The Doublecross: And Other Skills I Learned as a Superspy

Superspy #1

by Jackson Pearce

Part Spy Kids and all fun, The Doublecross is the first in a fresh middle grade action-adventure series with a healthy dose of humor.

Everyone in twelve-year-old Hale’s family is a spy, going way back. They’ve all worked for the Sub Rosa Society, a top secret organization where new agents aren’t recruited; they’re born. His parents may be the ultimate spy team at SRS, but Hale isn’t a typical stealthy spy—he is, as his mother puts it “big-boned,” and as some classmates put it, “fat.” Still, he’s convinced he will someday be a great field agent. After all, it’s his legacy. But when both his mother and father go missing on a secret mission—likely captured by the SRS’s number one enemy—it’s Hale’s time to step up and (with a little help from his acrobat-cheerleader little sister) save the day.

With a hilarious and charismatic cast of characters, popular teen author Jackson Pearce makes a fantastic debut in the middle-grade arena.

Genres: Middle Grade, Mystery, Adventure, Fiction, Humor, Espionage, School

304 pages, Hardcover

First published July 14, 2015

About the author

I am not very active on Goodreads-- this is largely a placeholder account! Therefore, I do not read Goodreads mail. If you want to get in touch with me, please go here: CONTACT ME!


Jackson Pearce currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with a slightly cross-eyed cat and a lot of secondhand furniture. She recently graduated from the University of Georgia with a degree in English and a minor in Philosophy and currently works for a software company even though she auditioned for the circus (she juggled and twirled fire batons, but they still didn’t want her). Other jobs she’s had include obituaries writer, biker bar waitress, and receptionist.

Jackson began writing when she got angry that the school librarian couldn’t tell her of a book that contained a smart girl, horses, baby animals, and magic. Her solution was to write the book herself when she was twelve. Her parents thought it was cute at first, but have grown steadily more concerned for her ever since.

Reviews

[Dear Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

OKAY, THIS IS PROBABLY THE MOST ADORABLE AND FUNNIEST SPY-KIDS NOVEL I HAVE EVER READ.

Sorry for the all-caps, but seriously, I never thought a premise involving elite spy kids... or, err... pseudo-elite spy kids... would be in the same sentence as "cute" and "adorable". In less than 3 hours, I finished from A-Z and I was like, "I NEED MORE SPY KIDS IN MY LIFE."

Heroes don't always look like heroes, and villains don't always look like villains.

I had to work out who was who. I had to work out the truth.

Meet Hale Jordan - the son of two of the most elite spies of the SRS and the brother of a possible spy prodigy - a young soon-to-be-and-still-in-training spy who could not be anymore "unfit" for the role. He's fat, he doesn't move as fast, and nobody ever takes him seriously but he's witty, clever, has a lot of street smarts, can speak Russian, can lie to your face (or can lie to himself to believe he's someone else), and a brave kid who sneaks into the lair of his network's greatest nemesis just to find his mom and dad.

And, oh, he's fricking hilarious.

I was laughing my ass off every now and then and I was just so engrossed in the novel. The writing, while not absolutely spectacular as in like the narrative we see in more mature books, has a very endearing quality to it. Hale is such a charming and funny hero - he never wallows in self-pity, he brushes off all the bullying he gets about his appearance, he even makes fun of himself at times to lighten up the mood, and is just plain awesome. He makes the slogan "brain over brawn" ever more true as he continuously uses his wits to improvise when things go wrong, and it's so fun to see him go through all kinds of situations, because his narrative just makes it all so refreshing. 

You may be thinking now, "But, Faye, aren't you going to nitpick? Hello, how could it ever be feasible for there to be an elite spy organization that uses... twelve year olds?!?!" And yes, yes, yes, that question is quite valid, but there are times that a book just... works. You know what I mean? There are books that make it hard to take it seriously, and there are books like this that make such premises feel natural. Even the dialogue didn't sound contrived! And that's a feat because some action-y middle grade books don't make it feel as genuine.

And didn't you see me say it has a hilarious hero with equally hilarious kid friends, one who is named Ben who keeps inventing silly stuff and naming it after him?! ---> ex: JellyBEN, BENchwarmer, HellBENder, BENoculars... among other things...

