Kensy and Max 10: Time's Up: The bestselling spy series

by Jacqueline Harvey

When all of your family members are being kidnapped, how do you push aside your fear and discover what’s happening before time runs out . . .

Someone has been plotting to bring down the Spencers ever since Kensy and Max were thrust into the secret world of Pharos, but they’ve always managed to stay one step ahead of their attackers . . . until now.

As members of the twins’ inner circle – and Pharos’s top agents – start to go missing, it quickly becomes clear that someone is staging a coup. Soon Kensy and Max are on their own, racing to get to the bottom of the terrible situation before the organisation completely falls apart. And before their family is gone forever.

253 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 2, 2023

About the author

Jacqueline Harvey has combined a successful career in education with her love of a good story. She is the author of many novels for younger readers and a picture book, THE SOUND OF THE SEA, which was awarded Honour Book in the 2006 Australian Children’s Book Council Awards.

Jacqueline taught in Infants and Primary schools and was Deputy Head of Abbotsleigh Junior School (an independent day and boarding school for girls) in Sydney Australia for seven and a half years before taking up the position of Director of Development at Abbotsleigh in 2010. In October 2012 she resigned to become a full time writer and speaker.

Jacqueline’s bestselling Alice-Miranda and Clementine Rose series’ centre on the adventures of two young girls.

Alice-Miranda Highton-Smith-Kennington-Jones is a perpetually positive and determined seven year old who takes herself off to boarding school because it appeals to her sense of adventure.

Clementine Rose is a sweet little girl, who brings much joy to her family and the friends she makes along the way in her journeys through the first five books of the series. A star of the show is Clementine Rose’s pet, an adorable teacup pig called Lavender.

Her newest series is called Kensy and Max about twins who learn that their grandmother is head of the world's most important spy organisation, Pharos.

Current Books in the Series’
Clementine Rose and the Seaside Escape April 1, 2014 Shortlisted Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs) 2015

Alice-Miranda In Japan March 1, 2014 Shortlisted Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIAs) 2015

Alice-Miranda Shines Bright September 1, 2013
Selected for the 2013 Get Reading Program (50 Books You Can’t Put down)

Clementine Rose and the Perfect Present May 1, 2013

Clementine Rose and the Farm Fiasco August 1, 2013

Alice-Miranda In Paris March 1, 2013
Shortlisted 2014 Australian Book Industry Awards Book of the Year 8-14 years category
Shortlisted 2014 REAL awards which are the Children’s’ Choice awards KOALA’s in NSW, YABBA’s in Victoria and COOL in the ACT.

Clementine Rose and the Pet Day Disaster January 1, 2012

Alice-Miranda in New York February 1, 2012
Winner Random House Australia Children’s Book of the Year

Clementine Rose and the Surprise Visitor September 1, 2012
Selected for the 2012 Get Reading Program (50 Books You Can't Put Down)
Voted #50 Dymocks Top 51 Kid’s Books 2013

Alice-Miranda Shows the Way August 1, 2012
Shortlisted for 2013 REAL awards which are the Children’s’ Choice awards KOALA’s in NSW, YABBA’s in Victoria and COOL in the ACT
Awarded Honour Book KOALA awards

Alice-Miranda At Sea August 1, 2012
Longlisted for DAVITT awards (Crime fiction in Junior Category) 2012

Alice-Miranda Takes the Lead February 1, 2011
Named Australian Children's Book of the Year 2011 as voted by the members of the NSW Independent Booksellers Group.


Alice-Miranda On Holiday August 1, 2010

Alice-Miranda at School February 1, 2010
Voted #9 Dymocks Top 51 Books for Kids 2013
Winner 2012 YABBA (Young Australian's Best Book Award in Victoria)
Awarded Honour Book KOALAs
Shortlisted for 2012 REAL awards which are the Children’s Choice Awards – KOALA’s in NSW, YABBA’s in Victoria, WAYRBA in Western Australia and COOL in the ACT
Shortlisted for the 2011 Australian Peace Award.

Kensy and Max: Breaking News March 2018 Shortlisted for Red Dot Book Awards Singapore 2020, YABBA, KOALA and KROC Children's Choice Awards Victoria, NSW and NT 202, Shortlisted West Australian Young Readers' Book Awards 2020

Reviews

[QuillQueen ~ Hiatus · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book, it was the best way to end a great series like this

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love Jacqueline Harvey, and I think this was a pretty good way to end the series. Of course, I forget half the details in between each book, but I do love a good mystery, and all the characters are so winning. Honestly, I hope they come back at some stage--maybe make a cameo in a different series or something like that. This is a really tightly written mystery, and really enjoyable to try and piece together. I have but one quibble--The romance between Max and Autumn was ramped up a bit in this one, making it very clear that the feelings between them were mutual and there was the almost-kiss, only for there not actually be a romantic resolution for them. This is a frustrating thing Jacqueline Harvey does sometimes--Lucas and Jacinta got together offscreen as well--and while I presume it's because she writes for a slightly lower age group, it's very frustrating for me personally.
Minor quibble aside, this was a delightful end to a genuinely very good mystery series.

[Yasmin Johnson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have given it 4.5 stars if I could.

Ok, I know this book is aimed at younger readers, but I a 19, year old thought this book was great. This series got me into reading when it first came out and was great then, and it is still great now. The story was interesting and had me on the edge of my seat. At some parts, I was suspecting jump scares. The only reason this isn't 5 stars is because I personally felt the end was a bit flat. Yeah, they wrapped it up nice, answered your questions, but it left me wanting more action for the final confrontation. But then again, that can just be because I am older.
I would definitely recommend this book to a younger reader, and I am glad I finished the series, but I am reading for more mature books, still chasing spies and mystery, though. 😀

[Hazel]

Umm so there was so many thing that just weren't addressed in this book. Like: who tried to kill them in the taxi in the first book? Who tried to kill them on a boat on the thames in the fourth book? Who tried to kill them a bunch of other times and then it was just never addressed? I feel like Jacqueline forgot what happened in her own books or just didn't want to come up with a storyline.

[Elisabeth Lovelace · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the completion of the story. I felt the story had a good ending which I didn't plan for. I feel like Magoo has been overlooked throughout the whole series, but only in this book do we get to see who he and Tippie are.

[annabelle · Rating 2 out of 5]

i'm too old not to pick apart the plot now sadly
my ten year old self is crying

[Aaliyah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the rich parts and the spy stuff love this series .

[prathaaaaaaaa]

it certainly was a conclusion

[M.A.P. READS · Rating 4 out of 5]

that was a slightly underwhelming ending, but the rest of the book kept me on my toes oml
deserving of 4.5 stars but I cant do that so oh well
thank you for writing such an incredible series Jacqueline Harvey <3