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Right Book, Right Time

500 Great Reads for Teenagers

Allen & Unwin

action, adventure & crime

Sometimes we want to read for thrills, action and escape, and to immerse ourselves in a breathtaking adventure. Crime fiction is a popular form of easy, absorbing reading for many teenagers, as it is for adults. There's nothing like that feeling when you can't wait to turn the page or find the time to get back to your book. The best action, adventure and crime fiction is often very up-to-date and uses recent developments in the real world of espionage, people smuggling, the drug trade, terrorism, cutting-edge technology and global events. Such books also delve into complex motives and methods of operating. If you love fast-paced action, being scared, or solving crimes from the comfort of your chair, your bed or the beach, here are some books for you.

The Alex Rider Adventures * ANTHONY HOROWITZ

YA UK

The bomb had been timed to go off at exactly half past three.

So begins ARK ANGEL (2005), the sixth Alex Rider book. Leaping straight into the story with a sharp, short, high-octane opening is typical of this series, described by the Guardian as 'explosive, thrilling, action- packed'. Clearly you have to go on reading to find out how, why, what, who, when and even if. The Daily Mirror claimed, 'Horowitz is pure class, stylish but action-packed ... Being James Bond in miniature is way cooler than being a wizard'. The reference is obviously to the Harry Potter series, and when Alex Rider nudged Harry Potter off the top of the bestseller list, the news made headlines. The Alex Rider series has sold over eight million copies world wide. K-Zone had this to say to the target audience of Ark Angel: 'You won't be able to put it down until you've read the very last page! – 4 stars: Cool as an ice cube in Eminem's glass of Coke.'

Pace, superb timing, big bangs, minimal description and dialogue, and an array of clever, teenage-friendly gadgets are what fuel these books. And at the centre of all the action is the quick witted, ever ingenious and never-say-die fourteen- year-old hero, Alex. Horowitz must enjoy creating the techie stuff as much as Alex revels in using it. Readers certainly enjoy all the zapping, crashing and flashing.

On each mission Alex faces huge challenges – even death – and finds himself in extraordinary locations (even once in the US President's plane, Air Force One). He also gets to meet gorgeous girls (but of course). But, for all the escapism, the books are grounded in reality. Horowitz gets most of his ideas from the news, and this, with careful research, adds a level of currency and credibility.

STORMBREAKER began the series and sets the tone. When Alex's uncle and guardian is killed in mysterious circumstances, Alex discovers that, far from being a staid Vice President of a bank, his uncle was a spy. Immediately, the government wants Alex (don't stop to ask why) to take over his uncle's mission investigating the makers of a revolutionary computer system, code-named Stormbreaker. Alex Rider is transformed from schoolboy to superspy within days, though a particular feature of these books is that Alex Rider, unlike James Bond, is a reluctant hero pressured into working for MI6. After each completed mission he's happy to get back to school and normal life.

Another reason for the popularity of the series is that while the books are not formulaic, they do follow a pattern. You know the kind of reading experience to expect, and you know you won't be let down. Also appealing is that you care about the hero and some of the other characters.

The plots and scenarios are clever and move fast enough for us not to dwell on exploits and escapes that can be pretty farfetched. It's exciting, inventive, escapist fun. Above all, the reader is desperate to know what will happen. When you come to the end of one adventure you are ready for the next.

The Alex books in order of appearance are Stormbreaker (2000),POINT BLANK (2001), SKELETON KEY (2002), EAGLE STRIKE(2003), SCORPIA (2004) and ARK ANGEL (2005). SNAKEHEAD(2007), the seventh book, is partially set in Australia, where Alex touches down at the end of Ark Angel. Horowitz has promised his readers he will stop writing Alex Rider books when Alex turns fifteen, but in the world of fiction, time is stretchable. There is also a Stormbreaker movie, a graphic novel and a website for enthusiastic fans. "www.alexrider.com"

Horowitz is a prolific writer who also writes scripts for TV, movies and the stage. Adults will recognise his much-loved creations Foyle's War and Midsomer Murders. He has also written scripts based around Agatha Christie stories, including Agatha Christie's Poirot and Murder Most Horrid, and has created a dark, supernatural series for slightly older readers, Power of Five, and the popular Diamond Brothers series for younger readers.

