AMELIA WAINWRIGHT AND THE CHIMERA PROJECT

An English teen uses dangerous new technology to save her abducted parents in this YA thriller.

Amelia Wainwright has become increasingly withdrawn since her father disappeared a year ago. The 13-year-old even earns herself a weeklong suspension from school. But a surprise awaits her in her father’s study, where she and bestie Sebastian discover a hidden room and learn her father’s a secret agent. He left behind a stack of files, which a suddenly appearing stranger demands Amelia hand over. By sheer chance, Amelia gets a hold of that person’s tech—a glowing watch that can transform its wearer into any animal. It’s soon clear that Celine, the criminal mastermind Amelia’s father had been chasing, is holding both her parents hostage in Cairo. With help from her father’s agency, the International Covert Intelligence Directorate, Amelia and Sebastian search for the Wainwrights. Meanwhile, that smartwatch, which can’t simply be removed, keeps Amelia under constant risk of permanently becoming whatever animal she’s transformed into. Golding’s young hero is likable from the beginning. Even when she’s getting into trouble, she’s never disrespectful. She and equally winsome Sebastian are bright and versatile, although they do rely heavily on “futuristic-looking gadgets.” Those gadgets, along with the morph-inducing watch, nearly puts the novel into SF-fantasy realm. This concise story also boasts thriller elements. Amelia and Sebastian attempt to evade Celine’s nefarious agents, with personable Cairo locals lending support. Entertainingly, Amelia becomes an assortment of real-life animals, including a cat and an elephant. The final act delivers a few twists, amping up excitement even further. As this novel launches a prospective series, readers can look forward to the leads returning for more escapades.

A fast-moving, cross-genre tale of courage with imaginative tech.