Scorpia

Anthony Horowitz

pg 179-191

Anthony Horowitz is a master in grabbing you attention as you begin reading a book of his creation. He always starts with a seemingly unrelated bit that relates later to the plot. It's always an action sequence that sometimes includes characters that you haven't yet been introduced to but are later. The beginning of this book starts in Venice with the terrorist organization SCORPIA planning their next heist, called invisible sword, also the title of the first chapter. One of the members, a man named Max Grendell, has decided to retire from the organization, but there is no retiring from terrorism. Another of the members, the head of Invisible Sword, gives him a gift as he is leaving the meeting. He sits with the briefcase in his lap as the gondola floated into the Grand Canal. Quite suitingly, the briefcase was filled with live scorpions, who made short work of the old man to say the least. After this scene it jumps to the main story revolving around Alex. The descriptions and events keep you guessing all the time, but I've read the books preceding this one so it's starting to get a bit predictable. I'm thinking meeting Julia Rothman was the biggest twist so far, but I'm hoping for another one towards the end of the book to make me want to read the next one.