School Library Journal Review
Gr 6-9-Returning to action, Jade and Rich Chance are on a nonstop thrill ride centered around Middle Eastern politics. Left home alone while their father, a British secret agent, is off on a mission, the twins are attacked and must flee with someone whom they believe to be one of their dad's old colleagues. Unfortunately, they don't realize their mistake until it is too late, and, though Rich escapes, Jade becomes a hostage. Readers discover that one of John Chance's comrades has gone rogue and is involved in a plot to overthrow the planned democracy in a small country, East Araby, by setting off a small nuclear bomb and assassinating the current king. Mark Darrow has no problem killing innocent people, threatening teenagers, or destroying property to get his hands on a statue concealing the necessary ingredient to create the bomb. The Chance family, along with the SAS and other agents, manage to prevent the worst possible outcome and rescue the country from the evil Crown Prince Ali's schemes. Starting with a gunfight and resultant car chase, followed by a mad escape through a theme park, including a chase over the top of moving roller-coaster trains and a dash through the Haunted House, leading to desperate treks in the Middle Eastern deserts, this book will draw even reluctant readers in with ease. Readers do not need to be familiar with the first two volumes to enjoy this one.-Jessica Miller, New Britain Public Library, CT (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Booklist Review
This third all-action caper (following Sure Fire, 2007, and Death Run, 2008) starring the resourceful twin children of Special Agent John Chance features a wild car chase through the British countryside; a cat-and-mouse pursuit in an amusement park's haunted house; a surreptitious expedition to a hidden nuclear lab in a (fictional) Middle Eastern country; kidnapping; murder; a planned coup; a plot to assassinate the President of the U.S.; and plenty of plot twists to boot. Higgins and Richards have crafted another page-turner punctuated with gunfire and highlighted by heroism and explosions.--Peters, John Copyright 2009 Booklist
