THE SECRET RUNNERS OF NEW YORK BY MATHEW REILLY

Mathew Reilly’s latest YA novel, The Secret Runners of New York, is a time travel thriller. Skye and her twin brother Red have moved to New York and been enrolled in the exclusive Monmouth school. Here Skye must deal with the Queen Bee, Misty and her side kicks, Hattie and Verity. Adding to the tension is the real problem that her school mates seem to be ignoring the predicted end of the world. A ‘Gamma cloud” of radiation will pass through the Earth’s orbit on St Patricks Day. Scientists have said that 95% of the population will die and all electrical systems will shut down.

No one can agree on whether the catastrophic disaster will happen and the elite rich of upper Manhattan continue life as usual. Red and then Skye are invited to join Misty’s private group and are introduced to their secret. Misty has a gem stone that opens a portal under Central Park that links to the future. And the future is not looking so good. The city is overgrown and buildings are crumbling. Dangerous gangs of survivors roam the streets and a lone crazy guy, that has a grudge against Skye, is coming to get her.

Reilly creates a wonderful contrast in the two New Yorks the teenagers inhabit. The present-day city continues on as usual and the kids at the school prepare for the huge Cotillion Ball that will be held just a week before the fabled end of the world. The future New York holds the secrets of what happens to their families and in a way, it’s an interesting insight into Misty and her friends. Skye and Red are freaked out. They try to figure out how to make their families believe them and how to survive the coming devastation.

The story’s tension mounts as Skye realises Misty has an agenda that is pure revenge. Her ruthlessness is extraordinary and nothing or no one can stop her. Will Skye become another of the mysteriously missing girls from Monmouth school? Will she be able to find Red in the chaos and who is the man trying to kill her?

This is a great thriller and Mathew Reilly’s description of time and how it folds from its spiral trajectory is one of the best explanations of time travel I’ve ever read.

For Ages: 14 + years

Number of Pages: 341 paperback.

Published: March 2019

Themes: Courage, bullying and mental health.

Rating: 4/5