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The Fero Files #1
The Cut Out
An ordinary teenager's world turns upside down when he's mistaken for a ruthless young spy. An action thriller suitable for readers of Cherub or The Last Thirteen.
Fero isn't a spy.
But he looks exactly like someone who is: Troy Maschenov - a ruthless enemy agent.
But what starts as a case of mistaken identity quickly turns into a complicated and dangerous plan. Fero is recruited to fight for his country. He will have to impersonate Troy, enter enemy territory, hunt down a missing agent and bring her home in time to prevent a devastating terror attack.
Fero is in way over his head. Hastily trained, loaded up with gadgets and smuggled across the border, he discovers the truth about espionage.
Getting in is easy. Getting out alive is hard.
Fero isn't a spy.
But he looks exactly like someone who is: Troy Maschenov - a ruthless enemy agent.
But what starts as a case of mistaken identity quickly turns into a complicated and dangerous plan. Fero is recruited to fight for his country. He will have to impersonate Troy, enter enemy territory, hunt down a missing agent and bring her home in time to prevent a devastating terror attack.
Fero is in way over his head. Hastily trained, loaded up with gadgets and smuggled across the border, he discovers the truth about espionage.
Getting in is easy. Getting out alive is hard.
280 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 2015
16 people are currently reading
178 people want to read
About the author
Jack Heath
67 books823 followersJack Heath wrote his debut novel, The Lab, in secondary school and sent it to a publisher at age seventeen. He's now the award-winning author of forty novels for adults and children, including the international bestsellers Hangman, The Wife Swap and 300 Minutes of Danger. His books have been translated into ten languages, optioned for TV and adapted for film. He lives on Ngunnawal/Ngambri country in Canberra, Australia, with his wife, their children, several chickens, a few fish and a possum named Oreo.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
January 19, 2017
the best ending ever
August 22, 2015
This book was sent to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
The Cut Out is the best book Jack Heath has written so far. It is a fast-paced, relentless action adventure full of spies, secrets and double-crosses. Fero is a great protagonist. He is wide-eyed, but remarkably adaptable and capable. Quick-witted but green, he is the latest recruit to the Kamauan secret service, known as The Librarians (because they know where to find information about everyone).
Besmari, the country across the border known as the Dead Zone, has been in conflict with Kasmau for as long as anyone can remember. Besmari terrorists have managed to get their hands on a quantity of a deadly virus in an abandoned hospital and they are threatening to wipe out hundreds of thousands of Kamau citizens by blowing it up. In exchange for not doing this they want a Besmari prisoner to be released - but the prisoner is dead. They must get inside and render the bombs and their payload harmelss. Fero is recruited by the Librarians because he is a dead ringer for one of their top agents, Troy Maschenov. His mission? Get into Besmari territory, convince their agents (known as Bankers and Tellers) that he is Troy, and then deliberately expose an undercover Kasmauan agent, Cormanenko, who has gone underground. Cormanenko is the only agent who came out of the hospital alive after a poison gas attack and the Librarians need her kniowledge to get inside and diffuse the bombs.
With nineteen hours of training and a few nifty gadgets, Fero breaks through the border and finds himself in the middle of a political and moral firestorm. Turns out Cormanenko did NOT want to be found, but she does not want innocent Kamauans to die, so she agrees to escape with Fero. There are breath-taking chase scenes, heart-stopping escapes, more than one double cross, and some fantastic spy toys employed throughout. As their mission progresses and changes on the fly, Fero discovers time and again that all it not as it seems, and that he can really trust no-one but himself.
For fear of giving spoilers I won't go further with plot details, but I can say that there is a sequel, The Fail Safe, planned for 2016.
Jack Heath has really nailed the "feel" of this book. I was "with" Fero all the way and actually gasped out loud a couple of times at various plot points (love it when that happens). This is the kind of story that would translate really well to a short TV series (hello, ABC 3) of three or four episodes. And, I must say, as a librarian, I loved the idea of the Kamau secret service not only using the terms, Librarian and Cataloguer, but also their headquarters being housed underneath an actual library. Unfortunately for me, it was an idea I had harboured myself for a novel - looks like Jack beat me to it!
