S.I.G.M.A. 1: Web of Spies

S.I.G.M.A. 1: Web of Spies by Tim Ayliffe (Affirm Kids, Simon & Schuster) PB RRP $16.99 ISBN: 9781761636615

Reviewed by Kellie Nissen

The opening sentence of Tim Ayliffe’s debut middle grade thriller, S.I.G.M.A. 1: Web of Spies, is simple, but telling (and subtly foreshadowing). Oliver Speed is indeed running – and spends most of the book doing so.

Ollie is training for the upcoming cross-country event. In Year 9, he’s determined to win after the previous year’s disaster when he neglected to put his Ventolin inhaler in his pocket. He finished – last – a fact which his arch rival, Tank, never fails to mention. He has a solid training regime and a strategy, neither of which include finding a body in the park.

Gruesome discovery aside, there is a lot more going on in Ollie’s life and, rather than being the ultimate climax, this discovery is merely a seemingly random incident that suddenly opens up questions that throw Ollie’s life into further turmoil.

Ollie’s father has been missing for ten months but now it seems there might be something more sinister about it.

Along with his drone-and-crime-obsessed friend, George, and wannabe journalist friend, Ella, Ollie unwraps a trail of clues and connections that make him start questioning the truth of his life.

Web of Spies is not author Tim Ayliffe’s first rodeo in the thriller genre, with at least six adult thrillers to his name, but it is his first venture into the world of middle grade fiction – and he’s nailed it.

Readers will connect with Ollie from the start – it is sporty but grounded, with solid friendships, realistic goals and a loss that all of us either fear or have experienced.

The tension is there in the opening chapter and keeps increasing, engaging readers and making them think, trying to work things out and becoming just as confused as Ollie about whom to trust.

My only gripe is that the story question I had throughout was not fully answered – then again, this is a series, albeit with a longish wait (September 2027) for book 2.

Tim Ayliffe’s background as journalist who chased global stories of political power games is evident in all of his novels, and his ability to make these kinds of stories accessible for a younger audience, without losing any of the intrigue or making it sound ‘dumbed-down’ is commendable.

Written for the 10–14 age range, S.I.G.M.A. 1: Web of Spies is accessible for the younger end of the range, but with enough believability and top-of-mind themes to appeal to an early secondary school audience. Whether or not you’re a fan of the Alex Rider series, if you’re after an edge-of-your-seat read featuring characters who you can identify with, and a teen crime without overt violence, this is the book you’re looking for.