After the First Death

Jul 4, 2024 7:28 PM

Author:Robert Cormier

AFTER THE FIRST DEATH is a brilliantly tense hostage drama, by Robert Cormier, the acclaimed author of THE CHOCOLATE WAR. It is one of The Originals from Penguin - iconic, outspoken, first.

On the outskirts of a small American town, a bus-load of young children is being held hostage. The hijackers are a cold and ruthless group, opposed to the secret government agency Inner Delta. At the centre of the battle are three teenagers. Miro is the terrorist with no past and no emotions. Kate is the bus driver, caught up in the nightmare, and Ben is the General's son who must act as a go-between.

The Originals are the pioneers of fiction for young adults. From political awakening, war and unrequited love to addiction, teenage pregnancy and nuclear holocaust, The Originals confront big issues and articulate difficult truths. The collection includes: The Outsiders - S.E. Hinton, I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith, Postcards from No Man's Land - Aidan Chambers, After the First Death - Robert Cormier, Dear Nobody - Berlie Doherty, The Endless Steppe - Esther Hautzig, Buddy - Nigel Hinton, Across the Barricades - Joan Lingard, The Twelfth Day of July - Joan Lingard, No Turning Back - Beverley Naidoo, Z for Zachariah - Richard C. O'Brien, The Wave - Morton Rhue, The Red Pony - John Steinbeck, The Pearl - John Steinbeck, Stone Cold - Robert Swindells.

Reviews

A delight . . . Hazel and Daisy are aboard the Orient Express: cue spies, priceless jewels, a murder and seriously upgraded bun breaks

—— The Bookseller

Addictive . . . A rumbustious reworking of Agatha Christie's Orient Express caper

—— Amanda Craig , New Statesman

Superb

—— Telegraph

A superb puzzle . . . Splendidly seasonal

—— Metro

Nancy Drew meets the Chalet School in this clever crime novel set in the 1930s. Robin Stevens' period detail, strong characters and meticulous plotting come together in a satisfying story

—— Scotsman

Robin Stevens continues to impress

—— Booktrust

Festive, fun and full of mystery

—— Country Life

These Agatha-Christie-indebted tales involve detective duo Daisy Wells and her sidekick Hazel Wong, wealthy schoolgirls from England and Hong Kong. In the first book, they investigated a murder at their boarding school. This time, Daisy's family's stately home - a hotbed of jealousy and greed - provides a rich cast of suspects when it's not just the cake candles that are snuffed out at a birthday tea party. Emotional conflict, logical deduction and the period setting make for an entertaining, nostalgic brainteaser

—— Nicolette Jones , Sunday Times

Even better than its predecessor . . . Brilliant

—— The Book Zone

This series comes vibrantly to life with Hazel's warm, charming narration and I just want more Wells and Wong Mysteries

—— So Many Books, So Little Time

Like a good Miss Marple, there are twists and turns in this detective series and the 1930s period is vividly brought to life. Great fun!

—— WRD Magazine

Witty, clever and gently satirical of upper-class life, it's Agatha Christie crossed with Angela Brazil

—— Amanda Craig , Independent

It is refreshing to see the presence of so many rambunctious young women in children's books, and none are more so than the protagonists of Robin Stevens's Wells & Wong Mysteries . . . Stevens brings psychological depth to the classic Christie crime; she does not shirk the unpalatable consequences

—— Literary Review

An epic sci-fi adventure about a terrifying alien invasion. You'll read it in one sitting

—— Bookseller

A gripping SF trilogy about an Earth decimated by an alien invasion... the question of what it means to be human is at the forefront

—— Publishers Weekly

Borrow this one from your teen's nightstand while they're at school

—— People Magazine

By turns heart-pounding and contemplative . . . The 5th Wave will thrill you, chill you, and challenge you to keep the pages turning fast enough

—— Hypable.com

Utterly gripping

—— Metro Herald

High adventure with mystery and heart

—— The Sunday Times

A cut above anything else in the genre.

—— Sunday Telegraph

The pace is RELENTLESS

—— Heat

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