horseshoe he gave to Sammy while trapped on the school bus. He gets off at the next stop and goes to help, only to find that Sammy has rescued herself and the horseshoe. Heather attempts to call him for help, saying Sammy broke her arm. He retorts that she's an embarrassment and goes to make sure Sammy is okay.

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* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Toward the end of ''The Sisters of Mercy'', Sammy ends up having to drive [[spoiler: the titular Sisters' camper because she has been snooping inside]]. She heads for the police station and ''immediately'' crashes into a squad car exiting the lot--and naturally Officer Borsch happens to be the one driving it. Sammy expects him to go ballistic, but instead, he laughs so hard that tears come down his face: "I should've known!"

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* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Toward the end of ''The Sisters ''Sisters of Mercy'', Sammy ends up having to drive [[spoiler: the [[spoiler:the titular Sisters' camper because she has been snooping inside]]. She heads for the police station and ''immediately'' crashes into a squad car exiting the lot--and naturally Officer Borsch happens to be the one driving it. Sammy expects him to go ballistic, but instead, he laughs so hard that tears come down his face: "I should've known!"



* AffablyEvil: [[spoiler: Bernice, the leader of the titular trio in ''The Sisters of Mercy.'' She's loud, fun, boisterous, and cheerful...and has also organized a massive crime spree of priceless religious artifacts from churches across the country, often framing the local pastor before making a getaway. After Sammy exposes the Sisters, she realizes that she genuinely liked Bernice and wishes she didn't have to send her to jail.]]

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* AffablyEvil: [[spoiler: Bernice, the leader of the titular trio in ''The Sisters ''Sisters of Mercy.'' She's loud, fun, boisterous, and cheerful... and has also organized a massive crime spree of priceless religious artifacts from churches across the country, often framing the local pastor before making a getaway. After Sammy exposes the Sisters, she realizes that she genuinely liked Bernice and wishes she didn't have to send her to jail.]]



* AscendedFridgeHorror: Sammy and Grams have this reaction at different points in ''The Psycho Kitty Queen'' when they find out [[spoiler:Tony, the janitor who rescued their cat was running an underground ring of cats fighting dogs]]. When Sammy and Holly see [[spoiler:the ring in action]], Sammy realizes that would have happened to Dorito if she and Grams hadn't put up Lost and Found posters. [[spoiler:Grams even tells Sammy she was horrified on realizing their cat was nearly killed]].
* AngerBornOfWorry: In ''The Curse of Mustache Mary'', Sammy discovers a group of meth dealers who've built a lab in the basement of an abandoned house. When Officer Borsch shows up to clear the area, he's furious at her for snooping around--not because she's a KidDetective, but because, in his own words, "cookers don't play around" and often line their labs with deadly traps. He points out that Sammy could have been outright killed and hates the thought of it.
* AuthorAppeal: Van Draanen's parents are Dutch immigrants, and so are Dot's. Her husband's great-grandfather crossed the plains in 1850. In ''Moustache Mary'', the eponymous pioneer was part of a group of travelers doing the same thing, and Sammy spends New Years' with Dot's family. It's one of the few cases where the author appeal is ''educational''-as well as [[FoodPorn delicious]].
* ABirthdayNotABreak: Sammy lampshades in ''The Psycho Kitty Queen'' that during the weekend of her birthday she [[spoiler:found dead cats in Dumpsters, found how her mother lied about her birthday, then learned she and Heather had the same birthday, lost her cat for a couple of hours, and put up Lost/Found signs in the dangerous part of town. The only good thing was she won money for taking a back bump, which she uses to buy a secondhand CD player.]] Ironically, she then starts to have the best week of her life, subverting the trope.
* BirthdayHater: In ''The Psycho Kitty Queen'' Sammy explains to Hudson that she hates her birthday and didn't mention it was the next day because on her twelfth birthday, her mother sat her down and announced that she was going to Hollywood, and then forgot Sammy's thirteenth and called several days later apologizing. [[spoiler:Lady Lana also messes up Sammy's fourteenth birthday by revealing that Sammy is actually thirteen, and then accidentally letting Dorito loose because he had caught a mouse]].

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* AscendedFridgeHorror: Sammy and Grams have this reaction at different points in ''The Psycho ''Psycho Kitty Queen'' when they find out [[spoiler:Tony, the janitor who rescued their cat cat, was running an underground ring of cats fighting dogs]]. When Sammy and Holly see [[spoiler:the ring in action]], Sammy realizes that would have happened to Dorito if she and Grams hadn't put up Lost and Found posters. [[spoiler:Grams even tells Sammy she was horrified on realizing their cat was nearly killed]].
* AngerBornOfWorry: In ''The Curse ''Curse of Mustache Moustache Mary'', Sammy discovers a group of meth dealers who've built a lab in the basement of an abandoned house. When Officer Borsch shows up to clear the area, he's furious at her for snooping around--not because she's a KidDetective, but because, in his own words, "cookers don't play around" and often line their labs with deadly traps. He points out that Sammy could have been outright killed and hates the thought of it.
* AuthorAppeal: Van Draanen's parents are Dutch immigrants, and so are Dot's. Her husband's great-grandfather crossed the plains in 1850. In ''Moustache Mary'', the eponymous pioneer was part of a group of travelers doing the same thing, and Sammy spends New Years' Year's with Dot's family. It's one of the few cases where the author appeal is ''educational''-as well as [[FoodPorn delicious]].
* ABirthdayNotABreak: Sammy lampshades in ''The Psycho ''Psycho Kitty Queen'' that during the weekend of her birthday she [[spoiler:found dead cats in Dumpsters, found how her mother lied about her birthday, then learned she and Heather had the same birthday, lost her cat for a couple of hours, and put up Lost/Found signs in the dangerous part of town. The only good thing was she won money for taking a back bump, which she uses to buy a secondhand CD player.]] Ironically, she then starts to have the best week of her life, subverting the trope.
* BirthdayHater: In ''The Psycho ''Psycho Kitty Queen'' Sammy explains to Hudson that she hates her birthday and didn't mention it was the next day because on her twelfth birthday, her mother sat her down and announced that she was going to Hollywood, and then forgot Sammy's thirteenth and called several days later apologizing. [[spoiler:Lady Lana also messes up Sammy's fourteenth birthday by revealing that Sammy is actually thirteen, and then accidentally letting Dorito loose because he had caught a mouse]].mouse.]]



** Sammy's catcher's mitt, a TragicKeepsake from his DisappearedDad. [[spoiler: In ''The Search for Snake Eyes'' she uses it to hold a hose that spews hot water, to incapacitate the titular character.]]
** Miss Kuzkowski's painting habits before and during class. Sammy mentions that her teacher is a big of ThePigPen, that she gets paint everywhere, including in her hair. As a result, the class smells strongly of turpentine, linseed oil, and other painting chemicals. Sammy is quite embarrassed for her, especially when she gets more paint-splattered during the March winds. [[spoiler:She later figures out that Diane is a fraud because she is always so perfectly clean and manicured, and her house didn't smell like turpentine, acrylic, or oils. A real artist would at least have ''some'' paint on her clothes or body, as would her studio]].
** Her homeroom teacher's magnifying glass in ''The Art of Deception''. [[spoiler: Sammy uses it to identify a signature on a painting as a forgery.]]

