This is Mal Peet’s second book and is about two men in the secret service who are involved in the terrifying world of the Dutch Resistance. On first appearances the cover looks boring and the blurb does not reveal much. I was worried that the book would be stodgy and after the first hundred pages I was tempted to give up. However I pressed on and all of a sudden the book changed the date to 1995. Next came the fascinating story of a teenage girl discovering her grandparents' past left only with a box containing a number of clues.

I found that it was easier to relate to the modern story, probably because I had never experienced the real terror of a war. In the book the two stories entwine quite nicely so whenever there came a climax the story would change. This is definitely a story for young adults, as younger children will find it confusing and boring. However for those who fully appreciate the book there are some wonderfully tense passages.

‘He looked up. On the bank, distinct against the lesser darkness of the sky, was the unmistakeable silhouette of a German soldier. The long field service coat, the jackboots. Cold moonlight glinted from the steel helmet and the snout of a submachine gun.’  I think that this is typical of some of the wonderful descriptive passages that Peet writes.

Personally, I think that this is a fantastic book for young adults. Its only downfall is that it is quite a dull read during the starting hundred pages. Although it is very good I do not think it will win the prize. I give it seven out of ten.