Baker Street Boys- The Case of the Disappearing Detective- By Anthony Read

This book is the first of a series of books. The series is al about Sheklock Holmes young helpers, who live on the street, running errands and now helping him to solve mysteries along with himself and Dr. Watson.

In this story, the 7 young street children are Wiggins, Beaver, Queenie, Rosie, Shiner, Sparrow and Gertie, each have a very important role to play in this mystery. Each looking desperatly for money they find themeselves doing jobs like undercover work, working backstage at the local thertare or helping out at the train station. Soon Holmes gets them to investigate an American, whom he has met on a case before. While investigating, coming apon a few clues, Holmes himself disappears. After a little bit of investigation, they realise he's been kidnapped not gone undercover. On a quest to find him again they discover tthe gang who kidnapped him. After a bit more they find out that there is another plan in this crime to kill the Queen. The gang struggle to find her point of death but will it be to late.

I really enjoyed this book as it was interesting and it had the perfect balance of adventure, mystery and crime. I was gripped the whole way through, it was a thrilling tale and I would recommend it to anyone. However I found that seeing as it was set in 1897 it was quite old fashioned but I did understand most of it. Howevetrsome of the terms I did have to find out.

My favourite quotation in the book is" 'That ain't lamp wick' he announced solemnly.' Thats a fuse. And them carboard tubes you saw, Sparrow, they wasn't fireworks. They were sticks of dynamite.'". I think its such a gripping quote and once I heard this I was dying to read what was happening next. Its right at the end of a chapter so it brings so much suspense to the book.

My favourite character in the book is Beaver. Firstly because I think its a really cool name it brings atiny bit of comedy. Also it states in the book that he follos Wiggins around everywhere, never leaving his side. I think thats starnge but also quite amusing.

I would give this book a rating of **** 4 stars!!

I gave this 4 stars because it was very good and enjoyable but it was a bit hard to understand at first.

I f you do ever read this book I hope you enjoy!! :P

Young Sherlock Homes- Red Leech By Andrew Lane

This series of books is about the first few crimes in which the great detective Sherlock Holmes solved. This book starts off as Sherlock's brother coming  back to see him along with Amyus Crowe from America. Soon after soon investigating Sherlock's Holmes finds out that a assassin, apparently dead is in Surrey and once again planning something mad. After visiting his house Sherlock nearly dies only to be saved by his friend Matty. Then Matty gets kidnapped leaving Sherlock's Holmes, Crowe and his daughter Virginia to find him. Nearly being killed a number of times, they find Matty but cannot save him until he is on a train to Virginia, the American state. Figuring out there evil plan to take over Canada they try to stop them. After nearly dieing a number of times and a numerous number of disguises they finally foil there plan!!

Personally, I found this book exciting and gripping, capturing you at every page. At fist, I found the book a little bit boring but do not be fooled. Once the character introduction is over the proper tale really begin. In each page we feel a different emotion for each character drawing us more into the book. However to improve it could maybe us a bit more emotion feelings/thoughts as we experience all the emotion from the actions of the characters.

Personally, my most interesting quote is ' You think you so clever, yes'. I like this quote as it gives a slight sense of humor to the book as whenever Sherlock is caught trespassing or investigating they always say to him ' You think you're so clever' and that he will never be able to stop there plan from becoming reality. I find this quote good as this whole book and the series is all about how people don't think that a child can solve crimes like this, yet it always turns out that he can.

My favourite character in this book is defiantly Duke Balthassar as even though he is the villain and we only see in the last few chapters in this book, he is an entertaining character. He was full of shocks and surprises after reveling he had a mask on to hide the fact that there were hundreds of leeches sucking out his blood. It sounds disgusting but as he explains more about them, about how he keeps them to suck out the family illness which has been running for generations it has a humorous effect on me and many other readers. Also the pets he keeps.

I would give this book ***** 5 stars as it was funny, exciting and kept me interested the whole way through.

Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz

This book was one that I could not put down. As soon as I had read even the first page I was automatically drawn into it. Its exciting, trilling but also quite nerve raking and always made me jump with the surprises in store.

The outline of this book is when Alex Rider loses a relation, his uncle Ian Rider, in a suspicious accident. Using his skills of karate and investigating Alex finds out that his uncle was a spy for MI6. When MI6 send him on the same mission as his uncle, to investigate the new computers for schools made by Herod Sayle, he discovers that theses computers are not all they are cracked up to be. During his adventure to stop his generation dying out Alex nearly dies a numerous number of times. In the end Sayle plan is put on hold, but not for the way in which MI6 or Rider hoped.

I found this book extremely interesting and exciting the whole way through. Within different chapters you experience different emotions/ feeling that are portrayed through Alex's thoughts and words. Its fun entertaining and is surprising at different stage eg who is involved in the crime. However to improve the book I would maybe put in a part where it is a lot more relaxing instead of having parts where he nearly dies or gets chopped in half one after each other. Basically there is no real structure as the whole thing is like the climax of the story.

Personally I think that the quotation in the book Just remember Alex Rider, you're never to young to die'. I think it really sums up the whole book in a nutshell as basically this book is all about the times in which Alex is so close to death in trying to stop Herod Salye. I also found this quotation made that part suspense, which I don't usually like but in his way it was very good and almost set of the scene of his main adventure. My favourite feature in the book is Herod Sayle as he is funny in this book even though he is the 'evil' character. He is shown as someone short and round, always ready to gamble with someone and has weird pets, I mean come on he keeps a Portugese man-o-war, a jellyfish. He is my favourite as he shows just as much determination as Alex does in trying to stop Alex ruining his plan. I think that he is the perfect villain for this book as he has a good reason and matches Alex and his companions perfectly.

This book is brilliant, exciting all the time and I rate it ****** 5 stars.
AMAZING!!!!!!

If you follow this website you can see other reviews of this book from all over the world!!
http://www.readingmatters.co.uk/book2.php?id=250

Also if you follow this link you can see an interview on the author on this book;
http://www.alexrider.com/agent/Exclusive-Interviews/Anthony-Horowitz-Interview