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** Sammy's catcher's mitt, a TragicKeepsake from his her DisappearedDad. [[spoiler: In ''The Search ''Search for Snake Eyes'' she uses it to hold a hose that spews hot water, to incapacitate the titular character.]]
** Miss Kuzkowski's painting habits before and during class. Sammy mentions that her teacher is a big strong example of ThePigPen, that she gets paint everywhere, including in her hair. As a result, the class smells strongly of turpentine, linseed oil, and other painting chemicals. Sammy is quite embarrassed for her, especially when she gets more paint-splattered during the March winds. [[spoiler:She later figures out that Diane is a fraud because she is always so perfectly clean and manicured, and her house didn't smell like turpentine, acrylic, or oils. A real artist would at least have ''some'' paint on her clothes or body, as would her studio]].
studio.]]
** Her homeroom teacher's magnifying glass in ''The Art ''Art of Deception''. [[spoiler: Sammy uses it to identify a signature on a painting as a forgery.]]



** Hudson in ''The Sisters of Mercy'' teaches Sammy how to crack safe codes. This comes in handy when [[spoiler: she has to find proof that the titular characters are the thieves that have robbed a church]].

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** Hudson in ''The Sisters ''Sisters of Mercy'' teaches Sammy how to crack safe codes. This comes in handy when [[spoiler: she has to find proof that the titular characters are the thieves that have robbed a church]].



* ClassPrincess: BitCharacter Tyra Estavan in ''The Dead Giveaway'' is into sports, community service and leadership. She beats AlphaBitch Heather in the election for most popular seventh grader even before the faculty figures out Heather submitted fifty-two fake ballots with her name on them.
* ComicBookTime: The first installments were published, and presumably set, around 1990ish. About a year and a half has passed in Sammy's world, but the setting has kept pace with the twenty-some years passing on the outside: in recent books, most middle-school kids have their own cell phones.

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* ClassPrincess: BitCharacter Tyra Estavan in ''The Dead ''Dead Giveaway'' is into sports, community service service, and leadership. She beats AlphaBitch Heather in the election for most popular seventh grader even before the faculty figures out Heather submitted fifty-two fake ballots with her name on them.
* ComicBookTime: The first installments were published, and presumably set, around 1990ish. About a year The series starts as Sammy enters seventh grade and a half has passed in Sammy's world, ends near the end of her eighth-grade year, but the setting has kept pace with the twenty-some years passing on the outside: in recent books, most middle-school kids have their own cell phones.



* CoolOldLady: Grams has her moments. Notably when she [[spoiler: pins Diane Reijden down long enough for Sammy to rescue half a burned painting from a pyre and expose Diane as a fraud.]]
* CrazyCatLady: In ''Psycho Kitty Queen'', obviously. A local former pageant queen named Katherine insistently goes by Kitty, keeps many cats, and harbors a vicious dislike of dogs. She claims to be able to identify a scrap of furry skin as a piece of dog ear...by licking it.

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* CoolOldLady: Grams has her moments. Notably when she [[spoiler: pins [[spoiler:pins Diane Reijden down long enough for Sammy to rescue half a burned painting from a pyre and expose Diane as a fraud.]]
fraud]].
* CrazyCatLady: In ''Psycho Kitty Queen'', obviously. A local former pageant queen named Katherine insistently goes by Kitty, keeps many cats, and harbors a vicious dislike of dogs. She claims to be able to identify a scrap of furry skin as a piece of dog ear... by licking it.



* DebateAndSwitch: In ''The Art of Deception'' Hudson while in a relationship with "Grams" finds himself attracted to Diane Reijden, an artist who does poignant oils of various subjects. Hudson claims that falling in love with Diane is a matter of falling in love with the art, while Grams in GreenEyedMonster mode claims that the art is shallow and tacky, manipulating emotions. Sammy, caught in the middle, doesn't know what to think since she likes the paintings but she doesn't like seeing Grams hurt. [[spoiler: Then she realizes that Diane, aka "Elizabeth," didn't do the paintings but took credit for them after her father left them to her, and Diane was willing to destroy them once lithographs were taken. Hudson has to admit that he fell for Diane's looks since "an old dead guy" actually did the paintings, and Grams acquiesces and says they were lovely paintings, ''after'' they've been destroyed]].

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* DebateAndSwitch: In ''The Art ''Art of Deception'' Hudson while in a relationship Deception'', Hudson, who has been WillTheyOrWontThey-ing with "Grams" Grams, finds himself attracted to Diane Reijden, an artist who does poignant oils of various subjects. Hudson claims that falling in love with Diane is a matter of falling in love with the art, while Grams in GreenEyedMonster mode claims that the art is shallow and tacky, manipulating emotions. Sammy, caught in the middle, doesn't know what to think since she likes the paintings but she doesn't like seeing Grams hurt. [[spoiler: Then [[spoiler:Then she realizes that Diane, aka "Elizabeth," Diane didn't do the paintings but took credit for them after her father left them to her, and Diane was willing to destroy them once lithographs were taken. Hudson has to admit that he fell for Diane's looks since "an old dead guy" actually did the paintings, and Grams acquiesces and says they were lovely paintings, ''after'' they've been destroyed]].destroyed.]]



** Sammy does this with [[spoiler: the "Crocodile"'s BlackMail book after she succeeds in stealing it, leaving the latter with no hold on her or anyone else]] because she realizes that so much knowledge [[spoiler: about others' personal lives]] are too dangerous and nasty to hold.
** [[spoiler: Diane burns her father's paintings]] when they no longer serve any monetary purpose. Sammy barely manages to save [[spoiler: enough of ''Whispers'', her favorite portrait, to prove Diane's a fraud]] and she's heartbroken about what she didn't save.

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** ''Runaway Elf'': Sammy does this with [[spoiler: the "Crocodile"'s BlackMail [[spoiler:Lilia Landvogt's blackmail book after she succeeds in stealing it, leaving the latter with no hold on her or anyone else]] because she realizes that so much knowledge [[spoiler: about others' personal lives]] are is too dangerous and nasty to hold.
** [[spoiler: Diane ''Art of Deception'': [[spoiler:Diane burns her father's paintings]] when they no longer serve any monetary purpose. Sammy barely manages to save [[spoiler: enough [[spoiler:enough of ''Whispers'', her favorite portrait, to prove Diane's a fraud]] and she's heartbroken about what she didn't save.



* DrivesLikeCrazy: At the end of ''The Sisters of Mercy'', Sammy ends up speeding down the roads of Santa Martina [[spoiler: in the titular Sisters' camper, because she's discovered they are the crooks plaguing the church and needs to escape them.]] She's an absolutely awful driver and ends up immediately totaling a police car when she gets to the station. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that she's ''twelve'' and knows absolutely nothing about driving.