Beast * ALLY KENNEN

YA UK 2006

I decide that I'll take the pig back to the house and cut it up. Then I'll be able to manage it. This might sound simple to you, but it isn't really. You see my house isn't my home. At all, even though I've lived there for three years. And the family aren't my real family. I am what is known as a 'Looked After Child'. When I was younger they called it 'Being in Care.'

Beast is a scary book, full of menace. We rush and pant after Stephen as he tries to deal with him and to hold together his own complicated, rapidly disintegrating life. He eats a pig a week and he roars. So Stephen needs a pig to feed him. He has been living in a cage near a reservoir for four years. In that time he has grown.

Stephen's life is getting more difficult all the time. He's about to turn seventeen, so will no longer be fostered, and he's expected to move into a depressing hostel full of derelicts. His foster family is a mixed bag, including the apparently manipulative teenager, Carol. To make matters worse, Stephen has just lost his job and still has to deal with him.

Beast starts with a grim list of the nine worst things Stephen has ever done. They include bullying, vandalism, arson and even 'perversion, aged thirteen: nicked a neighbour's white, lacy bra from her washing line'. He imagines that number ten will read, 'murder, aged seventeen'. He hasn't done it yet, but Stephen knows he may have to kill him.

Stephen has had a very grim life, hence the foster homes. His father is around but pretty much a derelict. Even so, Beast is funny, compassionate and sad – a very well-paced and cleverly constructed first novel. Stephen's voice is strong and clear. He's surprisingly thoughtful and astute, and responds to situations in unexpected ways. Don't make your mind up about him (or anyone else in this book) too soon. As you read you may fear Beast will give you nightmares, but by the time you reach the end you may feel quite differently.

The Black Book of Secrets * FE HIGGINS

YA/A UK 2007

By the time I staggered onto the bridge I was barely able to hold myself upright. Halfway across I saw a carriage outside the Nimble Finger. Just as its wheels began to turn, I clambered on the back, hanging on for my life. As the carriage pulled away the last thing I remember is the sight of Ma sinking to her knees. She was screaming at me from the river bank and the monster, Barton Gumbroot, was shaking his fist in rage.

In this rollicking 19th-century pastiche, Ludlow Fitch's gin-soaked Ma rages because her 'diabolic plan' to allow Gumbroot to yank all Ludlow's teeth out for a good sum (before the days of anaesthetic, of course) is foiled. Ludlow, a nifty pickpocket who is constantly exploited by his parents, finds refuge with Mr Jellicoe, the mysterious pawnbroker who teaches him to read and write.

The owner of the carriage in the quote above is the evil, foul-smelling Jeremiah Ratchet, rich through blackmailing the poor of the remote hilltop village of Pagus Parvus. Just arrived in the village to open a pawnshop is the mysterious Joe Zabbidou. Ludlow becomes Zabbidou's trusty offsider and scribe.

Other wonderfully named characters in the village include gravedigger Obadiah Strang, baker Elias Sourdough, physician Samuel Mouldered, and Perigoe Leafbinder, the bookseller. All have terrible secrets. Zabbidou relieves them of guilt by inviting them to tell their stories. Ludlow duly inscribes these into the Black Book of Secrets. Joe even rewards each handsomely so they can pay off their debts to Ratchett, infuriating the latter. Dastardly deeds are revealed and the dire consequences lead to mayhem and catastrophe ... Expect to hear more from this inventive, dashing new storyteller.

Cat's Mountain * ALLAN BAILLIE

YA AUSTRALIA 2006

Cat could hear skittering round her and she realised she had never been on the mountain at night. She shivered. She had tramped around Mud Hut in the sun, rain, sleet, even snow, but never at night.