Seriously speaking now, this book was a hilarious and fantastic debut to what could will  be an awesome spy series. I love that it ends an arc while leaving still so much room for bigger and even more dangerous missions in the future. I love that while it has action and adventure and even conspiracies that affect people on a global scale, it still centers on family, friendship and sibling love. If I had a young one, I would read this alongside with them, because it is that enjoyable.

[Rashika (is tired) · Rating 4 out of 5]

***This review has also been posted on The Social Potato

Did you watch the Spy Kids when you were younger? Did you think it was the absolute best? If yes, this book is for you. If not, you might still like this book! I mean, what’s not to like about a cute little middle grade novel that features spies?

As soon as I read the blurb, I was sold because spies and cute middle grade. Admittedly I went into the book thinking one thing and got something else but that wasn't a bad thing because this book still turned out to be fantabulous and SO MUCH fun to read (which is all that really matter, amirite?)

My favorite thing about this book is Hale. Hale is an underdog, but a determined one. Unlike most of his classmates, he isn’t physically fit and is on the chubbier side. As a result he is known as Hale the Whale and while the mean remarks made by his classmates hurt him, he is also just a very determined kid and won’t let them bring him down. He wants to be a field agent and he won’t let anyone or anything stop him. Also he is so clever! Don’t you love clever kids? I do!And I really  just want to hang out with Hale for an entire day since he is such a cutie!

The secondary characters in this book are really awesome too. I loved Hale’s sister, Kennedy.  Kennedy is an adorable little 9 year old who knows how to get her way. She also happens to be a badass and sometimes she won't think things through but she is nine and she is awesome! Their new friends, Ben and Beatrix were also great! I love that they were both clever kids in their own right without being brought up by spies. We have Ben who invents awesome devices for Hale to use in the field and then there is Beatrix who knows her way around a computer.

Another great thing in this book is all the relationships, especially the one between Hale and his sister. Kennedy is younger than Hale and is also more fit and more suited to be a field agent but he doesn't let that get to him. He always supports her. Kennedy also adores her older brother and is always cheering him on!

The book starts off with a tragedy of sorts when Hale and Kennedy’s parents’ mission is compromised by the League, a group of supervillains (or so they have been lead to believe.) This is what urges Hale to embrace himself and we really get to see him shine. He is such a courageous little 12 year old who isn't overconfident and tends to get scared sometimes! It just makes me love him all the more.

Hale finds some very eye opening things about the world he has been brought up in and chooses to become a doublecross agent to fight for the right side and what he believes in. It was so much fun to see Hale doublecross and to also see his ex-best friend  (who happens to suck) get wrapped up in the mess .

One of the great things is a twist near the end of the book that I didn't see coming! At all. This RARELY happens with me so I was really happy and thought it was clever.

Also, given the way this book ended, I am going to need a sequel and SOON. I need to see where Hale and company go from here, I want to see what other adventures they will have and I want to see them defeat the bad guys! Is that too much to ask for?

This is an exciting, adorable little book that won’t fail to charm, surprise and excite you. YOU NEED THIS IN YOUR LIFE. For the love of spies, read this book!

[Skip · Rating 3 out of 5]

A middle school spy thriller? Pretty cool idea. Hale Jordan is training to be a spy, but is too overweight to become a junior agent while his younger sister Kennedy is tops in her class and may become one first. Then, his famous spy parents disappear, and Hale decides he needs to break into the archenemy's headquarters to stage a daring rescue. However, he discovers some things that turn his world upside down. For me anyway, there was a bit too much melodrama about Hale being picked on by his classmates and the falling out with his best friend, Walter, offset to some extent by his new comrades. I liked it well enough that I will read the sequel since his parents are still "in the wind".

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Being a spy is all Hale Jordan knows. His parents are elite spies for SRS and he has been raised and trained to be a spy from birth. He might not be the most successful, mainly because his weight means he doesn't do so well on the physical part of the job, but he is very bright and excels at other skills. When his parents disappear on a mission, Hale is surprised SRS isn't going after them. So he takes matters into his own hands and breaks into The League headquarters. SRS is supposed to be the good guys and The League the bad. Turns out that may not be true. The more Hale learns about SRS and The League the more sure he is the only hope for his parents. With the help of new friends, Hale must find his parents and stop SRS's evil plans for world domination.

