Skeleton Key

*Skeleton Key (Alex Rider #3), by Anthony Horowitz. 2006.*

In the first Alex Rider book, Stormbreaker, Alex discovers that his uncle worked as a spy for MI-6. The official story is that Ian Rider died in a car accident. Alex doesn't believe it, though, and sets out to find the truth. Because of his curiosity, Alex finds himself involved with MI-6. But while Alex just wants answers, MI-6 wants to recruit Alex to finish his uncle's last mission.

Skeleton Key finds Alex once again working for MI-6. He hesitantly becomes a ball boy at Wimbeldon in order to investigate a suspicious break-in. Rather than finding a thief, though, Alex discovers a plot to destroy the entire Wimbeldon tournament. He also becomes a target of Big Circle--a large and dangerous criminal gang. In order to escape assassination attempts by Big Circle, Alex is sent out of the country. But it's MI-6's idea of a holiday; not Alex's.

Alex's "vacation" turns out to be a more dangerous mission than anyone admitted. Undercover with the CIA, Alex believed he was helping with an observation. But, once again, things immediately become more complicated. The observation turns into a search for nuclear weapons and a quest to prevent a Russian general from ruling the world.

Anthony Horowitz created another compelling adventure in Skeleton Key. When I read the first Alex Rider book, I wasn't expecting much more than shallow entertainment. I still think some of the plot is incredibly obvious (or unbelievable), but Horowitz makes up for it with good writing. This is the kind of series that can appeal to readers across a wide spectrum. Some of the vocabulary might challenge 9-year-olds, but the story will encourage them to increase their word skills and finish the book. And while 4th graders will enjoy Alex's adventures, 10th graders would probably be happy reading this series, as well. I'd recommend Skeleton Key to an older tween who's reluctant to read. It's suspenseful enough to keep the reader engaged, and Horowitz's writing never feels childish. Alex Rider could also provide a good break for an older tween who typically reads harder literature. Skeleton Key might be a great adventure story during Christmas break or summer holidays.