Avenger (utgåvan 2006)

As yet unaware of her father's death, Elena goes undercover, pretending to come under the sway of a master manipulator who trawls the web for disillusioned teens whom he can use as Angels of Death, suicide bombers whom he sends out to avenge the death of his son in the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Centre.

With her every movement scrutinised Elena is completely alone when she goes to New York: the bomber forces her to isolate herself if she wants to stay undercover and Danny worries that she might actually go through with the plan when she starts making explosive and fails to respond to a dead letter drop.

Rather a bleak little story: theBritish security forces have every intention of killing Elena, Danny and his grandfather if they succeed in their mission - if they don't, the bomb master will probably do it for them - and the government agents with whom they interact are dishonourable and untrustworthy.

And - be warned, this is a spoiler - surely it was unnecessary to kill Elena? Are she and her father really dead in fact? It would seem so. The book was interesting, but hardly rivetting, made a lot of reference to those in the series that preceded it, and ended badly. Not recommended. ( )