So this book is a bit hokey and predictable, but it was a fun read. If you can get past the fact that we are supposed to believe there is an organization that uses kids for spies, you will probably enjoy this one. Kids for sure will have no problems with the premise of the book and just enjoy the ride. I did like the fact that Hale is completely capable even though he is overweight. He is bullied and made fun of for his weight, but that doesn't stop him. I also loved the female characters. Kennedy, Hale's younger sister, and Beatrix, niece of a League agent, are both brilliant and funny and fun to read. The ending leaves things open for additional books, which I think could be fun.

[Tobias Halpern · Rating 5 out of 5]

Spies live dangerous lives. all of Hale's friends and family are spies, including him. So when his parents go missing, everyone at the Sub Rosa Spy Society assumes that they have been captured by The League, the societies archenemy. But when hale goes to rescue them, he finds that things are not as they seem. Enemies don't look like enemies, and friends don't look like friends. Follow along with hale as he embarks on a perilous mission, aided only by his wits, his sister, and a boy scout costume. This is a great book for you if you like spy novels, comedy, and action. The page count is: 291.

[Xydel · Rating 5 out of 5]

To all the "over-weight" people: you are perfect the way you are and "heroes don't always look like heroes".
I loved this book. Ever page I turned there was another plot twist. 10/10 would recommend to all spy and adventure lovers. 8+

[Kelly Hall]

I enjoyed reading it; however, I would not recommend it. An adult makes a ‘fat kid’ comment. The adult also says “That’s a hell of a thing for a fat kid.” Later, the hero of the story takes a pill, admitting that he doesn’t know what’s in it. The developer of the pill, another kid, says he put all the caffeine he could legally buy in it. I get that it is make-believe, but the FAME, who makes the list for SSYRA books, says this is for 3rd-5th graders. So, with the cussing, fat kid comment, and pill-taking, I can not recommend this, and will advise our librarian to take it off the shelves. I am NOT for censoring, but I support that movies have a PG, PG-13, R, and other ratings so that kids are protected from things they are not ready to handle. I see books as even more powerful, because they are generally promoted by adults.

[Luke · Rating 3 out of 5]

12-year-old hale is a spy at SRS Is training to be a spy and everybody in her family is a spy and her parents are going to a mission called "Project Ground-Cover". And then hale has to find them so she goes to The league the other spy school where their mission took place at. And then she could not find them and can't find them but she gets caught by Beatrix and Ben. They soon become his friends and she has to do missions to find his parents. I did enjoy this book especially when she finds out that her parents have gone missing. If you like spy books, this is a good book to read.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to come.

Review based on a digital ARC received from Netgalley.

3.5 stars

Hale Jordan is a 12 year old boy living in a spy headquarters (SRS) and attending spy school. While he wants to be a successful spy, he is a bit of a bumbler in the physical department, the butt of many jokes. Kennedy is his 9 year old successful sister. And of course, his parents are elite agents within the same spy agency. When his parents are assigned to operation Groundcover and go missing, SRS decides not to go after them, so Hale decides he must step up to the plate to find them himself. What he finds instead is that everything he has been living may have been a lie. SRS may not really be the good guys after all, and it is up to Hale to find the truth and save his parents.

This is a nice, fast paced middle grade spy adventure story. There is a little bullying, what one would find in any middle school, nothing too bad. The heroes are unlikely, which is nice, giving kids a chance to identify with those that are a little different. Everyone in this story has his or her own personal strength, from brawn to brains - with neither alone really being enough to triumph.

I must admit that while I figured there was a twist, it took almost unit it happened for me to figure out exactly what it was. Usually, I can figure them out way ahead of time. I had a general idea, but nothing concrete in mind, so it was nice to have that little surprise.

While the story fits the tried and true formula of underdog overcoming all to triumph, I found it fun to read. My favorite characters were Kennedy (the main character's little sister) and Beatrix (a computer whiz from the league). They are ripe for further exploration in subsequent books. And there will probably be more books, as the story wraps up neatly, but with much opportunity for more.

"Real heroes don't always look like heroes." This epitomizes this story - the unlikeliest heroes are the ones to prevail - to come up with great ideas to save the day. One doesn't have to look like a hero to act and feel like a hero. Everyone has strengths and it is those strengths - together - that will overcome obstacles. Recommended for children who like adventure stories - and realistic fiction with a bit of pizzazz.

[Michele Benson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very clever book for middle schoolers. A training facility for the children of spies where the kids learn how to break into locked rooms and speak with obscure foreign accents is a great idea for a book. I liked the premise of the double cross, but was unhappy with the ending. While it leaves the door open for any number of sequels, I wanted a happier closure.

[Bruce Gargoyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a copy of this title from Bloomsbury Australia for review.

Ten Second Synopsis:
Hale is the most unfit spy at spy school and it doesn't help that his parents are legendary field agents. When his parents go missing in action however, Hale must use all his skills to track them down - and avoid the other spies while he's doing it.

Apart from being a lovely change from the magic/fantasy genre, this is a book that deftly mixes action and humour to create a highly absorbing adventure. Hale is an immediately likable narrator and we are introduced to him as he uses his brains to outwit his fellow spy-students and avoid the most heinous of punishments: extra push-ups. There's a certain unaffected confidence in Hale, despite his obvious physical failings in the fitness department, and when coupled with his sister Kennedy's boundless energy and advanced spy-sills, the pair ensure that the story moves on apace. There are layers of mystery to solve here and because everyone involved is a spy or spy-in-training, it's not immediately apparent who the good guys are. I'd definitely recommend this to young readers who love action that is blended with characters that don't take themselves too seriously, in a setting that doesn't need magic or fantasy to make it seem unreal.

[Hannah]

Really Good!!

[Renee · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book just dragged for me. It took me so long to get through it, not sure why. Just might be in a reading funk right now.

[Alona · Rating 4 out of 5]

Super fun.

[Phoebe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me yearning for more and there were plenty of plot twists. One thing that I particularly loved about it was that everything was included in it for a reason. Some seemingly random detail would turn out to make a whole lot of difference later on. You would think you knew how something would turn out, and then there would be a twist. Because of this, each chapter was kept fresh and I was hooked. Long story short, I checked out the sequel (The Inside Job) from the library!

Twelve year old Hale Jordan is not built like your typical spy-in-training at his spy agency (The Sub Rosa Society or SRS for short). His mother calls him big-boned, while everyone else says it like it is and calls him fat, giving him the fitting, but rather unflattering, nickname of Hale the Whale. Though he can't pass the intensive physical exam that graduates you to a junior agent, Hale desperatly wants to work on the grounds as a feild agent who would spend most of his time cracking codes, planting systems, and completing missions for his agency.

Hale's parents are a "big deal" in the spy world (though they have to be discreet outside of it) and are called "The Team" because they work so well together on all of their missions. His parents are known for being able to complete super difficult cases while still coming home before bedtime. But when "The Team" is assigned to a mysterious and ultra secret (in fact, a Gold Level Classified) case called Project Groundcover, things change. Hale is called into the office to find out that his parents are missing out in the field His whole agency suspects that their arch enemy organization, The Leauge, is responsible for the disappearance of Hale's parents, but when SRS refuses to do anything to try to find and recover his mom and dad, Hale (with help from his back-flipping, chart-wheeling little sister Kennedy) has to take action himself. The problem is, as Hale's parents warned him before they left to start Project Groundcover, heroes don't always look like heroes, and villains don't always look like villains.

I would recommend this book for kids and teens (particularly the ages 9-14). I did not find it very inappropriate but there is a hint of violence and it can get a bit intense. It is a relatively long book (around 300 pages) but very readable.

[Nadina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this very average for a spy book. I have previously read the Alex Rider series, and though the characters are vastly different, Alex Rider being more like Walter from this series in terms of physique, I just found the whole story to be a little slow.
It was hard to tell when it was set, I also found the gadgets Ben came up with to be a little too far fetched.
The pace was slow until the last 5-6 chapters or so and I found myself struggling to read it. Honestly I think the only reason I read the last few chapters as quickly as I did was because I just wanted to be done with it.
I don't feel that many of the characters had much growth over the series, in fact I would say the minor character of Walter really had the most, but that could have just been considered plot.
I really don't think I will be continuing the series.

[Sophia · Rating 3 out of 5]

finished this in one day. i love middle grade mysteries. i’m not a big fan of the middle grade contemporary characters, but if there’s a good story going on, then i can ignore the characters. loved the twists and turns this book had. and the bond between the characters that grew over time was sweet.


my only cons are the fact that the characters had the young, annoying MG feel, but that’s the way it is, so i need to get over myself. also i found a writing error. (it’s gonna bother me if i don’t mention it.)

if you’re looking for a MG spy/mystery book, this one is pretty dang sweet. ✨

[Karryn · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun book for 4th -8th grades. Fast paced story line, great vocabulary, and characters you could cheer on. While kids will enjoy the "spy kids" style, I do wish the characters were a little older so their skills would be more believable (I took issue with Beatrix and her uncanny ability for computer programming at her age, particularly). But all in all, it was a great adventure with a twist I wasn't expecting. I'll read book two, for sure!

[Sherrie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book 10 of 15 read of the SSYRA titles for grades 3 to 5 for the 2018-2019 school year is the story of a brother and sister in a school for spies who have to find and exonerate their parents, superspies, before they are eliminated by their own agency. Unfortunately, this was in my bottom 2 of the 1o SSYRA titles I've read so far, but young readers with an interest in espionage and spy stories may enjoy it.

[Taylor Belanger · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I thought this book was interesting and that we teens can relate to it. I think since it is about a middle school kid it is more age appropriate. The only thing I wish was better about the book is that it was more clear about the setting, I feel it would sometimes get confusing about where the characters were.

[Susan B · Rating 3 out of 5]

a great book for 10 to 12 year olds. Hale is the son of an elite spy team that are part of the SRS society, they go to spy school n the complex and very seldom get away from it. Hale is a litle overweight and doesn't excel in sports but makes up in nerve and the ability to come up with a mission plan on the fly. A good introductory book into the spy genre for kids

[J · Rating 5 out of 5]

slow start but good finish

It took a bit to get into the book but there was good background and the story was fun. I am glad Walter ended up being a good guy and apologized for becoming a jerk to Hale later on.

I am looking forward to reading the second book.

My 8yo daughter liked this book as well.

[Clorie26 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was super cute and I loved how it tells the triumph story in a way that is somewhat unconventional. Hale may not be conventional superspy material but by the end of the story he was a superspy to me.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spy Time

Doublecross is a fun story about a family of spies. It explores some typical spy movie tropes and then turns them on their head. If you like spy stories you might enjoy Doublecross.

[Brandi Kutz · Rating 4 out of 5]

It wasn't really my cup of tea, but that is possibly because I'm not a fan of spy stories. For kids who are though, it is definitely a good read. Plenty of twists and turns and some that make your head hurt. Brain-but-no-brawn protagonist. Solid 4/5.

[WKPL Children's/YA Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miss Lori really gives this book about a 3.75 rating! The beginning and end were fast, fast reading--while the middle got a bit muddled. Still a good read and if you like spy books, this is a good one with a surprise ending!

[Bristol · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a 12 year old who enjoys the spy genre, this book was fun to read. This was a funny, adventurous, spy thriller with an exciting twist. One of the reasons I liked it was because it was the kids that ran around saving everyone. Looking forward to the next one.

[Piper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked Double Cross. I found the storyline very interesting, and liked the characters. There were many different parts that kept me on the edge of my seat, all throughout the novel, especially the plot twist at the end that I didn’t predict. I really enjoyed reading this book.

[Catharine · Rating 3 out of 5]

A predictable twist nevertheless makes an enjoyable adventure with likable characters for grades 3-5.

[Heidi Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fantastic middle grade spy story. I was laughing hysterically and dying to know how it ended.