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* DrivesLikeCrazy: At the end of ''The Sisters ''Sisters of Mercy'', Sammy ends up speeding down the roads of Santa Martina [[spoiler: in [[spoiler:in the titular Sisters' camper, because she's discovered they are the crooks plaguing the church and needs to escape them.]] them]]. She's an absolutely awful driver and ends up immediately totaling a police car when she gets to the station. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that she's ''twelve'' and knows absolutely nothing about driving.



* DueToTheDead: Despite the fact that he tried to kill her and ended up killing her fiancee instead-- his own brother-- Lucinda goes to the man's funeral and talks to his body in the coffin. Sammy doesn't know what she said, and would rather leave it at that.

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* DueToTheDead: Despite the fact that he tried to kill her and ended up killing her fiancee instead-- his instead--his own brother-- Lucinda brother--Lucinda goes to the man's Johnny James Murdock's funeral and talks to his body in the coffin. Sammy doesn't know what she said, and would rather leave it at that.



**  Officer Borsch doesn't necessarily like Sammy but has come to respect her after she delivered evidence that one of his bullying coworkers is corrupt. There's one moment where he is legitimately concerned for her safety: when she barely escapes with her life from [[spoiler:a methaphetamine dealer while trying to keep him locked in his den long enough for the cops to come]]. He's shaking her in AngerBornOfWorry that she could have been killed. Sammy is shocked that he cares that much.
** Diane Reijden's brother Lance, who is a BlackSheep and a "deadbeat" is outright horrified that [[spoiler: Diane not only took credit for her father's paintings, but destroyed them via a house fire.]] In fact, [[spoiler: Diane]] doing such a thing motivates him to clean up his life and stop "running away".
** The one time Officer Borsch shows concern for Sammy's safety is when she and her friends [[spoiler:manage to temporarily imprison a drug dealer who was making meth in an underground lab.]] Once she reveals the evidence to him, shortly after [[spoiler:said dealer destroyed the bike she borrowed from Hudson and nearly killed her]] Borsch shouts at her that what she did was extremely dangerous and that you ''don't'' confront [[spoiler:meth dealers]] head-on.
* EvilRedhead: Heather, as well as her mother, though it's been suggested that they're dyeing it.

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**  Officer Officer Borsch doesn't necessarily like Sammy but has come to respect her after she delivered evidence that one of his bullying coworkers is corrupt. There's one moment where he is legitimately concerned for her safety: when she barely escapes with her life from [[spoiler:a methaphetamine dealer while trying to keep him locked in his den long enough for the cops to come]]. He's shaking her in AngerBornOfWorry that she could have been killed. Sammy is shocked that he cares that much.
** Diane Reijden's brother Lance, who is a BlackSheep and a "deadbeat" is outright horrified that [[spoiler: Diane [[spoiler:Diane not only took credit for her father's paintings, but destroyed them via a house fire.]] burned them]]. In fact, [[spoiler: Diane]] doing such a thing learning about this act motivates him to clean up his life and stop "running away".
** The one time Officer Borsch shows concern for Sammy's safety is when she and her friends [[spoiler:manage to temporarily imprison a drug dealer who was making meth in an underground lab.]] Once she reveals the evidence to him, shortly after [[spoiler:said dealer destroyed the bike she borrowed from Hudson and nearly killed her]] Borsch shouts at her that what she did was extremely dangerous and that you ''don't'' confront [[spoiler:meth dealers]] head-on.
* EvilRedhead: Heather, as well as her mother, mother Candi, though it's been suggested that they're dyeing it.



* FeudingFamilies: The Huntley and Murdock families have been feuding ever since Mary Huntley shot a Murdock she caught robbing her while they were part of a wagon train. Three generations later, [[StarCrossedLovers Lucinda Huntley and Manny Murdock get engaged.]] It's unclear whether there'd been any violence in the years before that, but the engagement causes Manny's brother to make an attempt on Lucinda's life that accidentally kills Manny instead. Several decades later, the remaining Murdock's and Lucinda still hate each other, but there isn't any more violence, and Lucinda's nephew and the Murdocks do business together (albeit in secret). The Murdock's ''are'' suspected of setting a fire on Lucinda's land but [[RedHerring are innocent]].
* FriendOrIdolDecision: After Casey reveals that Sammy and Marissa [[spoiler: were framed for vandalism, and that his sister Heather was responsible]], Sammy is eligible to play in the softball playoffs. She realizes, however that [[spoiler: "Snake Eyes" has kidnapped the TeenMother Lena that gave her baby to Sammy, and gives up paying ]] and gives up the game without hesitation. [[spoiler: Vice Principal Caan ends up forfeiting the big game because he doesn't trust Sammy's replacement Babs since she's associated with Heather, and puts Heather on probation.]]

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* FeudingFamilies: The Huntley and Murdock families have been feuding ever since Mary Huntley shot a Murdock she caught robbing her while they were part of a wagon train. Three generations later, [[StarCrossedLovers Lucinda Huntley and Manny Murdock get engaged.]] It's unclear whether there'd been any violence in the years before that, but the engagement causes Manny's brother to make an attempt on Lucinda's life that accidentally kills Manny instead. Several decades later, the remaining Murdock's Murdocks and Lucinda still hate each other, but there isn't any more violence, and Lucinda's nephew and though the Murdocks do business together (albeit in secret). The Murdock's ''are'' suspected of setting a fire on Lucinda's land but [[RedHerring are innocent]].
land. [[spoiler:It wasn't them.]]
* FriendOrIdolDecision: After Casey reveals that Sammy and Marissa [[spoiler: were [[spoiler:were framed for vandalism, and that his sister Heather was responsible]], Sammy is eligible to play in the softball playoffs. She realizes, however that [[spoiler: "Snake [[spoiler:"Snake Eyes" has kidnapped the TeenMother Lena that gave her baby to Sammy, and gives up paying ]] Sammy]] and gives up the game without hesitation. [[spoiler: Vice [[spoiler:Vice Principal Caan ends up forfeiting the big game because he doesn't trust Sammy's replacement Babs since she's associated with Heather, think any of the unfairly-inserted subs should play, and puts Heather on probation.]]



* GratuitousGerman: Gisa, a German exchange student on Heather's baseball team, tends to yell out ''Ja'' (German for yes) a lot when she's excited.
* HeIsNotMyBoyfriend: Sammy and Casey. No one believes her. [[spoiler: Eventually ends with a RelationshipUpgrade when he learns that she lives with her grandmother.]]

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* GratuitousGerman: Gisa, Gisa Kranz, a German exchange student on Heather's baseball softball team, tends to yell out ''Ja'' (German for yes) a lot when she's excited.
* HeIsNotMyBoyfriend: Sammy and Casey. No one believes her. [[spoiler: Eventually ends with [[spoiler:Eventually -- finally -- they have a RelationshipUpgrade when he learns that she lives with her grandmother.at the end of ''Wedding Crasher''.]]



* IKnowYouKnowIKnow: In the resolution of ''Psycho Kitty Queen,'' [[spoiler: Officer Borsch visits Sammy in her grandmother's apartment and he thanks her for saving his life]]. This makes her realize that [[spoiler: he knows about her living situation but won't rat about it]], and she's okay with it given [[spoiler: no one knows two thirteen-year olds saved him from vicious gamblers.]]

