Review: Amber Undercover by Em Norry

When STEM-whizz schoolgirl Amber Roberts is scouted by a covert agency, her life changes forever as she steps up to tackle international cybercrime in this thrillingly fun teen-spy novel.

Only the second contemporary middle-grade adventure I've read starring a Black-girl secret agent (BB Alston's US fantasy tome Amari and the Night Brothers being the first), this book excites me no end as it was written by talented mixed-Black-British rising star, Em Norry. 

Her distinctive easy-to-read perky style hooks you in from the get-go. Norry, whose writing is often inspired by her own children, is truly inside Amber's 14-year-old head and body, depicting her hopes and insecurities, awkward social interactions, and pubescent gawkiness in an extremely believable way. 

Also particularly well-drawn is Amber's show of mixed emotions following her parents' announcement of an unplanned pregnancy, plus Norry's handling of Amber's evolving relationship with one-and-only bestie Vi, all this while being unexpectedly thrust into the world of espionage and grappling with her new double identity. 

Each fast-paced, drama-filled chapter propels readers through an intriguing plot involving clandestine activities, shady characters, gadgets and disguises, and delicious deception, leading to a satisfyingly villainous conclusion. Details about escape rooms, virtual realities, computer hacking, and even Bitcoin, are integrated successfully so as not to overload the story with dry technical info. And, although novice-spy Amber's mixed heritage isn't explicitly referenced in the text, she has strong agency throughout as a fast-learning, calm-headed protagonist who ultimately outperforms her overconfident male counterparts, Connor and then Luca.

Children in upper KS2 and above will enjoy this book as a class read-aloud or independent reader, with its gentle messages about navigating old-and-new relationships, facing up to new challenges, dealing with family transitions, cyber safety, and just a hint of teen romance all hitting the spot. 

It's a highly enjoyable, super-sleuthing adventure that's both relatable and fanciful, peaking with enough edge-of-your-seat danger to make you gasp in delight. I hope there's more to come from our super-smart, super-savvy heroine.

Amber Undercover by Em Norry is also available from Bookshop.

Check out my Black Children's Books directory for suggested suitability of all the books I have reviewed. All books I read are also checked against my Jericho Benchmark.