3.5 stars
Margaret “Maggie” Silver learned to pick her first lock when she was barely past the toddler stage, which is unsurprising since both her parents and all their friends are spies. Maggie’s father can tell her she’s grounded in more than twenty languages, but she’s never actually gone to school and rarely interacted with someone her own age. So when the Silver’s current mission requires her to go to a fancy prep school in Manhattan, Maggie is actually more out of her depth than when her family had to flee Luxembourg in a hurry. Now she has to wear a uniform and make friends, armed only on the knowledge she’s acquired from countless books and TV shows.
Maggie’s job is to get close to Jesse Oliver, whose father is about to publish a tell all article where Maggie’s parents, Maggie herself and many they care about may have their true identities revealed. As this would be disastrous, time is of the essence. While Maggie might have twelve different passports and there is barely a lock or a safe she can’t break into, she clearly has no idea how to talk to kids her own age. She’s never been able to have real friends, as her family are constantly on the move, nor has she ever even thought about a life that doesn’t involve deception and being a spy. She’s a fish out of water in high school, struggling to fit in. Initially, she believes her target to be spoiled and arrogant, but as she gets closer to him, she has real trouble keeping herself detached and objective. Lying to her friends feels wrong, and the longer she works the case, the longer her instincts tell her that something is seriously up with the mission. But can a teenage girl tell her professional spy parents that she thinks they’re being set up? More on my blog.