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* IKnowYouKnowIKnow: In the resolution of ''Psycho Kitty Queen,'' [[spoiler: Officer [[spoiler:Officer Borsch visits Sammy in her grandmother's apartment and he thanks her for saving his life]]. This makes her realize that [[spoiler: he [[spoiler:he knows about her living situation but won't rat about it]], and she's okay with it given [[spoiler: no [[spoiler:no one knows two thirteen-year olds saved him from vicious gamblers.]]



** Sammy and [[spoiler: Officer Borsch, eventually.]]

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** Sammy and [[spoiler: Officer [[spoiler:Officer Borsch, eventually.]]



* KarmaHoudiniWarranty: A variant; Heather gets away with a lot of her nonsense in the early books in a legal sense, only being chided by the vice-principal for lying about her broken nose; it doesn't help that Sammy retaliates to ensure Heather faces karma which gets her in trouble as well. Then Heather goes too far by [[spoiler:framing Sammy and Marissa for doing graffiti in "The Search for Snake Eyes" and Casey delivers the evidence to Vice-Principal Caan. Caan's forced to forfeit the upcoming softball game because Sammy ditches it to save Lena from Snake Eyes, and Caan doesn't trust Heather or her players because Marissa goes to help Sammy. Heather is forced to attend counseling, is put on probation, and given a school-mandated restraining order regarding Sammy. As an added bonus, when Caan finds out that Sammy beat up Heather when the latter attempted to mug her, he's actually impressed and laughing about it]].

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* KarmaHoudiniWarranty: A variant; Heather gets away with a lot of her nonsense in the early books in a legal sense, only being chided by the vice-principal for lying about her broken nose; it doesn't help that Sammy retaliates to ensure Heather faces karma which gets her in trouble as well. Then Heather goes too far by [[spoiler:framing Sammy and Marissa for doing graffiti vandalism in "The Search ''Search for Snake Eyes" Eyes'' and Casey delivers the evidence to Vice-Principal Caan. Caan's forced to forfeit the upcoming softball game because Sammy ditches it to save Lena from Snake Eyes, and Caan doesn't trust Heather or her players because Marissa goes to help Sammy. Heather is forced to attend counseling, is put on probation, and given a school-mandated restraining order regarding Sammy. As an added bonus, when Caan finds out that Sammy beat up Heather when the latter attempted to mug her, he's actually impressed and laughing about it]].



* KickTheSonOfABitch: Casey sees Heather and her posse attempting to steal the horseshoe he gave to Sammy while trapped on the school bus. He gets off at the next stop and goes to help, only to find that Sammy has rescued herself and the horseshoe. Heather attempts to call him for help, saying Sammy broke her arm. He retorts that she's an embarrassment and goes to make sure Sammy is okay.  
* KidDetective: Sammy herself, sometimes with help from her friends. She calls it "snooping".
* MaskedLuchador: El Gato in ''Psycho Kitty Queen''. [[spoiler:He's actually Borsch, undercover on his own time to infiltrate a catfighting ring.]]

to:

* KickTheSonOfABitch: Casey sees Heather and her posse attempting to steal the horseshoe he gave to Sammy while trapped on the school bus. He gets off at the next stop and goes to help, only to find that Sammy has rescued herself and the horseshoe. Heather attempts to call him for help, saying Sammy broke her arm. He retorts that she's an embarrassment and goes to make sure Sammy is okay.  
okay.
* KidDetective: Sammy herself, sometimes with help from her friends. She calls it "snooping".
"snooping."
* MaskedLuchador: El Gato in ''Psycho Kitty Queen''. [[spoiler:He's actually Officer Borsch, undercover on his own time to infiltrate a catfighting ring.]]



* MuggingTheMonster: Heather and her GirlPosse attempt to steal a horseshoe from Sammy, taking her by surprise. Unfortunately for them, Sammy's been practicing wrestling moves . . .

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* MuggingTheMonster: Heather and her GirlPosse attempt to steal a horseshoe from Sammy, taking her by surprise. Unfortunately for them, Sammy's been practicing wrestling moves . . .moves...



* TheNicknamer: Sammy, in regards to practically everything. She has a tendency to give people she encounters (often unflattering) nicknames before she knows their real names. If she likes you, she'll start calling you by your real name once she knows it, but if not, the nickname sticks.
* NoSympathy: Several villains and suspects are flawed in this way. A notable one is the blackmailer/KnowledgeBroker Lilia Landvgot from ''The Runaway Elf''. At one point while going over the information she has on various people she mentions that one, who [[WithFriendsLikeThese incidentally sees the two of them as friends]] had three miscarriages and sneers that she should have married an obstetrician instead of a psychologist. [[HoistByTheirOwnPetard Sammy later mentions this to said woman, who does not take it well and vows to blacklist Lilia from local society]].
* NotAllowedToGrowUp: Averted. Sammy's age progresses as the series goes on. [[spoiler:At least, until ''Psycho Kitty Queen'', when Lana reveals she lied about Sammy's age to get her into Kindergarten early. And she tells her this days before her 14th birthday, which is actually her 13th.]]

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* TheNicknamer: Sammy, in regards to practically everything. She has a tendency to give people she encounters nicknames (often unflattering) nicknames before she knows their real names. If she likes you, she'll start calling you by your real name once she knows it, but if not, the nickname sticks.
* NoSympathy: Several villains and suspects are flawed in this way. A notable one is the blackmailer/KnowledgeBroker Lilia Landvgot Landvogt from ''The Runaway ''Runaway Elf''. At one point while going over the information she has on various people she mentions that one, who [[WithFriendsLikeThese incidentally sees the two of them as friends]] friends]], had three miscarriages and sneers that she should have married an obstetrician instead of a psychologist. [[HoistByTheirOwnPetard Sammy later mentions this to said woman, woman]], who does not take it well and vows to blacklist Lilia from local society]].
society.
* NotAllowedToGrowUp: Averted. Sammy's age progresses as the series goes on. [[spoiler:At least, until ''Psycho Kitty Queen'', when Lana reveals she lied about Sammy's age to get her into Kindergarten kindergarten early. And she tells her this days before her 14th birthday, which is actually her 13th.]]



** Casey certainly believes this is the case in ''[[spoiler:Wedding Crasher]]'' when his dad Warren [[spoiler:gets a part in the same soap opera as Sammy's mom, thus forcing him to move in with his mother and sister, both of whom he hates. This causes some angst in his relationship with Sammy.]] It's also on the {{Squick}} side of things for the both of them when they find out that [[spoiler:Warren and Lana are moving in together after having dated for a while.]] However, [[spoiler:Warren and Lana's relationship doesn't last through ''Showdown in Sin City'']].

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** Casey certainly believes this is the case in ''[[spoiler:Wedding Crasher]]'' ''Wedding Crasher'' when his dad Warren [[spoiler:gets a part in the same soap opera as Sammy's mom, thus forcing him to move in with his mother and sister, both of whom he hates. This causes some angst in his relationship with Sammy.]] It's also on the {{Squick}} side of things for the both of them when they find out that [[spoiler:Warren and Lana are moving in together after having dated for a while.]] while]]. However, [[spoiler:Warren and Lana's relationship doesn't last through ''Showdown in Sin City'']].



