Long Reach - Softcover

Peter Cocks

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1406324752 ISBN 13: 9781406324754

Publisher: Walker Childrens Paperbacks, 2011

Synopsis

This is a gritty urban thriller set in the ganglands of south London. Seventeen-year-old Eddie Savage is shocked to learn that the body of his brother, Steve, has just been washed up in the Thames. But he soon discovers something even more disturbing: that Steve had actually been working undercover for the police - and was probably murdered in the line of duty. Determined to avenge his brother's death, Eddie relinquishes his old life and identity to take up where Steve left off, throwing himself headlong into his first mission - to infiltrate a tough south London gang. But as he becomes caught up in the world of crime, Eddie begins to question where his loyalties lie. Then he makes a terrible discovery...

About this title

About the Author

Peter Cocks is a popular children's TV writer and performer and also co-author of the Triskellion trilogy, which he wrote - together with Mark Billingham - under the pseudonym of Will Peterson.

Review

This book is fast paced, gritty and a crackingly good read. The thing that I love about this book is that it is so different from any other Young Adult book I have ever read. I've seen books with similiar concepts in the Adult section but nothing of its kind aimed at teenagers. I was gripped throughout the book, I never found the story to be dull at any point as there was so much going on as Eddie found his feet in his new position of double agent. There were loads of parts where I couldn't put the book down because things were so intense and you weren't sure as the reader which way it was going to go. Reminiscent of something by Harlen Corben or James Patterson this fantastic new title tackles a genre which is not widely aimed at the Young Adult market. An engaging, fastpaced and thrilling read. * www.goodreads.com * I was gripped throughout the book, I never found the story to be dull at any point as there was so much going on as Eddie found his feet in his new position of double agent. There were loads of parts where I couldn't put the book down because things were so intense and you weren't sure as the reader which way it was going to go. * Overflowing Library * This is a real Boys Own adventure story with a likeable hero in Eddie Savage, beautiful but possibly dangerous women with a thrilling storyline and murderous gangsters. There was a good pace to the story, a nice steady build up in suspense, with good characterisations. A compelling and exciting read, recommended for readers aged 14+. * Carole's Book Corner * This is serious stuff, and author Peter Cocks certainly doesn't shy away from the harsh reality of the criminal underworld he's portraying. The language is way more colourful than you'd find in the majority of YA fiction, and the violence is occasionally so brutal I found myself flinching as I read. Nothing about Long Reach feels as though it's been cleaned up for its target audience, and that's exactly what makes it feel so authentic and convincing...Tightly-plotted, edgy and smart, Long Reach starts out promising and only gets better from there. While I suspect that it will appeal chiefly to male readers, I'd actually recommend it to both male and females at the top end of the YA age range who enjoy fast-paced, filmic thrillers. I couldn't put it down. * I Was a Teenage Book Geek * Although this is a young adult series it doesn't hold back on the gritty side of the criminal underworld and includes some quite violent scenes. Long Reach is an exciting and pacy read that I'm sure will be very popular with older teens and adults. The story has a similar feel to Martina Cole's adult books and doesn't feel dumbed down for it's younger target audience. Long Reach is a great start to a new series and I'm really looking forward to reading more of these books in the future. I think this series will be popular with teenage boys but it is something that girls will enjoy reading too and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for a fast paced thrilling read. I will definitely be keeping an eye out for more by Peter Cocks in the future. * Feeling Fictional * If you are a fan of adult crime fiction then this is definitely worth a peek. It could easily be read as an adult thriller yet will also sit nicely on the YA shelves - appealing to boys of 15+ especially. I'm delighted to hear that there is another Eddie Savage thriller in the works as he is a character that has real potential to thrill written by a writer with real potential to be the first big thing in YA crime writing. -- Sya Bruce * The Mountains of Instead * Buy it, read it, love it. It is fantastically good. This is what Alex Rider and Young Bond was supposed to be like. Dark, gritty, hyper-real with characters that feel like your best mates, even if you are a good guy / girl...and will have great cross-over appeal for readers who like thrillers and crime novels by people like Mark Billingham and Marina Cole. There is sex (behind closed doors, but it's there), violence (quite nasty and real), drugs (implied and shown) and yet none of it feels gratuitous and I take my hat off to Mr. C's editors and the author himself for keeping a tight reign on the story as it so easily could have spilled out of control. Instead we have a deeply thoughtful, action packed crime thriller with a new protagonist that will please both male and female readers as you would either want to date Eddie or be his best mate. * My Favourite Books * Long Reach is a fantastic new title from Walker Books that I would recommend for certain. * Mostly Reading YA * The writing is vibrant and modern. The descriptions are concise and the dialogue sharp and often funny. * New Books * The style of writing is as though someone had sat you down and was telling you this story verbally, which makes it compelling and insistent to read...We leave Eddie hanging - and this tremendous climax makes me want the second book NOW! Write faster Mr Cocks! DEFINITELY read this book. It is brilliant, heart-stopping fun, with a fantastic protagonist in the form of Eddie Savage. Awesome compelling writing that deserves to be widely read. Go buy it now! -- http://floor-to-ceiling-books.blogspot.com/2011/02/long-reach-by-peter-cocks.html#comments * Floor To Ceiling Books * Long Reach really is a perfect fast-paced, gripping thriller for the YA audience. It has me incredibly excited to read more in the series * Fluttering Butterflies * This high-octane thriller is aimed at young adults, but it's written with a sophistication that puts it far above most entry-level stuff and makes it just as enthralling to adults...Tom Kelly, a full-on Martina Cole-style villain with a crocodile smile and a criminal empire that takes in everything from drugs to art fraud, takes a liking to his daughter's boyfriend - now renamed Eddie Savage - and offers him a place in the firm. With strong characterisation, an intricate plot and enough tension to get the most jaded reader sweating, this is a compelling read. What makes it outstanding, however, is Eddie himself: resourceful but conflicted, cocky but unsure of his abilities. We're promised more of him, as this is the start of a series. Bring it on. -- Laura Wilson * The Guardian * Pulling no punches, this action-packed thriller grabs you by the scruff of the neck and doesn't let go...Peter Cocks never takes his foot off the gas as he piles on the twists and turns that Eddie must take in his quest for the truth * Guardian * The mixture of mystery and excitement, brutality and risk makes the book incredibly difficult to put down. * Guardian * When I first started Long Reach I thought it was definitely a book for the male reader, but as I was caught up in the story it became evident that it would appeal to all thriller enthusiasts. * Mig Mag *

Edition details

• Publisher: Walker Childrens Paperbacks
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1406324752
• ISBN 13: 9781406324754
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 416