Synopsis:
Colin Kingsley is a pizza delivery boy. He’s also a fully-enrolled agent at The Golden Spatula League, an organisation that trains children from restaurants and food outlets around the world to work as spies. When Colin delivers a pizza to a booby-trapped boat, his second adventure begins.
It centres around priceless egg-cups that have been missing for over a century. Colin is parachuted into Russia in the guise of an exchange student. He tracks the movements of a mysterious antique-dealer who knows all about the egg-cups – and also happens to be on the hit-list of nefarious villain Heidi Hyde High.
Can Colin and the GSL solve the. mystery before Heidi?
Think modern day Tintin with added humour. Then throw in multiple references to food – descriptions that would make any reader’s mouth water – and you’ve got some sense of what this series is about.
A great cast of characters keeps the story lively. Colin is joined in solving the mystery by his new exchange friend Kirill. who happens to be from the family who are the rightful owners of the egg-cups. Different members of the GSL pop up over the story and Colin is monitored from afar by his grouchy teenage mentor, Princess. His arch-enemy Juice Box Justin also makes an appearance – but to tell you more would be a spoiler. Archetypal characters are made fresh by the concept of the GSL. The whole idea that kids who work in their parents’ restaurants are part of a secret spy network is brilliant and refreshing.
This series takes protagonist Colin to a new country every time. This time it is Russia – and the landmarks and history of the country are woven into the plot. During this current time when travel is impossible even for those who can afford it, offering young people books where they learn about different countries has never been more important.
The humour in these books will appeal to many kids – think flying toilets and escaping the clutches of teacher authority. There is just enough of this to keep the reader giggling, but not so much that the mystery plot comes second to the jokes. The writing is pacy and something exciting happens on almost every page.
A delightful series for mystery readers in search of something adventurous and fun.
- Mark Anchovy War & Pizza is available now, RRP. £6.99, from Piccadilly Press (Provided for Review)
