Web of Spies (S.I.G.M.A. #1) (Tim Ayliffe, Affirm Kids)

Bestselling crime author Tim Ayliffe’s children’s debut, Web of Spies (S.I.G.M.A. #1), is a fast-paced and gripping middle-grade mystery that captivates readers from the very first chapter.

Ollie Speed is no stranger to uncertainty and unanswered questions: his dad, Henry, an employee of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, has been missing for 10 months. When Ollie discovers a dead body while out running, something about the man’s identity bothers him, until he realises he has seen him before, posing in a photograph with his missing dad. The caption on the back of the photo reads: “Afghanistan. 2008. Before S.I.G.M.A.” But what is S.I.G.M.A.? And is it related to the murder of a man less than one kilometre from Ollie’s house?

Readers aged 10 to 15 will become increasingly engrossed in the intriguing plot as Ayliffe carefully drip-feeds details of Henry’s past and reveals clues to a possible spy ring. Notable details, such as the mention of the Australian prime minister being a woman and the author’s choice to use traditional Australian colloquialisms in dialogic passages rather than Gen Alpha slang, help ensure the narrative remains timeless and accessible.

Littered with plot twists and interspersed with scenes from daily school life to keep the story authentic and plausible, Web of Spies, the first in a new series, will be quickly devoured by fans of James Bond and the Alex Rider novels.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Kirsten Barich is a teacher librarian in South Australia. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

Books+Publishing pre-publication reviews are supported by the Copyright Agency Cultural Fund.

Category: Friday Unlocked reviews Reviews