Second Strike

by Nicole Nadeau

Anna Goode can’t wait to put her brilliant mind to work. Officially part of the CIA’s undercover unit of talented teenagers, the gifted inventor splits her time between tinkering and espionage instruction. And now she’s been tasked to protect a US congressional delegation from a cunning enemy’s destabilizing hack. Slipping into London under the guise of innocent spring-breakers to expose the hacker, Anna’s laser-focused hunt gets derailed when she’s ambushed and tased. Suspecting a traitorous mole could destroy their mission, the whip-smart teen rallies her fellow young operatives for a counter-attack… only to discover another danger threatening to be far worse. Can Anna and her team foil a devastating plot before they’re stopped in their tracks? Second Strike is the pulse-pounding sequel in the Secret Life of Anna Goode YA spy thriller series. If you like heroines who think outside the box, non-stop action, and tight-knit friendship groups, then you’ll love Nicole Nadeau’s overseas adventure.

Genres: Thriller

176 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 11, 2023

About the author

Nicole Nadeau grew up in Ohio, with her sister and brother. She also has a dog and three rescue cats.

Since grade school, she has read every action and adventure book she could get her hands on. Eventually, her love of reading developed into a love of writing. She started working on her book while she was in high school.

Nicole has a neuromuscular disease called Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) which creates challenges in her daily life. She refuses to let SMA stop her from doing what she loves. Like the lead character in her book, she is determined and overcomes any obstacles that stand in her way.

She is already busy planning the next book in the Secret Life of Anna Goode series and has plans for many more books in the future.

Reviews

[Kameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars (review request submitted by the author for an honest critique)


Many components of Second Strike (Book 2 in The Secret Life of Anna Goode series) are plausible. Cyberattacks are occurring, and the magnitude of their destructive powers will only increase. The Russian cyberattack plot in the story is our country’s worst financial nightmare. Let’s hope it stays in the world of fiction!

While the CIA may not have high schoolers actively in the field, they still have their eye on potential agents. But for the sake of fiction, let’s say they do. Anna and Jake are again front and center to stop Alexei Komarov and his son Ivan from carrying out their dastardly plan. This time, they are not the only teen on the scene. Who joins them on their mission will only be unveiled as you read the story. However, I can disclose is their hacking skills are much needed to take down Russia’s hired hacker.

Anna, her teen comrades, and the CIA face many heated battles. Lives are in jeopardy. Lives are lost. I wouldn’t say either side came off as the ultimate winner or loser.

Gunfire, explosion, kidnapping, hand-to-hand combat, foot chases, and much more make this an action-packed read that will leave you thirsty for more. Good news, with the ending chapters, you can expect the Russians to return with a vengeance. Hopefully, we will find out who the mole is in the next book. I have my suspicions, as will every other reader.

Another thing I’m looking forward to in book three is seeing what Anna cooks up next. Her mascara/tranq spy gadget was ingenious.

Second Strike has no explicit language or scenes. It does have male-on-female fight scenes, where both sexes get in some shots.

This book is a perfect read for teens and adults.


(Find more reviews/ratings at www.superkambrook.com)

[Robert Wingfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sent a complimentary copy for review, having read, enjoyed and reported on the first book in this series, and have to say that I couldn't put this one down either.
The action has now moved on to London, with Anna once again pitched against Komarov, surely one of the most evil and ruthless villains in modern literature. This reprobate is now using the talents of a genius British hacker and is planning the wholesale assassination of a group of delegates, along with anyone else who gets in the way at the Houses of Parliament. Komarov rides rough-shod over everyone, leaving the British agencies reeling.
Anna is recruited by secret agent, Daniels, along with her friend, Jake and a new contact, Rachel, to have a 'free' trip to London to assist the CIA in preventing this outrage. The main snag is that Komarov has a double-agent inside the agency, and always seems to be one step ahead of everything they do to stop him. Anyone could be the mole, including the three person CIA team sent with her, and even Rachel, herself a gifted hacker and employed for that precise purpose because Daniels can't trust anyone inside his own organisation. 'Safe' houses and locations are anything but, and Anna is tricked into being captured, and on her way to a messy death inside a scrapyard car compactor.
The only vestige of humanity in the whole onslaught is Komarov's son, who is being trained in the family 'business', but really would rather be elsewhere and can be somewhat inept, giving Anna's team an occasional edge.
Anna's talent with what she calls her 'inventions', but are really more like James Bond style gadgets, comes into play, and saves the youngsters on more than one occasion.
Basically there we are. I would thoroughly recommend Second Strike (a great title) to anyone who enjoys a YA spy thriller with a good amount of action, intrigue and derring-do.
A worthy follow up to 'Death by Midnight'.

[Anita Dickason · Rating 5 out of 5]

Intrepid teenagers with grit.

In 2020, I reviewed Death by Midnight, giving it a thumbs up, five stars. I loved the premise of the story and the characters. Anna Goode is a gutsy teenager with grit, willing to do whatever it takes to ensure the safety of her family and friends. I was delighted when the second book in The Secret Life of Anna Goode was published. I wasn’t disappointed. The second book, Second Strike, is as good as Death by Midnight, maybe even better. The author’s depiction of the action scenes and locations kept me turning the pages. I truly enjoyed the adventures of the intrepid teenagers as they took London by storm, literally. The plot is jam-packed with fast-paced action, mayhem, and betrayal, as Anna and her friends are again at the forefront of a dastardly plot.

[Stacy Hawks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the first book in this series by Nicole Nadeau & was glad to see she decided to bring back this amazing cast of characters back for a sequel. Her first novel was fast paced, well written, and had relateable supporting characters, and an amazing protagonist named Anna Goode. In her second novel Anna takes on cyber crime abroad making this series binge worthy for young adults who enjoy mystery, spy-thrilling reads. I highly recommend Second Strike and the Anna Good series for those seeking an edge-of-your seat story.