Customer Reviews

Public Enemy Number Two

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

If you're British, and read, you probably know of Anthony Horowitz. He's more prolific than a rabbit on steroids. The problem is, most of his output is classified as "Young Adult", i.e. kid's books. DO NOT BE DETERRED! Sure his Alex Rider (teenage spy) and Diamond Brothers (Teenage & idiot private eyes) feature barely pubescent heroes. And, sure, literate teens, if that's not an oxymoron, will get a big kick out of the adventure stories, but the ones who will really love them are literate (and film literate) adults! The first book in the Diamond series was "The Falcon's Malteser" and if you need to be told what THAT was a take-off on, stop reading now. The second book in the series (only two have been released so far on this side of the Atlantic) is "Public Enemy Number Two" and to fully enjoy it you have to be familiar with no less a film than, wait for it, James Cagney's "White Heat". A kid's book? Based on a 40's film noir about a psychopathic mama's boy killer? If you can wrap your mind around that, and the numerous horrendous/hilarious puns and wordplay that Horowitz indulges in, then this is for you. Oh, and when you're finished you MIGHT let that literate teen read it. But get it back! These books are to be treasured. Oh (#2), the reason for only 4 stars is that I feel calling these books "YA" does the public a disservice.

Put it in the grown up section and parents will think you have gone crazy. Put it in the kids section and suddenly you have parents complaining that it made their kids grow up too quickly. THIS IS THE PERFECT NOVEL FOR TEENS LOOKING FOR SEMI-ADULT CRIME FICTION BOOKS AND THUS THE PERFECT NOVEL FOR ADULTS LOOKING TO REMEMBER THE GOOD OLD DAYS! Essentially it is about a boy who manages to get in on his older brother's detective job and takes on a case for himself. It is really a book for 12 year olds and over because there is a little bit of crime violence in the book like the bad guy death ending, but it has all the pace of a movie like The Mummy. It is shame they do not make more kid's crime movies as Horowitz demonstates it is an incredably popular genre (he is read cover to cover in the UK) and with that said and done, this is a great book to try in The Diamond Brothers Trilogy). Do try it!

Public Enemy Number Two by Anthony Horwitz is one of the best books that you should read. It's about Nick Diamond, a teenager who is asked by Chief Inspector Snape & Assistant Boyle to go to jail and be cell mates with Johnny Powers, Public Enemy Number One, to find out who the fence is so they can catch him. Nick refuses to help Snape & Boyle, so later he is framed by them so he would be put to jail. His only hope of getting out is finding out who the fence is. Then there's a surprise twist about Snape and Boyle. Nick Diamond is a boy who is a nice kid at heart but has to go through terrible events such as escaping prison, stealing a diamond, and fighting a lion. Johnny Powers, Public Enemy Number One is one of those people that you think would never do anything wrong. He's has perfect teeth, chubby face, and best yet, he has the face of a baby. Well you all are wrong if you think he's one of those nice and loving people because he's one of the meanest and hating person you will ever meet. This story takes place mostly in Jail and at Johnny Power's safe house. The theme of the story is to help police officers by doing whatever you have to do even if that means spending time with one of the most wanted men. I really enjoyed this book because of its great story line and how the story played out so well.

Mysteries aren't what I usually read, but I enjoyed Horowitz's Alex Rider books so I read the first book in this series, The Falcon's Malteser, and thought it was okay. I got this book, Public Enemy Number Two, recently to see what Nick Diamond was up to now. Well, this time, 13-year old Nick Diamond gets himself thrown in the clink--JAIL! He's been framed for a jewel heist and finds that he's sharing a cell with Johnny Powers, who is public enemy number one. To clear his name, Nick has to break out of prison and get the infamous Fence, a criminal mastermind. Of course, this is where Nick's brother, Tim, comes into the picture. It's got sarcasm and wit, and is just as entertaining as the first book. Recommended if you like mysteries or Horowitz's Alex Rider books.

