Close Range

by Nick Hale

Published 6 September 2010
Striker combines top flight football with international espionage for fans of Alex Rider and Young Bond. Meet Jake Bastin - talented teenage footballer, son of England's top coach and last line of defence against international terrorism - he is Striker! Jake Bastin is in Milan for an international football tournament. His dad will be the TV commentator - but Jake knows this is a front. He knows his dad's there on MI6 business. If only Jake could get close to the action ...Instead he is stuck at a frenzied photo shoot for a priceless South African diamond. In all the chaos, a massive diamond heist takes place. Caught up in the world of organized crime, Jake finds himself playing centre forward in the midst of assassinations and theft. But this time, it's personal. Nick Hale's spy stories rival Anthony Horowitz for pace, tension and adrenalin-fuelled action. For parents of sports-mad reluctant readers, Striker promises football stories for boys with the cool-factor of a 007 movie.

Sudden Death

by Nick Hale

Published 4 June 2010
Striker combines top flight football with international espionage for fans of Alex Rider and Young Bond. Meet Jake Bastin - talented teenage footballer, son of England's top coach and last line of defence against international terrorism - he is Striker! Jake's dad has been posted to Russia to train Igor Popov's multi-million-pound all-star team. No expense has been spared to lure the best talent in the world to St Petersburg, including American goalscoring sensation Devon Taylor. But people are being killed: a football scout, a journalist and an eco-scientist are all murdered within days of one another. And Jake's dad is always at the scene of the crime ...Is the Russian team a front for some terrible conspiracy? Can Jake help stop the killing spree? And could his own father be at the heart of the corruption? Nick Hale's spy stories rival Anthony Horowitz for pace, tension and adrenalin-fuelled action. For parents of sports-mad reluctant readers, Striker promises football stories for boys with the cool-factor of a 007 movie.

Edge

by Nick Hale

Published 1 January 2011
Striker combines top flight football with international espionage for fans of Alex Rider and Young Bond. Meet Jake Bastin - talented teenage footballer, son of England's top coach and last line of defence against international terrorism - he is Striker! Jake can't believe he's been scouted for Olympic Advantage. It's a dream come true to train with the top teenage athletes from around the world ...these are the kids that will go on to win gold medals! His dad has come along but promises to stay behind the scenes; this is Jake's moment. But the sunny Florida camp is hiding a nasty secret. A German weight-lifter is crushed by a barbell, painkillers are being issued illegally and many of the athletes are getting seriously aggressive. Jake knows something is up, and he's in the perfect position to report back to MI6. It's his first mission on his own. Popov will be watching ...Nick Hale's spy stories rival Anthony Horowitz for pace, tension and adrenalin-fuelled action. For parents of sports-mad reluctant readers, Striker promises football stories for boys with the cool-factor of a 007 movie.