Liquidator

Told from diverse points of view, a popular practice in teen publishing these days, this story follows a group of older children experiencing their first work placements. One of them, working for a powerful multi-national firm, takes home the office laptop in need of repair after she had spilt coffee over it. But she and her friends discover that this laptop also contains details of a campaign launch involving a new fizzy drink that had previously been tried out on impoverished African children, occasionally with dire results. What follows is a chase between the heavies employed by the firm who want the laptop back come what may and the teenagers determined to thwart them.

This novel is written somewhat in the spirit of Emil and the Detectives but now updated to foiling crimes committed in the global economy. As in so many adventure stories, opportunities to tip off the police, or even the Guardian newspaper, are never taken up as the story finally out-runs itself, but not before many excitements along the way. Each young character in their work placement comes to play a vital role, providing a pleasing symmetry to an already satisfying if increasingly unlikely read.