Allan Baillie cranks up the pace and tension of one of his best adventure stories yet.

Before Gramp died, he renamed Mount Foster 'Cat Mountain' because Cat (Catherine) was so at home in the remote bush eyrie. Now Cat has come to visit Gran, who also loves the mountain and refuses to leave. But where is Gran? There has been a huge storm. Has she had an accident? Is she lost? The storm has knocked out the phone connection so there is no way to call for help.

Cat has been terrorised at school by Brena and 'The Pack', so it takes her some time to shake off the conviction that she is useless. In fact, Cat is determined, practical and courageous. And she needs every bit of grit and wit once she finds the dead pilot in the crashed plane; the dying man Gran is trying to save; and the crazy, damaged gun-toting woman who is involved with him. Cat and Gran are caught up in a crime that has gone very wrong. Cat must 'read' the clues and act very, very carefully to avoid more disasters.

The Dark Ground * GILLIAN CROSS

Y/YA UK 2004

High in the clouds, something slammed into Robert's sleeping brain and he woke suddenly, in a rush of adrenalin. His mind was churning with images of falling, of tumbling out of the sky in a roar of broken, burning metal. He smelt the scorching and felt the rush of air against his helpless skin as he fell ...

'In a rush of adrenalin' is how you will read this story and its sequels. When we first meet Robert in some kind of jungle he is naked, lost, hungry and terrified. Neither he nor we have any idea what has happened to him or where he is. Is he the sole survivor of a plane crash? Is there anyone or anything else nearby? Why does everything seem so huge? He bravely sets about finding food and shelter. Soon he discovers that a girl is trying to help him, and he follows her to a cave where a group of others live a strange subsistence existence. They accept Robert but refuse to discuss their situation or to help him work out what happened. Their entire focus is on avoiding predators (there are some scary encounters with these) and on gathering and hoarding food. We are reminded of the lives of tiny creatures foraging to ensure survival through winter.

Without ever slackening the pace, Cross leads us to an understanding of Robert's situation. Step-by-step we follow Robert's dangerous and arduous quest to reach his family, but his troubles do not end there. They continue through the second book, THE BLACK ROOM (2005), the story of a girl locked in a pit by her parents, and eventually to the final book, THE NIGHTMARE GAME (2006). Gillian Cross never seems to run out of ideas that keep readers eagerly turning the pages.

Hunters and Warriors * JUSTIN D'ATH

YA AUSTRALIA 2001

'I mean, it just kind of came out that it was the four of us. The fabju-lous foursome. Nobody actually said anything about you – at least, not ...' Jarrod suddenly stopped walking. He turned to Bass. 'Did you actually kill any?'

'Me? Of course I did.' 'Except for that one at the start?' 'There were two at the start,' Bass reminded him. 'One, two, who gives a shit? You were kidding around, right? That Luke Skywalker stunt!' Jarrod laughed. 'No one could say that was deliberate.' 'I ...' Bass began. 'Not like us guys,' Jarrod came back over the top of him. 'We got right into it. It was fucking carnage! Guys!' Jarrod yelled.

A departure for an author best known for his wildly imaginative, humorous and adventurous books for younger readers. Based on a true story, Hunters and Warriors is a tough, uncompromising account of a school camp in Australia's beautiful coastal north that goes horribly wrong.

When we learn about horrific massacres during wars we may assume these are the result of wartime conditions and pressures. However, here, in idyllic surroundings and aware of environmental issues four teenage boys rapidly lose control and descend into hysterical group-barbarism as they massacre a whole colony of noddy birds.

D'Ath builds his story carefully and deliberately. He shows the pressure on the boys, especially the more gentle outsider, Bass, to belong and to conform to male expectations to perform in certain macho ways and assume the role of hunters – and of killers.

A confronting, important book that, due to its challenging subject matter and its realistic language, may not have had the commercial success it deserves.

Missing Abby * LEE WEATHERLY

YA UK 2004

When I had spotted Abby at the town centre bus stop that afternoon, my first thought had been, Oh, no! Hide!

