Theodore Boone: The Abduction by John Grisham. Hodder & Stoughton, £12.99.

AUTHOR John Grisham, the maestro of legal thrillers including The Firm and The Pelican Brief, has written a series of novels for teenage readers, featuring Theodore Boone.

The Abduction is his second novel about the bright 13-year-old who dreams of being a great trial lawyer, just like his parents.

In this book, he has to use his legal mind and investigative skills to solve the mysterious disappearance of his best friend April Finnemore.

He discovers that April's distant cousin, Jack Leper – sentenced to life for kidnapping – had escaped prison a few days earlier. Theo becomes concerned when he hears he had been pen pals with April and enlists the help of Uncle Ike, the black sheep of the family. Then the police discover a body.

The Abduction is a pacey page-turner, full of suspense that will leave the reader hooked to the end. It will appeal to a new generation of fans tired of books about vampires and wizards.

LAURA WURZAL