* PragmaticVillainy: In ''The Psycho Kitty Queen'' after [[spoiler:seeing the efforts Sammy is taking to try and find her lost cat the bad guys simply pretend that he got lost and return him to try and keep her from stumbling across their animal fighting operation]].
* RetiredBadass: One possible interpretation of Hudson.
* RelativeError: A variant; Casey gets briefly worried in ''The Psycho Kitty Queen'' when Sammy says they can go to Hudson's house to cool down after Heather, Tenille, and Monet attacked her. He asks if Hudson would mind since he's a guy, getting a little GreenEyedMonster. Sammy tells him, missing the point, that Hudson would probably give Casey a ride home. Casey realizes that since Hudson is in his seventies and shaking his hand that he's more of a grandfather substitute to Sammy. 
* SeriousBusiness: Santa Martina takes softball very seriously, so much so that there's a softball statue in City Hall. It's rumored that the mayor bows to it every day. [[spoiler:This is why Heather gets in a lot of trouble and becomes anathema to the teachers when Casey delivers proof that she framed Sammy and Marissa to take their place in a softball tournament]].
* ShadowArchetype: Explicitly spelled out as Heather's relationship to Sammy, up to [[spoiler:having the same birthday.]]
* ShakingTheRump: Minor baseball player Julie Jaffee. To quote Sammy in the third book:
--> ''she measures up like she always does, sticks her fanny out, like she always does, and half the boys in school whistle, like they always do.

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* PragmaticVillainy: In ''The Psycho ''Psycho Kitty Queen'' after [[spoiler:seeing the efforts Sammy is taking to try and find her lost cat cat, the bad guys simply pretend that he got lost and return him to try and keep her from stumbling across their animal fighting operation]].
* RetiredBadass: One possible interpretation of Hudson.
Hudson. Sammy has no idea about his backstory and wonders multiple times if he might have been in the CIA. [[spoiler:''Kiss Goodbye'' confirms this.]]
* RelativeError: A variant; Casey gets briefly worried in ''The Psycho ''Psycho Kitty Queen'' when Sammy says they can go to Hudson's house to cool down after Heather, Tenille, and Monet attacked her. He asks if Hudson would mind since he's a guy, getting a little GreenEyedMonster. Sammy tells him, missing the point, that Hudson would probably give Casey a ride home. Casey realizes that since Hudson is in his seventies and shaking his hand that he's more of a grandfather substitute to Sammy. 
Sammy.
* SeriousBusiness: Santa Martina takes softball very seriously, so much so that there's a softball statue in City Hall. It's rumored that the mayor bows to it every day. [[spoiler:This is why Heather gets in a lot of trouble and becomes anathema to the teachers when Casey delivers proof that she framed Sammy and Marissa to take their place in a softball tournament]].
* ShadowArchetype: Explicitly spelled out as Heather's relationship to Sammy, up to [[spoiler:having the same birthday.
tournament.]]
* ShadowArchetype: Explicitly spelled out as Heather's relationship to Sammy, up to [[spoiler:having the same birthday]].
* ShakingTheRump: Minor baseball player One of Heather's softball teammates, Julie Jaffee. To quote Sammy in the third book:
Sammy:
--> ''she she measures up [in the batter's box] like she always does, sticks her fanny out, like she always does, and half the boys in school whistle, like they always do.



** The way Lucinda talks, the Murdocks and Huntleys have been murderous for hundreds of years. When Sammy investigates, however, she finds out that Manny Murdock was the most recent casualty-- because he was protecting Lucinda from his brother's gun. It turns out while the Murdocks still hate Lucinda, losing Manny broke them, especially his killer, and he wasn't the same.

to:

** The way Lucinda talks, the Murdocks and Huntleys have been murderous for hundreds of years. When Sammy investigates, however, she finds out that Manny Murdock was the most recent casualty-- because casualty--because he was protecting Lucinda from his brother's gun. It turns out while the Murdocks still hate Lucinda, losing Manny broke them, especially his killer, and he wasn't the same.



* TookALevelInKindness: Officer Borsch, in two separate books. Sammy as a Christmas present provides proof that [[spoiler: one cop heckling him is a DirtyCop]] and [[spoiler: saves his life in ''The Psycho Kitty Queen'']].

to:

* TookALevelInKindness: Officer Borsch, in two separate books. starting from about ''Runaway Elf''. Sammy as a Christmas present provides proof that [[spoiler: one [[spoiler:one cop heckling him is a DirtyCop]] and [[spoiler: saves [[spoiler:saves his life in ''The Psycho ''Psycho Kitty Queen'']].



* WellDoneSonGuy: Heather Acosta - when Sammy realizes this, it forces her to admit that they're [[NotSoDifferentRemark not that different.]]

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* WellDoneSonGuy: Heather Acosta - when Sammy realizes this, it forces her to admit that they're [[NotSoDifferentRemark not that different.]]different]].



* WillTheyOrWontThey: Grams and Hudson danced around this for most of the series. [[spoiler: Eventually, they did.]]
** Sammy and Casey, [[spoiler: though it was less WillTheyOrWontThey and more How Long Until They Do.]]
* WoundedGazelleGambit: Heather tries to pull this in book one when Sammy punches her in the nose, claiming that Sammy broke it. Her friend Tenille collects money to pay for the supposed medical expenses. Sammy busts her by calling Heather's doctor, posing as her and lying that Vice-Principal Caan is making her wear the bandage. Vice-Principal Caan is so mad about being accused that he makes Heather prove her nose isn't broken, and everyone goes to Tenille asking for their money back. It doesn't work in ''Psycho Kitty Queen'' where [[spoiler:Heather claims that Sammy broke her arm. Everyone on the buses witnessed Heather and her GirlPosse assaulting Sammy and are impressed that Sammy curbstomped them]].

to:

* WillTheyOrWontThey: Grams and Hudson danced around this for most of the series. [[spoiler: Eventually, [[spoiler:Eventually, they did.did, at the end of ''Showdown in Sin City''.]]
** Sammy and Casey, [[spoiler: though [[spoiler:though it was less WillTheyOrWontThey and more How Long Until They Do.Do. It took until the end of ''Wedding Crasher''.]]
* WoundedGazelleGambit: Heather tries to pull this in book one ''Hotel Thief'' when Sammy punches her in the nose, claiming that Sammy broke it. Her friend Tenille collects money to pay for the supposed medical expenses. Sammy busts her by calling Heather's doctor, posing as her and lying that Vice-Principal Caan is making her wear the bandage. Vice-Principal Caan is so mad about being accused that he makes Heather prove her nose isn't broken, and everyone goes to Tenille asking for their money back. It doesn't work in ''Psycho Kitty Queen'' where [[spoiler:Heather claims that Sammy broke her arm. Everyone on the buses witnessed Heather and her GirlPosse assaulting Sammy and are impressed that Sammy curbstomped them]].
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* OneSteveLimit: Cassie Kuo, a minor character from ''Sisters of Mercy'', is given the nickname "Cricket" in ''Wild Things'', apparently so as not to confuse her with Casey Acosta.