She was looking even stranger than usual, dressed in black combat trousers and a black T-shirt with a screaming skull on it. Dozens of slithery silver chains hung around her neck, like metallic snake-skin. She stood leaning against the bus shelter, reading a paperback with a dragon on the cover. Even from where I was standing I could see that her nails were long and pointy, painted black.

Abby goes missing. As police enquiries deepen, Emma, Abby's former best friend, realises she was the last person to see Abby before she disappeared. Reluctantly, Emma had boarded a bus with Abby. They had had an uneasy conversation and parted awkwardly. Gradually Emma uncovers the story of Abby's passion for a 'Goth' persona and for Dungeons & Dragons–inspired roleplaying. This is painful territory for Emma to re- enter as she and Abby used to be teased and even seriously bullied for their 'uncool' pursuits and their fantasy creations. Now Emma finds that Abby was also willing to enter dangerous real worlds and take big risks.

Weatherly unreels a tight, page-turning tale, where nothing turns out as you might expect, and the startling ending, in the scary, half-lit bowels of an industrial plant, packs a punch.

The Road of the Dead * KEVIN BROOKS

YA/A UK 2006

When the Dead Man got Rachel I was sitting in the back of a wrecked Mercedes wondering if the rain was going to stop. I didn't want it to stop. I was just wondering. It was late, almost midnight.

A hard-edged, violent, spooky book in which Ruben follows his brother, Cole, in a quest to find the killer of their sister Rachel. Ruben's aim is to limit Cole's likely excesses. Cole has blank eyes and a capacity for violence. Ruben has the ability to see inside people; to 'be' with them when they are elsewhere. Usually he is only this way with Cole, sometimes with his mother, and only now, after she is dead, with nineteen-year-old Rachel. 'One moment she was with me ... and then the moment suddenly cracked and I was with her, walking a storm ravaged lane in the middle of a desolate moor.'

Cole is determined to 'bring Rachel home'. Rachel had gone to stay with a friend who lives with her shadowy husband outside a village. The village men – silent, thuggish, threatening – all seem to be a part of some conspiracy. A shady property development is behind much of the menace and unbridled violence. Everyone is being stood over or has something to hide. Is there a link to the boys' father, a gypsy in prison for murder? Is this why beautiful Jess and the other gypsies are camped nearby?

Brooks creates a very scary set of characters, but also describes landscape brilliantly to build tension.

Brooks's next book, BEING (2007), is touted as his breakthrough title. It is a fast-paced science fiction crime thriller, but is not as tight or convincing as The Road of the Dead.Being has earned Brooks a nomination in the adult section of the Edgar Awards (a US prize organised by the Mystery Writers of America in memory of Edgar Allan Poe).

Smokescreen * BERNARD ASHLEY

YA UK 2006

The soaking wet female running barefoot at her was more like a girl than a woman, and not much older than she was – but Chinese or Vietnamese. And in trouble. The girl grabbed at Ellie, pleading, 'Help me! You will help me? Please?' 'You fallen in?' Ellie asked, 'You want some dry clothes?' 'Hide! Hide me!' The girl turned, shivering, frightened, peering back through the tunnel. 'Bad people!'

Ellie is a 'pub kid' who has spent most of her life living, and helping out, in her parents' pub. Since Ellie's mother's death in a tragic accident, life has been tough for Ellie and her father, Chris Searle. Now Chris has inherited another pub by a canal and despite Ellie's reluctance to move Chris expects things to improve. He plans to refurbish the pub and start a cosy Italian restaurant. Ellie is befriended at school by the smart, sassy, black girl, Flo, and soon Flo's mother is helping out at the pub. But is Ellie ready for a new woman in her father's life? And why do the locals who run the seemingly innocuous Friday music evenings at the pub object more and more ferociously to any changes?

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Excerpted from Right Book, Right Time by Agnes Nieuwenhuizen. Copyright © 2007 Agnes Nieuwenhuizen. Excerpted by permission of Allen & Unwin.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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