I recommend this book for anyone 12 and over, and I can't wait for the next instalment. Go, Jack, go!
The Cut Out is the best book Jack Heath has written so far. It is a fast-paced, relentless action adventure full of spies, secrets and double-crosses. Fero is a great protagonist. He is wide-eyed, but remarkably adaptable and capable. Quick-witted but green, he is the latest recruit to the Kamauan secret service, known as The Librarians (because they know where to find information about everyone).
Besmari, the country across the border known as the Dead Zone, has been in conflict with Kasmau for as long as anyone can remember. Besmari terrorists have managed to get their hands on a quantity of a deadly virus in an abandoned hospital and they are threatening to wipe out hundreds of thousands of Kamau citizens by blowing it up. In exchange for not doing this they want a Besmari prisoner to be released - but the prisoner is dead. They must get inside and render the bombs and their payload harmelss. Fero is recruited by the Librarians because he is a dead ringer for one of their top agents, Troy Maschenov. His mission? Get into Besmari territory, convince their agents (known as Bankers and Tellers) that he is Troy, and then deliberately expose an undercover Kasmauan agent, Cormanenko, who has gone underground. Cormanenko is the only agent who came out of the hospital alive after a poison gas attack and the Librarians need her kniowledge to get inside and diffuse the bombs.
With nineteen hours of training and a few nifty gadgets, Fero breaks through the border and finds himself in the middle of a political and moral firestorm. Turns out Cormanenko did NOT want to be found, but she does not want innocent Kamauans to die, so she agrees to escape with Fero. There are breath-taking chase scenes, heart-stopping escapes, more than one double cross, and some fantastic spy toys employed throughout. As their mission progresses and changes on the fly, Fero discovers time and again that all it not as it seems, and that he can really trust no-one but himself.
For fear of giving spoilers I won't go further with plot details, but I can say that there is a sequel, The Fail Safe, planned for 2016.
Jack Heath has really nailed the "feel" of this book. I was "with" Fero all the way and actually gasped out loud a couple of times at various plot points (love it when that happens). This is the kind of story that would translate really well to a short TV series (hello, ABC 3) of three or four episodes. And, I must say, as a librarian, I loved the idea of the Kamau secret service not only using the terms, Librarian and Cataloguer, but also their headquarters being housed underneath an actual library. Unfortunately for me, it was an idea I had harboured myself for a novel - looks like Jack beat me to it!
I recommend this book for anyone 12 and over, and I can't wait for the next instalment. Go, Jack, go!
August 23, 2015
Jack Heath, who wrote and published his first novel as a teenager, is one of Australia’s greatest YA mystery and thriller writers. This is one intriguing story that will keep you spellbound until the end. I am not going to give away any spoilers but just to say that you can’t always trust your eyes or the narration in a novel about espionage. Fast paced and action driven this will appeal to readers who have enjoyed The Young Bond series by Steve Cole and Boy Nobody by Allen Zadoff. Set in the imagined countries of Kauman and Besmaris (think Ukraine or Chechnya) who have been at war with each longer than anyone can remember it is the story of mistaken identity, subterfuge, government conspiracy and action. Fero has to assume the identity of agent Troy Maschenov, a prisoner of the government, cross the border to complete his mission - millions of lives are at stake if he fails.
Suitable for 11+
Suitable for 11+
September 7, 2015
I literally live for the fast-paced action and exciting surprises so typical of Jack Heath's writing so I found it so difficult to put this book down! Reminded me (rather nostalgically) of the Six of Hearts books but this time there was a lot more depth. The Cut Out delves into contemporary political issues in a pretty well-rounded way whilst maintaining its pace as a YA spy/thriller novel and its accessibility to younger audiences - a testament to Heath's growth as an author. Can't wait for the next instalment!