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* OneSteveLimit: Cassie Kuo, a minor character from ''Sisters of Mercy'', ''Runaway Elf'', is given the nickname "Cricket" in ''Wild Things'', apparently so as not to confuse her with Casey Acosta.
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trope renamed and redefined per trs


* OutDamnedSpot: Happens in ''Dead Giveaway''. Luckily, it ends better than a lot of examples.
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The Chick is now a disambig.


** Later in the series, becomes more like a FiveManBand, with Sammy as TheLeader, Marissa as TheLancer, Casey as TheSmartGuy, Holly as TheBigGuy, and Billy as TheChick. Dot seems to get demoted to more of a SixthRanger type.

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** Later in the series, becomes more like a FiveManBand, with Sammy as TheLeader, Marissa as TheLancer, Casey as TheSmartGuy, Holly as TheBigGuy, and Billy as TheChick.TheHeart. Dot seems to get demoted to more of a SixthRanger type.

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* ActuallyPrettyFunny: Toward the end of ''The Sisters of Mercy'', Sammy ends up having to drive [[spoiler: the titular Sisters' camper because she has been snooping inside]]. She heads for the police station and ''immediately'' crashes into a squad car exiting the lot--and naturally Officer Borsch happens to be the one driving it. Sammy expects him to go ballistic, but instead, he laughs so hard that tears come down his face: "I should've known!"


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* AffablyEvil: [[spoiler: Bernice, the leader of the titular trio in ''The Sisters of Mercy.'' She's loud, fun, boisterous, and cheerful...and has also organized a massive crime spree of priceless religious artifacts from churches across the country, often framing the local pastor before making a getaway. After Sammy exposes the Sisters, she realizes that she genuinely liked Bernice and wishes she didn't have to send her to jail.]]


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* AngerBornOfWorry: In ''The Curse of Mustache Mary'', Sammy discovers a group of meth dealers who've built a lab in the basement of an abandoned house. When Officer Borsch shows up to clear the area, he's furious at her for snooping around--not because she's a KidDetective, but because, in his own words, "cookers don't play around" and often line their labs with deadly traps. He points out that Sammy could have been outright killed and hates the thought of it.


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* DrivesLikeCrazy: At the end of ''The Sisters of Mercy'', Sammy ends up speeding down the roads of Santa Martina [[spoiler: in the titular Sisters' camper, because she's discovered they are the crooks plaguing the church and needs to escape them.]] She's an absolutely awful driver and ends up immediately totaling a police car when she gets to the station. [[JustifiedTrope Justified]] in that she's ''twelve'' and knows absolutely nothing about driving.
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* MiddleSchoolIsMiserable: William Rose Junior High isn't the best of schools, with bullies and weirdos. However, things do get easier for Sammy in school over the course of seventh grade, although the new Vice Principal in eighth grade gives her a hard time.
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[[quoteright:280:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/81cjwoa1rll.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:280:Book 1; reprinted edition cover.]]

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Adult Fear is now a disambig


* AdultFear:
** One story (''Search for Snake Eyes'') centers around Sammy running into a scared, desperate girl, who forces Sammy to take a bag. When the girl is forced to leave, it turns out that there's a baby inside. [[spoiler:It's later revealed that the baby was the girl's son and that she was forced to give him to a complete stranger to protect him from her abusive ex-boyfriend, who was hunting her down. The climax of the novel reveals that the ex did catch her, and left her in his basement, tied up and starving. After she's rescued, she wants to see her baby before getting medical treatment.]]
** The one time Officer Borsch shows concern for Sammy's safety is when she and her friends [[spoiler:manage to temporarily imprison a drug dealer who was making meth in an underground lab.]] Once she reveals the evidence to him, shortly after [[spoiler:said dealer destroyed the bike she borrowed from Hudson and nearly killed her]] Borsch shouts at her that what she did was extremely dangerous and that you ''don't'' confront [[spoiler:meth dealers]] head-on.
** Considering some of the dangerous situations Sammy gets into and somehow manages to get out of, mostly all of her books contain at least one example of AdultFear, which can either make the danger more realistic or make her getting out of it more improbable. Grams after ''The Search for Snake Eyes'' makes a deal with Sammy that they will have no more secrets between them because Sammy keeps getting into dangerous situations. Sammy still keeps some things quiet, however, like [[spoiler:busting a gambling ring late at night with cat-killers.]]
** The scene where Dorito accidentally escapes the apartment because [[spoiler:Lady Lana startled him by screaming on seeing he had caught a mouse. Sammy's heart stops when he's nearly hit by a few trucks. She and Gran spend a few hours searching for him, with them worried he was caught and killed by the same person putting dead cats in dumpsters. It's quite a relief when a janitor named Tony finds Dorito and returns him to Sammy and Grams, unharmed but covered in fleas. Later, however, Sammy has an AscendedFridgeHorror moment when figuring out that Tony is running an underground gambling ring that pits cats against dogs, and that Dorito nearly got killed]].
** The entirety of ''Kiss Goodbye'', full stop.

to:

* AdultFear:
** One story (''Search for Snake Eyes'') centers around Sammy running into a scared, desperate girl, who forces Sammy to take a bag. When the girl is forced to leave, it turns out that there's a baby inside. [[spoiler:It's later revealed that the baby was the girl's son and that she was forced to give him to a complete stranger to protect him from her abusive ex-boyfriend, who was hunting her down. The climax of the novel reveals that the ex did catch her, and left her in his basement, tied up and starving. After she's rescued, she wants to see her baby before getting medical treatment.]]
** The one time Officer Borsch shows concern for Sammy's safety is when she and her friends [[spoiler:manage to temporarily imprison a drug dealer who was making meth in an underground lab.]] Once she reveals the evidence to him, shortly after [[spoiler:said dealer destroyed the bike she borrowed from Hudson and nearly killed her]] Borsch shouts at her that what she did was extremely dangerous and that you ''don't'' confront [[spoiler:meth dealers]] head-on.
** Considering some of the dangerous situations Sammy gets into and somehow manages to get out of, mostly all of her books contain at least one example of AdultFear, which can either make the danger more realistic or make her getting out of it more improbable. Grams after ''The Search for Snake Eyes'' makes a deal with Sammy that they will have no more secrets between them because Sammy keeps getting into dangerous situations. Sammy still keeps some things quiet, however, like [[spoiler:busting a gambling ring late at night with cat-killers.]]
** The scene where Dorito accidentally escapes the apartment because [[spoiler:Lady Lana startled him by screaming on seeing he had caught a mouse. Sammy's heart stops when he's nearly hit by a few trucks. She and Gran spend a few hours searching for him, with them worried he was caught and killed by the same person putting dead cats in dumpsters. It's quite a relief when a janitor named Tony finds Dorito and returns him to Sammy and Grams, unharmed but covered in fleas. Later, however, Sammy has an AscendedFridgeHorror moment when figuring out that Tony is running an underground gambling ring that pits cats against dogs, and that Dorito nearly got killed]].
** The entirety of ''Kiss Goodbye'', full stop.


