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Spider Games : In the City of Spies
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
March 18, 2026
Nick is looking forward to seeing the sights of Berlin. The zoos, the Brandenburg Gate and the beautiful buildings all sound amazing. It's his first time leaving his home in Auckland New Zealand and he wants to make the most of it. It's December 1999, and talk of the Y2K bug bringing the world down is also on his mind. He's only 15, and he worries this will be his only trip overseas.
He is accompanying his Grandpa Joe who has brought Grandma Sofie's ashes to scatter across a nostalgic German waterfall. Nick secretly believes he is also on the trip to keep an eye on Grandpa and make sure he doesn't get lost or disoriented.
But as soon as they book in at their West Berlin hotel, they leave it again, hop on and off trains, and veer down side streets, doubling back on themselves, all while pulling their suitcases. Nick wonders if his parents were right about Grandpa getting confused?
He quickly realises Grandpa Joe knew exactly what he was doing, and they arrive at an apartment. The very apartment Grandpa Joe lived in all those years before Nick was even thought of.
It's only hours before Nick finds himself alone in a foreign city, wondering where his grandfather is. With the help of a girl he's met called Rejhana, he begins to look for him, goes to the police and soon learns it was the worst thing he could do.
Suddenly he and his new friend are being pursed for no reasons he can fathom. Nick is doing things he would never have dreamed of as they flee a relentless chase through West Berlin and beyond.
All he has are intriguing items of Grandpa's he's found and Rejhana's endless courage in the face of danger. Nick soon realises he is made of sterner stuff than he ever thought, and maybe even has a few of Grandpa's old skills as a spy against Germany.
Wow! What an exhilarating read! Fans of the award winning series Katipo Joe will love this new series, introducing Nick - grandson to Katipo Joe himself.
Set in the city of West Berlin and beyond, Nick is separated from Grandpa Joe very early on in the book and must rely on his new friend and himself to survive a relentless pursuit by gun toting ex Stasi soldiers. Nick is neurodivergent and has spent his life trying to fit in and not showing his true self - but these very traits shine in Spider Games.
The plot is fast-moving, with trust constantly being stretched and shifting from beneath Nick until he realises he can only rely on himself. This ups the stakes, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat, along with kidnappings, grenades, ghost train stations, and rendezvous among a city celebrating the new millennium.
The author takes the reader to a rich and authentic real-life setting in 1999 West Berlin, from his personal experience of the city.
Spider Games not only allows Katipo Joe fans some closure as to what happened to those characters after that series was completed, but introduces new readers to a new action-packed, pulse-pounding series with a new and neurodivergent hero.
Can't wait for the next episode. No pressure, Mr Falkner.
Age - 12+
He is accompanying his Grandpa Joe who has brought Grandma Sofie's ashes to scatter across a nostalgic German waterfall. Nick secretly believes he is also on the trip to keep an eye on Grandpa and make sure he doesn't get lost or disoriented.
But as soon as they book in at their West Berlin hotel, they leave it again, hop on and off trains, and veer down side streets, doubling back on themselves, all while pulling their suitcases. Nick wonders if his parents were right about Grandpa getting confused?
He quickly realises Grandpa Joe knew exactly what he was doing, and they arrive at an apartment. The very apartment Grandpa Joe lived in all those years before Nick was even thought of.
It's only hours before Nick finds himself alone in a foreign city, wondering where his grandfather is. With the help of a girl he's met called Rejhana, he begins to look for him, goes to the police and soon learns it was the worst thing he could do.
Suddenly he and his new friend are being pursed for no reasons he can fathom. Nick is doing things he would never have dreamed of as they flee a relentless chase through West Berlin and beyond.
All he has are intriguing items of Grandpa's he's found and Rejhana's endless courage in the face of danger. Nick soon realises he is made of sterner stuff than he ever thought, and maybe even has a few of Grandpa's old skills as a spy against Germany.
Wow! What an exhilarating read! Fans of the award winning series Katipo Joe will love this new series, introducing Nick - grandson to Katipo Joe himself.
Set in the city of West Berlin and beyond, Nick is separated from Grandpa Joe very early on in the book and must rely on his new friend and himself to survive a relentless pursuit by gun toting ex Stasi soldiers. Nick is neurodivergent and has spent his life trying to fit in and not showing his true self - but these very traits shine in Spider Games.
The plot is fast-moving, with trust constantly being stretched and shifting from beneath Nick until he realises he can only rely on himself. This ups the stakes, keeping the reader on the edge of their seat, along with kidnappings, grenades, ghost train stations, and rendezvous among a city celebrating the new millennium.
The author takes the reader to a rich and authentic real-life setting in 1999 West Berlin, from his personal experience of the city.
Spider Games not only allows Katipo Joe fans some closure as to what happened to those characters after that series was completed, but introduces new readers to a new action-packed, pulse-pounding series with a new and neurodivergent hero.
Can't wait for the next episode. No pressure, Mr Falkner.
