Penguin Australia

• May 2023
• ISBN: 9781761043307
• Imprint: Puffin
• RRP: $16.99

Fasten your seatbelts for one last rollercoaster ride with the intrepid twin spies, in their most difficult and worrying adventure/mission yet!

When their closest family members begin disappearing – apparently kidnapped – the twins become increasingly isolated and anxious. With no ransom notes or other explanations, the snatching of their relatives seems completely incomprehensible.Then the accidental discovery of a tiny scarab token, and a mention of the meaning behind the Ancient Egyptian symbol, sets in train the unravelling of a most ingenious plot, which is both cruelly calculating but also utterly perfidious, given it has been conceived by someone the Spencer family and Pharos have trusted for years.

Slowly but surely Kensy and Max push aside their fears and intense emotions and, aided by their besties, Autumn and Curtis, begin to piece together the plan that was designed to overthrow the family and the organisation.

Once again Jacqueline Harvey will absolutely enthrall her many fans with this one with its breakneck speed of action, nasty villains and surprising revelations, though I foresee there will be much wailing and gnashing of teeth to read that this is the last in the series. Surely JH cannot be so cruel? As always, the solid themes of loyalty, resilience, risk-taking, problem-solving and relationships both family and friendship are very evident. It is, to my mind, these core values that completely resonate with her readers and Jacqueline is able to weave these into her books, effortlessly it seems, without ever sounding preachy or didatic.

The publication of Time’s Up this week, marks Jacqueline’s 50th book for young readers and each and every one has been a resounding success. Her work not only brings wholesome but fun reading to kiddos , it is always up to speed with latest trends, ideas and technology (voice cloning is one such tech trick in this book), and the voices of her characters always ring true. She really does ‘get’ kids, how they think and act, what makes them fearful and what they are capable of when challenged.

As always, I will say, I really do not need to recommend this as copies will literally fly off shelves all over the place but I do strongly suggest you order multiple copies for a collection as they are going to be in hot demand.

IF this truly is the last of Kensy and Max, I just want to say a big thank you Jacqueline for taking us all on this fabulous creative and Bond-esque ride! Highly recommended of course for your readers from around 10 upwards – stand back when you put them on the shelf though!