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* DoorstopBaby: One story (''Search for Snake Eyes'') centers around Sammy running into a scared, desperate girl, who forces Sammy to take a bag. When the girl is forced to leave, it turns out that there's a baby inside. [[spoiler:It's later revealed that the baby was the girl's son and that she was forced to give him to a complete stranger to protect him from her abusive ex-boyfriend, who was hunting her down. The climax of the novel reveals that the ex did catch her, and left her in his basement, tied up and starving. After she's rescued, she wants to see her baby before getting medical treatment.]]


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** The one time Officer Borsch shows concern for Sammy's safety is when she and her friends [[spoiler:manage to temporarily imprison a drug dealer who was making meth in an underground lab.]] Once she reveals the evidence to him, shortly after [[spoiler:said dealer destroyed the bike she borrowed from Hudson and nearly killed her]] Borsch shouts at her that what she did was extremely dangerous and that you ''don't'' confront [[spoiler:meth dealers]] head-on.
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* ClassPrincess: BitCharacter Tyra Estavan in ''The Dead Giveaway'' is into sports, community service and leadership. She beats AlphaBitch Heather in the election for most popular seventh grader even before the faculty figures out Heather submitted fifty-two fake ballots with her name on them.
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Not So Different has been renamed, and it needs to be dewicked/moved


* WellDoneSonGuy: Heather Acosta - when Sammy realizes this, it forces her to admit that they're NotSoDifferent.

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* WellDoneSonGuy: Heather Acosta - when Sammy realizes this, it forces her to admit that they're NotSoDifferent.[[NotSoDifferentRemark not that different.]]

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* EveryoneHasStandards: Diane Reijden's brother Lance, who is a BlackSheep and a "deadbeat" is outright horrified that [[spoiler: Diane not only took credit for her father's paintings, but destroyed them via a house fire.]] In fact, [[spoiler: Diane]] doing such a thing motivates him to clean up his life and stop "running away".

to:

* EveryoneHasStandards: EveryoneHasStandards:
** Officer Borsch doesn't necessarily like Sammy but has come to respect her after she delivered evidence that one of his bullying coworkers is corrupt. There's one moment where he is legitimately concerned for her safety: when she barely escapes with her life from [[spoiler:a methaphetamine dealer while trying to keep him locked in his den long enough for the cops to come]]. He's shaking her in AngerBornOfWorry that she could have been killed. Sammy is shocked that he cares that much.
**
Diane Reijden's brother Lance, who is a BlackSheep and a "deadbeat" is outright horrified that [[spoiler: Diane not only took credit for her father's paintings, but destroyed them via a house fire.]] In fact, [[spoiler: Diane]] doing such a thing motivates him to clean up his life and stop "running away".



* IKnowYouKnowIKnow: In the resolution of ''Psycho Kitty Queen,'' [[spoiler: Officer Borsch visits Sammy in her grandmother's apartment and thanks her for saving his life]]. This makes her realize that [[spoiler: he knows about her living situation but won't rat about it]], and she's okay with it given [[spoiler: no one knows two thirteen-year olds saved him from vicious gamblers.]]

to:

* IKnowYouKnowIKnow: In the resolution of ''Psycho Kitty Queen,'' [[spoiler: Officer Borsch visits Sammy in her grandmother's apartment and he thanks her for saving his life]]. This makes her realize that [[spoiler: he knows about her living situation but won't rat about it]], and she's okay with it given [[spoiler: no one knows two thirteen-year olds saved him from vicious gamblers.]]

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* KickTheSonOfABitch: Casey sees Heather and her posse attempting to steal the horseshoe he gave to Sammy while trapped on the school bus. He gets off at the next stop and goes to help, only to find that Sammy has rescued herself and the horseshoe. Heather attempts to call him for help, saying Sammy broke her arm. He retorts that she's an embarrassment and goes to make sure Sammy is okay.  



* NoSympathy: Several villains and suspects are flawed in this way. A notable one is the blackmailer/KnowledgeBroker Lilia Landvgot from ''The Runaway Elf''. At one point while going over information she has on various people she mentions that one, who [[WithFriendsLikeThese incidentally sees the two of them as friends]] had three miscarriages and sneers that she should have married an obstetrician instead of a psychologist. [[HoistByTheirOwnPetard Sammy later mentions this to said woman, who does not take it well and vows to blacklist Lilia from local society]].

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* NoSympathy: Several villains and suspects are flawed in this way. A notable one is the blackmailer/KnowledgeBroker Lilia Landvgot from ''The Runaway Elf''. At one point while going over the information she has on various people she mentions that one, who [[WithFriendsLikeThese incidentally sees the two of them as friends]] had three miscarriages and sneers that she should have married an obstetrician instead of a psychologist. [[HoistByTheirOwnPetard Sammy later mentions this to said woman, who does not take it well and vows to blacklist Lilia from local society]].



* SeriousBusiness: Santa Martina takes softball very seriously, so much so that there's a softball statue in City Hall. It's rumored that the mayor bows to it every day.

to:

* RelativeError: A variant; Casey gets briefly worried in ''The Psycho Kitty Queen'' when Sammy says they can go to Hudson's house to cool down after Heather, Tenille, and Monet attacked her. He asks if Hudson would mind since he's a guy, getting a little GreenEyedMonster. Sammy tells him, missing the point, that Hudson would probably give Casey a ride home. Casey realizes that since Hudson is in his seventies and shaking his hand that he's more of a grandfather substitute to Sammy. 
* SeriousBusiness: Santa Martina takes softball very seriously, so much so that there's a softball statue in City Hall. It's rumored that the mayor bows to it every day. [[spoiler:This is why Heather gets in a lot of trouble and becomes anathema to the teachers when Casey delivers proof that she framed Sammy and Marissa to take their place in a softball tournament]].



* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: The way Lucinda talks, the Murdocks and Huntleys have been murderous for hundreds of years. When Sammy investigates, however, she finds out that Manny Murdock was the most recent casualty-- because he was protecting Lucinda from his brother's gun. It turns out while the Murdocks still hate Lucinda, losing Manny broke them, especially his killer, and he wasn't the same.

to:

* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome:
**
The way Lucinda talks, the Murdocks and Huntleys have been murderous for hundreds of years. When Sammy investigates, however, she finds out that Manny Murdock was the most recent casualty-- because he was protecting Lucinda from his brother's gun. It turns out while the Murdocks still hate Lucinda, losing Manny broke them, especially his killer, and he wasn't the same.
** The whole subplot of [[spoiler:Heather framing Sammy and Marissa for graffiti reeks of this. Even though their coach Ms. Rothammer swears that the girls are innocent and threatens to resign in protest, they still get kicked off the team so that Sammy's substitute and one of Heather's flunkies Babs can be the catcher. Casey, however, delivers the proof -- a wig and a pair of high tops -- to Vice-Principal Caan on the day of a big softball tournament. It clears their names and makes them eligible to play. The thing is that Sammy has to go rescue Lena from her ex, and says she's fine with letting Babs play because Lena's life is in danger; it turns out Marissa and Ms. Rothammer were not cool with this and refused to play, so Caan was forced to forfeit due to realizing their replacements were delinquents and liars. This makes everyone in the school mad at Heather for her deceit because softball is SeriousBusiness and she sabotaged her own teammates just to put in her own stooges. It's only because her mother spoils her rotten and covers for her that the school decides the punishment will be counseling, probation, and a school-issued restraining order; she can't get within twenty-five feet of Sammy. Since softball season is now over, there's no reason to kick her off the team though it's implied. What's more, all the teachers start treating Heather like a delinquent (as they should) whenever she starts trying to get a rise out of Sammy in class]].
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* DueToTheDead: Despite the fact that he tried to kill her and ended up killing her fiancee instead-- his own brother-- Lucinda goes to the man's funeral and talks to his body in the coffin. Sammy doesn't know what she said, and would rather leave it at that.


