Lockdown

Fans of series including Alex Rider and TimeRiders will thoroughly enjoy these fast-paced, gadget-laden stories in which a group of highly talented and motivated teenagers - the 'Urban Outlaws' of the piece - grapple with computer viruses, shadowy mentors and some very bad guys. Lockdown is the third book in the series and although you won't need to have read the first two books to enjoy this one, it would help to place all the villains of the piece. In the first book, the Urban Outlaws managed to over-ride a computer virus to get a powerful computer going - but now that same virus has been stolen by Hector, who plans to use it to hack the secrets of the world. In a journey that takes them to the States, the Urban Outlaws have two missions to complete against the clock - and as they do so, their enemies are closing in. The fast pace of these books makes them ideal for reluctant as well as eager readers, and both girls and boys. The fact that the characters rely on their own skills to complete their missions - whether that's using physical parkour skills or finding their way around electronics - also makes these aspirational. Highly recommended for readers aged 10+ through to early secondary years. 320 pages / Reviewed by ReadingZone.

Suggested Reading Age 9+