Rating:  

The second in the CHERUB series from Robert Muchamore see young orphan James Adams and his friends on another mission. Keith Moore is Europe’s biggest cocaine dealer. The police have been trying to get enough evidence to nail him for more than twenty years. Now, four CHERUB agents are joining the hunt.

Can a group of kids successfully infiltrate Keith Moore’s organisation, when dozens of attempts by undercover police officers have failed? James Adams has to start at the bottom, making deliveries for small-time drug dealers and getting to know the dangerous underworld they inhabit. He needs to make a big splash if he’s going to win the confidence of the man at the top.

“Better give us a minute,” James huffed, leaning forward and resting his palms against his knees. “I’m wiped.”

If James had wrung out his T-shirt, he could have filled a mug with the sweat.

“I’m a year younger than you,” Bruce said impatiently. “You should be the one pushing me. It’s that gut you’re carrying.”

James looked down at himself. “Give over, I’m hardly fat.”

“Not exactly thin either. You’re gonna get crucified at your next medical. They’ll put you on a diet and make you run all that off.”

James straightened up and drank some water from his canteen.

“It’s not my fault, Bruce. It’s genetic. You should have seen the size of my mum before she died.”

Bruce laughed. “There were three Toffee Crisp and one Snickers wrapper in our bin last night. That’s not genetic, that’s you being a pig.”

If James thinks he can relax now he’s got his blue shirt, he soon finds out the people who Run CHERUB have other ideas, and he is soon snowed under by, his punishment detail, extra training and schoolwork.

Rescued by his best mate Karl, he finds himself on a mission to infiltrate one of the country’s biggest drugs rackets, danger looms at every turn, and as the story nears it’s climax, James faces having to do something that he has never done before.

As in the first book, Muchamore, starts at a breathtaking pace then never lets the pace drop.

This book should certainly appeal to the target market of 11-14 year old boys, however it is not so suitable for younger readers, due to some graphic violence and drug use (and the consequence there of), so if you are thinking of giving this book to a reader younger that this, read it first (you’ll likely enjoy it anyway) but it does deal with some very ‘real’ issues – including those already noted – that you may want to check out first.

• Click here to read the first chapter on the CHERUB Campus website.
• Buy Class A (CHERUB Book #2) at Amazon