October 17, 2015
I really enjoyed this! Will add it to our years 5/6 shelf at school. A good way to introduce/discuss the multiple views in any conflict, particularly those between countries or cultures.
January 6, 2019
3.75 stars
Some very interesting and important discussions were made in this book. The world has lots to learn
Some very interesting and important discussions were made in this book. The world has lots to learn
February 19, 2022
3.5 rounded up to four. What twists! What turns! A fun action-spy-thriller that goes zero to sixty and never lets up, against a political and governmental climate that feels all too real in how in others their 'rival'. The coronavirus plot point gave me a little jolt since it was published in The Before Times, little bit cursed by Apollo there.
Would recommend for lovers of action and spy stories without a doubt.
Would recommend for lovers of action and spy stories without a doubt.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 6, 2019
3.75 Stars
Despite a somewhat slow start, the majority of this novel was intense, action-packed and super easy to read. After that ending, I definitely want to read the sequel. Overall, a good first book of 2019.
Despite a somewhat slow start, the majority of this novel was intense, action-packed and super easy to read. After that ending, I definitely want to read the sequel. Overall, a good first book of 2019.
September 20, 2022
I read this book specifically because Jack Heath said it was cursed and therefore he wanted every copy of it destroyed. I think that is an excellent tactic to get someone to read your book. Well played.
January 9, 2024
Representation: N/A
Trigger warnings: Hostage situation
Score: Seven points out of ten.
This was a unique and enjoyable thriller novel, with a touch of sci-fi, a great novel from Jack Heath. The premise of the novel was very interesting but simple, just rescue an agent from the enemy country and bring her back to the home country but it was executed well. There were two countries called Besmar and Kamau, they had tensions with each other and were close to declaring war, interestingly, they were between Russia and Ukraine and it reminded me of the Ukraine War. The story was very action-packed, however, the characters needed some work especially Cormanenko who was just a Mary Sue. The terrorist plan was to bomb Kamau using underground trains and release a coronavirus pandemic (that sounds familiar), however, it was actually just gassing the whole population. Towards the end there was a long chase scene with a helicopter and a flying motorbike across the Dead Zone but I thought how did this not attract international media attention? The only reason this whole story worked was that the main character, Fero, looked just like an enemy figure named Troy, the last thing he did was to prove he was actually Troy and not Fero and the whole story just ended on a cliffhanger, so exciting! Definitely recommended if you want an action-packed story and espionage.
Trigger warnings: Hostage situation
Score: Seven points out of ten.
This was a unique and enjoyable thriller novel, with a touch of sci-fi, a great novel from Jack Heath. The premise of the novel was very interesting but simple, just rescue an agent from the enemy country and bring her back to the home country but it was executed well. There were two countries called Besmar and Kamau, they had tensions with each other and were close to declaring war, interestingly, they were between Russia and Ukraine and it reminded me of the Ukraine War. The story was very action-packed, however, the characters needed some work especially Cormanenko who was just a Mary Sue. The terrorist plan was to bomb Kamau using underground trains and release a coronavirus pandemic (that sounds familiar), however, it was actually just gassing the whole population. Towards the end there was a long chase scene with a helicopter and a flying motorbike across the Dead Zone but I thought how did this not attract international media attention? The only reason this whole story worked was that the main character, Fero, looked just like an enemy figure named Troy, the last thing he did was to prove he was actually Troy and not Fero and the whole story just ended on a cliffhanger, so exciting! Definitely recommended if you want an action-packed story and espionage.
Read
August 28, 2019In a world of war between Besmar and Kamau, there is a young Kamau boy named Fero. When he gets arrested in a riot and have his identity mistaken for a Besmar agent he gets into the world of espionage. He is recruited to fight for his country and go into enemy territory to bring a missing agent back home to prevent a terror attack. Only being trained for 24 hours and loaded with gadgets he gets a new view of the world when he crosses the border.