Age - 12+
March 16, 2026
Review: Spider Games by Brian Falkner. YA. 15 yr old Nick accompanies his grandfather from Auckland to Berlin, to return his grandmother’s ashes to her birthplace. As soon as they get there, the web of intrigue begins when Grandpa Joe goes missing. Nick, stuck in Berlin on his own, afraid and confused as to what on earth is going on, has to figure it out, keep himself and his new friend Rejhana safe, and try to find him.
Nick is neurodiverse and I loved what a relatable kid he is. (This character is based off the author at the same age- how awesome!) I can imagine other kids (and adults!)reading this and finding things in common, like when he overthinks interactions, has difficulty reading social cues and generally feels abit awkward. 😅
This book takes off really quickly, it’s exciting, funny at times, tense, and keeps you guessing with lots of cliffhangers at the end of chapters. The way it is written is quite mature, so that while it is aimed at young adults, I read it and thoroughly enjoyed it. I believe this would be great for teens to read on independently, but also together with a parent/sibling as there is quite a bit of history which would spark some interesting discussions.
Thankyou to @batemanbooks and @brianfalkner for the gifted copy to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
I loved it!
Nick is neurodiverse and I loved what a relatable kid he is. (This character is based off the author at the same age- how awesome!) I can imagine other kids (and adults!)reading this and finding things in common, like when he overthinks interactions, has difficulty reading social cues and generally feels abit awkward. 😅
This book takes off really quickly, it’s exciting, funny at times, tense, and keeps you guessing with lots of cliffhangers at the end of chapters. The way it is written is quite mature, so that while it is aimed at young adults, I read it and thoroughly enjoyed it. I believe this would be great for teens to read on independently, but also together with a parent/sibling as there is quite a bit of history which would spark some interesting discussions.
Thankyou to @batemanbooks and @brianfalkner for the gifted copy to review in exchange for my honest opinion.
I loved it!
April 16, 2026
Without giving away any spoilers, the story follows a fourteen-year-old boy named Nick who travels to Berlin with his grandfather to scatter his grandmother's ashes. Things take a massive turn when his grandfather suddenly vanishes, and Nick uncovers a shocking truth, the quiet old man was actually a spy. Suddenly, Nick is alone in a foreign city, caught in a high-stakes game of cat and mouse with dangerous figures closing in on him.
This book was so cool! I absolutely loved following along with our neurodivergent main character, Nick. Because he is naturally timid, socially awkward, and definitely not your typical action hero, it was fascinating to see the events of a fast-paced spy novel unfold entirely through his unique lens and internal thoughts. Getting to experience the tension and danger from his perspective added such a fresh and interesting layer to the story.
I also really loved the dynamic between Nick and his new ally, Rejhana. They are complete opposites, but their partnership works perfectly. She brings out so much confidence in him, and watching the incredible character growth Nick goes through because of her influence was amazing to read.
This is absolutely going to be my new go-to recommendation for anyone looking for a fantastic spy novel!
This book was so cool! I absolutely loved following along with our neurodivergent main character, Nick. Because he is naturally timid, socially awkward, and definitely not your typical action hero, it was fascinating to see the events of a fast-paced spy novel unfold entirely through his unique lens and internal thoughts. Getting to experience the tension and danger from his perspective added such a fresh and interesting layer to the story.
I also really loved the dynamic between Nick and his new ally, Rejhana. They are complete opposites, but their partnership works perfectly. She brings out so much confidence in him, and watching the incredible character growth Nick goes through because of her influence was amazing to read.
This is absolutely going to be my new go-to recommendation for anyone looking for a fantastic spy novel!
April 1, 2026
Building on the Katipo Joe stories set during WWII, Brian Falkner now brings us the story of his grandson who journeys with Joe to Germany at the countdown to the turn of the century and everything goes pear shaped when Joe goes missing. There is all the action we have come to expect from these stories and I really liked that Nick was a neurodiverse character. I had some trouble really embracing this as much as I did the Katipo Joe stories, maybe because 1999 is so much more recent and I was struggling to imagine the same amount of spycraft and tension in that time zone. However I can imagine how Nick particularly must have felt wondering who to believe. I would have liked to have had some notes after the story to set the scene but I guess the page count worked against Brian and there are details including maps and other info on his website.
April 8, 2026
Brian Falkner is so good at hooking reluctant readers. His books are action-packed & adrenaline-fueled, just like any thriller movie. Spider Games is no exception. This book too, is filled with fight scenes, cat & mouse chases, explosions, & conspiracies. Not quite as good as the Katipo Joe series, in my opinion, but still a great blend of historical fact & fiction, a great way to understand the mindset of a particular point in time & gain valuable historical empathy.
March 4, 2026
This new novel from Brian Falkner is full of action, suspense and adventure.
Nick is a neurodivergent teenager accompanying his grandfather on a trip to Berlin to scatter his grandmother’s ashes. When Nick’s grandfather goes missing, he finds himself navigating Berlin with the help of a girl named Rejhana. Soon enough, the pair find themselves in a world of danger.
Nick is a neurodivergent teenager accompanying his grandfather on a trip to Berlin to scatter his grandmother’s ashes. When Nick’s grandfather goes missing, he finds himself navigating Berlin with the help of a girl named Rejhana. Soon enough, the pair find themselves in a world of danger.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews