Anthony Horowitz: Scorpia

Just when you thought Anthony Horowitz couldn't possibly write another novel as exciting as Eagle Strike, Alex Rider returns in an action-packed adventure that will hook young readers from the very first chapter.

We were first introduced to this 14-year-old spy in the novel Stormbreaker, which was published in 2000. Since then Horowitz has written four equally gripping novels that have captured the imagination of readers from as far afield as Russia, China, Britain and, of course, New Zealand.

At the end of Eagle Strike Alex learned from the mortally wounded Yassen Gregorovich that his own father had worked as an assassin for hire and was not employed by MI6, as Alex had been led to believe when he was recruited by them.

In Scorpia a confused and troubled Alex is determined to uncover the truth about his family, once and for all. However the only real clue he has are Yassen's dying words, "Go to Venice. Find Scorpia. And you will find your destiny".

As luck will have it, within weeks Alex arrives in Venice on a five-day school trip but he has no idea how to begin his search for answers about his father's past. Then, on the fourth day, Alex catches a glimpse of a glamorous woman sitting on the deck of a luxury motor cruiser that bears a large silver scorpion on its hull.

Alex follows the cruiser through the canals of Venice and discovers that the woman is a wealthy American widow called Julia Rothman. Horowitz admitted that he had English actress Catherine Zeta Jones in mind when he was creating the character of Julia Rothman, a woman who is as beautiful as she is deadly.

Once Julia realises that Alex is the son of John Rider she welcomes him with open arms and introduces him to the world of Scorpia. Very quickly Alex finds himself caught up with a worldwide organisation that will commit the most heinous crimes on behalf of its clients, provided the payment is generous enough. Alex is sent to Scorpia's secret training establishment, which makes the training he received from MI6 seem like a kindergarten session by comparison.

However, while Alex may be able to learn the skills required to become a ruthless assassin like his father, can he also develop the right attitude?

Full of tension, high-tech wizardry, skulduggery, double-crossing and nail-biting cliffhangers, this latest Alex Rider spy thriller will not disappoint. Be prepared to be both surprised and shocked.

While Anthony Horowitz is best known in New Zealand for the Alex Rider series, he has written numerous novels for children, including the Diamond Brothers series about the world's most incompetent private detective and his much smarter younger brother. He is working on a new book about them, to be set mainly in Australia.

Further on the horizon for Horowitz fans is a new series of five fantasy novels, which the author describes as "Alex Rider with devils and witches".

Horowitz is also a prolific screenwriter in Britain and this year should see the Miramax release of his movie The Gathering, a chilling horror starring Christina Ricci. We can also look forward to seeing the movie version of Stormbreaker, which is moving ever closer to production.

Publisher: Walker Books

Price: $19.99

Ages: 10 plus

Recommended by: Dorothy Vinicombe