Steve Voake
(Faber & Faber Children’s Books)
In the middle of the Mexican jungle a small scientific team prepares to embark on an exploration of the world’s deepest sinkhole; a naturally-formed underwater shaft, the bottom of which no one has ever reached. What they are about to discover could change the world forever.
Three thousand miles away, Joe McDonald’s father is arrested for murder. Joe and his friend Giles are desperate to prove his innocence, but when more people are attacked in mysterious circumstances, Joe begins to suspect that a predator is on the loose. Maybe the dark shapes he has seen in the woods and canal aren’t just his imagination!
Could the attacks in Joe’s town be linked to his dad’s research at the university? Could Dad’s colleague have brought something back with him from the expedition in Mexico? Suddenly the search for justice becomes a desperate fight for survival…
This is the blurb for Steve Voake’s new offering, the fast paced and well-rounded Blood Hunters. I originally picked up this book because Steve is stopping at my school during his book promotion tour so I wanted to do my homework. I must say I am not a fan of monsters and other dinosaurs but I was very happily surprised. Steve’s book is so much more: I loved the environmental issues raised in it, and short chapters keep you wanting to read “just one more”. There is also a little bit of blood and guts (mainly monsters’) to keep the young lads hooked too. In fact, it gets quite scary at times! It’s a great read for years 7 & 8. I am definitely looking forward to hearing him speak!