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* SurprisinglyRealisticOutcome: The way Lucinda talks, the Murdocks and Huntleys have been murderous for hundreds of years. When Sammy investigates, however, she finds out that Manny Murdock was the most recent casualty-- because he was protecting Lucinda from his brother's gun. It turns out while the Murdocks still hate Lucinda, losing Manny broke them, especially his killer, and he wasn't the same.

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* EvenEvilHasStandards: Diane Reijden's brother Lance, who is a BlackSheep and a "deadbeat" is outright horrified that [[spoiler: Diane not only took credit for her father's paintings, but destroyed them via a house fire.]] In fact, [[spoiler: Diane]] doing such a thing motivates him to clean up his life and stop "running away".

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* EvenEvilHasStandards: EveryoneHasStandards: Diane Reijden's brother Lance, who is a BlackSheep and a "deadbeat" is outright horrified that [[spoiler: Diane not only took credit for her father's paintings, but destroyed them via a house fire.]] In fact, [[spoiler: Diane]] doing such a thing motivates him to clean up his life and stop "running away".


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* FeudingFamilies: The Huntley and Murdock families have been feuding ever since Mary Huntley shot a Murdock she caught robbing her while they were part of a wagon train. Three generations later, [[StarCrossedLovers Lucinda Huntley and Manny Murdock get engaged.]] It's unclear whether there'd been any violence in the years before that, but the engagement causes Manny's brother to make an attempt on Lucinda's life that accidentally kills Manny instead. Several decades later, the remaining Murdock's and Lucinda still hate each other, but there isn't any more violence, and Lucinda's nephew and the Murdocks do business together (albeit in secret). The Murdock's ''are'' suspected of setting a fire on Lucinda's land but [[RedHerring are innocent]].

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** Miss Kuzkowski's painting habits before and during class. Sammy mentions that her teacher is a big of ThePigPen, that she gets paint everywhere, including in her hair. As a result, the class smells strongly of turpentine, linseed oil, and other painting chemicals. Sammy is quite embarrassed for her, especially when she gets more paint-splattered during the March winds. [[spoiler:She later figures out that Diane is a fraud because she is always so perfectly clean and manicured, and her house didn't smell like turpentine, acrylic, or oils. A real artist would at least have ''some'' paint on her clothes or body, as would her studio]].



* CoolOldGuy: Hudson.

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* CoolOldGuy: Hudson. He made his own lizard-skin boots, fixes up old vehicles for fun, and always has pastries ready when Sammy comes knocking.
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* ItsThePrincipleOfTheThing: Sammy doesn't know why Heather is obsessed with the

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* ItsThePrincipleOfTheThing: Sammy doesn't know why Heather is obsessed with the horseshoe that Casey gave her. As Sammy puts it, it's just a bent piece of metal that doesn't mean anything and is probably not lucky. But when Heather tries to steal it, Sammy is offended because Heather wanting to get something that's hers.
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* ArmorPiercingQuestion: When Sammy asks about her father, Lady Lana clams up and Grams says it's not her place. Sammy then asks ''what'' she's supposed to think if neither of them will tell her. Lady Lana has no response.


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* ItsThePrincipleOfTheThing: Sammy doesn't know why Heather is obsessed with the


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* KarmaHoudiniWarranty: A variant; Heather gets away with a lot of her nonsense in the early books in a legal sense, only being chided by the vice-principal for lying about her broken nose; it doesn't help that Sammy retaliates to ensure Heather faces karma which gets her in trouble as well. Then Heather goes too far by [[spoiler:framing Sammy and Marissa for doing graffiti in "The Search for Snake Eyes" and Casey delivers the evidence to Vice-Principal Caan. Caan's forced to forfeit the upcoming softball game because Sammy ditches it to save Lena from Snake Eyes, and Caan doesn't trust Heather or her players because Marissa goes to help Sammy. Heather is forced to attend counseling, is put on probation, and given a school-mandated restraining order regarding Sammy. As an added bonus, when Caan finds out that Sammy beat up Heather when the latter attempted to mug her, he's actually impressed and laughing about it]].


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* WoundedGazelleGambit: Heather tries to pull this in book one when Sammy punches her in the nose, claiming that Sammy broke it. Her friend Tenille collects money to pay for the supposed medical expenses. Sammy busts her by calling Heather's doctor, posing as her and lying that Vice-Principal Caan is making her wear the bandage. Vice-Principal Caan is so mad about being accused that he makes Heather prove her nose isn't broken, and everyone goes to Tenille asking for their money back. It doesn't work in ''Psycho Kitty Queen'' where [[spoiler:Heather claims that Sammy broke her arm. Everyone on the buses witnessed Heather and her GirlPosse assaulting Sammy and are impressed that Sammy curbstomped them]].
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* AscendedFridgeHorror: Sammy and Grams have this reaction at different points in ''The Psycho Kitty Queen'' when they find out [[spoiler:Tony, the janitor who rescued their cat was running an underground ring of cats fighting dogs]]. When Sammy and Holly see [[spoiler:the ring in action]], Sammy realizes that would have happened to Dorito if she and Grams hadn't put up Lost and Found posters. [[spoiler:Grams even tells Sammy she was horrified on realizing their cat was nearly killed]].
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* BuriedAlive: Happens to [[spoiler:Dusty Mike the cemetery caretaker]] in one book, although he gets rescued.


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* ShakingTheRump: Minor baseball player Julie Jaffee. To quote Sammy in the third book:
--> ''she measures up like she always does, sticks her fanny out, like she always does, and half the boys in school whistle, like they always do.
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* GratuitousGerman: Gisa, a German exchange student on Heather's baseball team, tends to yell out ''Ja'' (German for yes) a lot when she's excited.


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* SoreLoser: After Sammy's baseball team beats Heather's for the first time, Heather and her teammates, except for [[GracefulLoser Emiko Lee]] the pitcher, all ignore or glare at Sammy and her friends. Most of them get better after the next game though.
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* PragmaticVillainy: In ''The Psycho Kitty Queen'' after [[spoiler:seeing the efforts Sammy is taking to try and find her lost cat the bad guys simply pretend that he got lost and return him to try and keep her from stumbling across their animal fighting operation]].

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