Penguin Random House

9780143791904

March 5, 2019

Random House Australia Children’s

$16.99

Jacqueline Harvey has done it again with another super episode in her cracking new series about the two intrepid twins, Kensington and Maxim aka Kensy and Max.  The children’s parents are still MiA but news of them is filtering through and they know they are getting closer to unravelling the mystery of the kids’ grandparents who disappeared before the twins were born. After a couple of rather nasty incidents in London, the twins, Fitz and Song are sent off to Sydney by their indomitable Granny Cordelia, head of Pharos – the security organization with which the whole family is involved.

The twins are detailed to befriend a brother and sister at their very new posh school to prevent a possible kidnapping.  Neither is particularly impressed either with their targets or the school itself and would struggle indeed if not for their other new friend, a would-be spy named Curtis.  But what seems like a very straightforward mission at first quickly becomes more convoluted as the twins realise that somehow the fate of their parents is connected with the less than charming Dash Chalmers. The children must employ all their new spy strategies as well as their natural aptitudes to successfully resolve this new and potentially deadly situation.

It’s another superb action filled adventure which will be equally enjoyed by both boys and girls from around ten years upwards. Kensy and Max are both extremely likeable characters each with their own personality foibles that make them even more relatable. Each adventure is also liberally sprinkled with humour and lighter moments to leaven the seriousness of the ‘spy’ factor and of course, the decoding of each chapter heading also provides an extra soupçon of fun.  This series, as with Jacqueline’s previous much-loved books, focuses on important themes of family bonds, loyalty, trust, friendship, courage and resourcefulness.

Highly recommended for mid-primary students upwards – and you’d best get at least two copies!