Every Second Counts

The follow-up to the explosive Split Second reunites readers with our star-crossed teens against terrorism - Nat and Charlie. Still on the run from the forces that entangled them in a web of anti-social activity, they remain public enemies as the truth about their freedom fighting has been kept under wraps by the very people they were protecting. The Prime Minister's son Aaron returns to the action, but he's fallen for Nat's sister and won't let Nat leave him out of their secret operations to keep her safe. Meanwhile Charlie discovers why she doesn't recognise the old man who claims to be her real father. After being betrayed by the English Freedom Army, Nat and Charlie must fight back against the people who trained them, but with mixed messages in the media and radicalism on the rise it's hard to know who to trust.

The dual narrators work really well for Sophie McKenzie's fast paced writing, creating tension and excitement when the character's paths cross. The romance is kept safely on the side-lines making the drama and danger the real focus. The politics too are light enough to keep the action fast and the pace pumping and McKenzie's smart move of adding two main characters means this series should appeal to thrill-seeking boys and girls alike. Fans of Sophie's style will not be disappointed with this latest instalment.