Jack Heath has entertained his audience well with this book. I found it very interesting and it stood out from other books of this genre because of the storyline and the plot twists. The most unexpected plot twists keep the story flowing in a way that I couldn't put the book down. It is still a fun book to read after reading it for the 3rd time.
Jack Heath has entertained his audience well with this book. I found it very interesting and it stood out from other books of this genre because of the storyline and the plot twists. The most unexpected plot twists keep the story flowing in a way that I couldn't put the book down. It is still a fun book to read after reading it for the 3rd time.
June 19, 2016
The Kamaun and Besmari governments are pitted against each other in acts of terror and near-war. 15 year old Fero is Kamaun. ‘He had always been athletic. At school no one could boot a soccer ball further than him, and he hardly ever took a hit in boxing or dodgeball...’ Then Fero's life tips upside down as he is mistaken for a Besmari terrorist and spy, and he must put his physical prowess and all his street-smarts to use, in order to save his own life and those of his countrymen. Fast-moving cliff-hanger teen spy thriller, with all of Jack Heath's usual finesse!
June 22, 2018
Great twist end that made me want to both strangle Jack Heath and get my hands on the next book in the series.
i liked it, but a lot of the same themes and direction throughout the story, the characters didn't have much build-up or development, they were just thrust into the story as needed.
A good read, especially for boys (or girls) aged 11-14 that may be struggling to find an engaging or exiting book that they want to read. not a challenging read.
i liked it, but a lot of the same themes and direction throughout the story, the characters didn't have much build-up or development, they were just thrust into the story as needed.
A good read, especially for boys (or girls) aged 11-14 that may be struggling to find an engaging or exiting book that they want to read. not a challenging read.
August 13, 2019
Bit of a low start but reasonably fast paced after that. I am always looking for alternatives to Cherub and think this will fit the bill as it requires a bit more brainpower to keep up with the Eastern European context. The ending has made me want to read the next one! No spoilers here but I was surprised!
August 22, 2015
A really exciting and fast paced book... I think a lot of young people who enjoy online gaming would find this appealing, with all the fast action and the way the main character develops.
September 16, 2020
Exciting, action-packed novel for teenagers. Twists and turns and a coronavirus!
May 19, 2016
Meh. Powered through to the end, but not sure why.
May 21, 2017
the cut out was probably one of the best books I have ever read, it was such an amazing and thrilling plot. I felt like I could feel what fero/troy was feeling. Being surrounded by people who could kill you at any moment they wanted, and the espionage themed plot that thickened throughout the book, made my nose right up to the page, and I just wouldn't stop reading. It was an amazing book that just got better, and 'the fail safe' which is the sequel to the cut out is equally as good.
August 7, 2017
A great thrilling read for tweens and up - I LOVED the ending - so did not see it coming...(has to be pretty obvious for me to see it coming, but still) so can't wait to read the next one. A really great story line and though some of the locations and details were a little hazy/confusing, the main character is great and the powerful woman spy, excellent. Highly recommended for anyone getting into spy novels, dystopia, thrills and spills...
May 22, 2018
A great fun read with plenty of action and wonderful spy gadgets. If you're a fan of Cherub or indeed 'The Traitor and the Thief' then I think you'll enjoy 'The Cut Out'. If you look past the action the book poses interesting questions with respect to propaganda, love of country, and war.
September 22, 2017
Amazing. Read it in a couple of hours
September 7, 2017
Massive cliff hanger at the end!
September 28, 2017
Pretty good book, good story.
February 18, 2018
A good teenage romp
March 12, 2018
i loved this book
March 15, 2019
3.5* A thrilling spy novel with a storyline that is slightly confusing at times, but ultimately it all comes together well ends with a massive cliffhanger.
June 13, 2023
The story is cool. Also the ending was kind of surprising.
June 18, 2023
Easy read, but hooked me from the start, and very enjoyable.
April 8, 2024
Great Spy book great Read
February 9, 2019
Fero is Troy?!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews