Alex Rider Mission 5: Scorpia

Name: William Joseph
Price range: $

by Anthony Horowitz

Interest age: 9 to 13
Reading age: 11+

Published by Walker Books, 2015

Adventure
Classics
Coming-of-age
Thriller

About this book

The fifth Alex Rider adventure sees the teenage spy in Venice, where he infiltrates Scorpia, an international organisation of assassins.

Scorpia has devised a deadly weapon – the Invisible Sword – to exterminate thousands of children in London and bring about the downfall of the powerful West.

Meanwhile, as Alex discovers more about his father’s death, he has to make some difficult choices about his future: should he remain loyal to MI6, who have manipulated and lied to him, or join Scorpia as an assassin so that he can exact his revenge on those who betrayed his father?

With an action-packed plot and plenty of high-tech gadgetry, this is a hugely enjoyable spy adventure.

About the author

Anthony Horowitz is a screenwriter and children's novelist. Born in 1955 in North London, he was educated at Rugby School and York University, and published his first book, Enter Frederick K Bower, in 1978.

He created the television series Foyle's War, Murder in Mind, Midsomer Murders, Crime Traveller and Menace, and has written episodes for many more, including Agatha Christie's Poirot, Murder Most Horrid and Robin of Sherwood. He has also written a horror film, The Gathering, starring Christina Ricci.

His books for children include the Alex Rider series about the teenage secret agent. There are nine books in the series including Snakehead (2007), shortlisted for the 2008 Book Trust Teenage Prize. He has also written The Power of Five series, Diamond Brothers series of mystery stories and the Groosham Grange series.