Every Second Counts

December 15, 2015
Two teens framed as terrorists need to save England from a terrorist attack and political takeover. Charlie and Nat have been on the run since they were tricked into aiding a kidnapping and bombing (In a Split Second, 2015). Charlie, furious after the attack that killed her mother and left Nat's older brother in a coma, tried to do good by training as a soldier for the vigilante English Freedom Army. Nat and Charlie were told the EFA existed to fight terrorists like the racist League of Iron, but it turns out they were terrorists, fomenting chaos to support the political aspirations of charismatic politician Roman Riley. Now the teens, distracted by both their romance and Charlie's family secrets, must stop Riley from creating a far worse atrocity. Their single-minded focus on each other even as they learn of potentially horrific casualties can be read as either romantic or utterly lacking in empathy, but at least they prioritize the mission. Chapters that alternate their perspectives, most only about three pages, maintain endless urgency in the style of the television series 24. Though some lulls might have improved the flow, the nonstop action distracts from plot holes and flat secondary characters. U.S. readers may be bemused at the U.K. revolutionaries' discussions of bombings but shock at the use of guns. This breathless political thriller isn't always coherent, but it keeps the adrenaline pumping. (Thriller. 13-15)

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January 1, 2016

Gr 7 Up-For those who enjoy their political thrillers with a dash of romance, there is this companion to In a Split Second (S. & S., 2015). The first book followed the dual perspectives of Charlie and Nat, two teens whose lives are forever changed by a bombing in a busy London marketplace. The teens join together to try and determine the identity of the person or persons responsible for the attack. This entry opens with Charlie and Nat on the run since the evil Roman Riley, who might win the election for the next prime minister, has framed them for terrorism. Can they prove their innocence while stopping Riley from obtaining even more power?

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