Incinerator (Crusher Series #2)

by Niall Leonard

Overview

Incinerator is the pulse-pounding sequel to Crusher, Niall Leonard's debut YA novel and an Edgar Award finalist for Best Young Adult Novel.

Following the bloody deaths of his mother and father, Finn Maguire is determined to make a fresh start, running a boxing gym in the bruised and bitter heart of the city. But when loan sharks target his business partner and his lawyer vanishes with all his money, Finn is dragged down into London's underworld once more, with only his fists and his wits to keep him alive.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780385743631
Publisher:	Random House Children's Books
Publication date:	04/08/2014
Series:	Crusher Series , #2
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	5.80(w) x 8.30(h) x 1.30(d)
Lexile:	1040L (what's this?)
Age Range:	14 - 17 Years

About the Author

NIALL LEONARD is a drama and comedy screenwriter born in Northern Ireland and living in West London with his wife, bestselling author E L James, and their two children. Among his many television credits, he has created episodes of Wire in the Blood, Silent Witness, Ballykissangel, and Hornblower. He has also led seminars and workshops on screenwriting and script editing for the BBC, the Northern Ireland Film Council, and the Irish Playwrights and Screenwriters Guild, and has lectured on the creative process at the University of Reading. Incinerator is the companion novel to Crusher, Leonard's debut YA novel and an Edgar Award finalist, and Shredder, the third book in the series.

Editorial Reviews

"I was grabbed and carried along on a tide of not only great suspense, but animated, swift, and sure-footed writing."—Robert Masello, author of The Medusa Amulet and The Romanov Cross

"In this pulsing companion to Leonard's debut, Crusher, Finn Maguire hopes to start fresh by opening up a boxing gym and putting his parents' deaths behind him. However, the teen is once again embroiled in the gritty drama of London's underworld. Readers need not have read the first book in order to jump right in."—School Library Journal

From the Publisher

08/01/2014
Gr 9 Up—In this pulsing companion to Leonard's debut Crusher (Delacorte, 2012), Finn Maguire hopes to start fresh by opening up a boxing gym and putting his parents' deaths behind him. However, the teen is once again embroiled in the gritty drama of London's underworld. Readers need not have read the first book in order to jump right in.

School Library Journal

This companion novel to Leonard’s Crusher, follows seventeen-year-old Finn Maguire as he tries to pull his life together by opening a gym. He’s been dealing with the violent murder of his father and hopes the gym will give him purpose and security. Suddenly he is thrust into a dilemma when his lawyer Nicky disappears along with his inheritance. Finn’s had his share of problems with the law; so when Nicky vanishes, he does not count on the authorities to really help him find her. That leaves him on his own to investigate what happened to her and his money. Finn is tough, a fighter who is smart despite his dyslexia and lack of a high school degree. He has fallen for his older attorney and thought he could trust her. Now, his search is leading him into dangerous territory. Leonard’s book is designated Young Adult but there is only one teenage character and the plot seems more fit for an adult audience. Still, older teens will enjoy the adventure, the mystery and the intensity of the book, but there’s not much of a YA feel to it. This might be likened to a tamed version of Lisbeth Salander’s story in Girl with a Dragon Tattoo. The action moves swiftly and the suspense builds as Finn takes on thugs, the police, and other crazed people. Finn is a gifted pugilist who outwits men much bigger than he. He is self-reliant and brave, putting himself in danger for what is right. One cannot help liking Finn and appreciating his determination and courage. There is violence and sex, though it is not graphic. This book is a swift read that older teens may appreciate because of the high-action story. Reviewer: Sandra Eichelberger; Ages 14 up.

Children's Literature - Sandra Eichelberger