Being framed, shoved in jail, and paired up in a stall with "public enemy number one" is not the greatest luck a kid could ever get. But for thirteen-year-old Nick Diamond, that was the luck given to him. Nick Diamond lives in London with his brother, Tim, one of the worst detectives around. After being framed, Nick is thrown in jail with Johnny Powers - one of the deadliest criminals. Nick, challenged by two chief inspectors Snape and Boyle, tries to befriend Johnny and nail the Fence, the country's master criminal. The Fence is Nick's ticket out of jail because Snape and Boyle are the only people who know Nick is innocent. To go after the Fence, Nick and Johnny break out of jail and get away to Wapping, East London, with the help of Tim, Johnny's mother Ma powers, and a stolen suspension bus. Ma Powers had another reason for helping her son break out: Big Ed has taken over Johnny's territory. Over the course of the journey with Nick and Tim, Johnny and Ma Powers grow suspicious as the secret search for the Fence continues. On the way, Nick is put in great danger, evil places are revealed, and the rest is up to you to find out. Read Public Enemy Number Two and discover what happens to the Diamond brothers. It's an awesome book!

The second mystery in Anthony Horowitz's Diamond Brothers Series is just as good as the first one. Nick gets framed for a jewel theft and he soon finds himself embroiled in grand plot involving public enemy number one, 15 year old Johnny Powers, and the England's master criminal, the Fence. This adventure offers all of Nick's classic sarcasm, wit, and his quick-thinking which were most usefull in those sticky situations. Again, Horowitz offers all of the same thrills and chills as he did in the first book and his wildly successful Alex Rider series. The characters are entertaining, the situations thrilling, and the ending is simply unexpected. A great second mystery in this series that is sure to be just as big as Alex Rider. Highly recommended.

Put it in the grown up section and parents will think you have gone crazy. Put it in the kids section and suddenly you have parents complaining that it made their kids grow up too quickly. THIS IS THE PERFECT NOVEL FOR TEENS LOOKING FOR SEMI-ADULT CRIME FICTION BOOKS AND THUS THE PERFECT NOVEL FOR ADULTS LOOKING TO REMEMBER THE GOOD OLD DAYS! Essentially it is about a boy who manages to get in on his older brother's detective job and takes on a case for himself. It is really a book for 12 year olds and over because there is a little bit of crime violence in the book like the bad guy death ending, but it has all the pace of a movie like The Mummy. It is shame they do not make more kid's crime movies as Horowitz demonstates it is an incredably popular genre (he is read cover to cover in the UK) and with that said and done, this is a great book to try in The Diamond Brothers Trilogy). Do try it!

Public Enemy Number Two by Anthony Horwitz is one of the best books that you should read. It's about Nick Diamond, a teenage who is asked by Chief Inspector Snape & Assistant Boyle to go to jail and be cell mates with Johnny Powers, Public Enemy Number One., to find out who the fence is so they can catch him. Nick refuses to help Snape & Boyle, so later he is framed by them so he would be put to jail. His only hope of getting out is finding out who the fence is. Then there's a surprise twist about Snape and Boyle. Nick Diamond is a boy who is a nice kid at heart but has to go through terrible events such as escaping prison, stealing a diamond, and fighting a lion. Johnny Powers, Public Enemy Number Two is one of those people that you think would never do anything wrong. He's has perfect teeth, chubby face, and best yet, he has the face of a baby. Well you all are wrong if you think he's one of those nice and loving people because he's one of the meanest and hating person you will ever meet. This story takes place mostly in Jail and at Johnny Power's safe house. The theme of the story is to help police officers by doing whatever you have to do even if that means spending time with one of the most wanted men. I really enjoyed this book because of its great story line and how the story played out so well.

i love thiss book, i love this author, what we have here is a well constructed story with humor, action and a great mystry roled up into a riveting story that will keep you at the edge of your seat, i started and fineshed it in one day and was totally breathless throught the whole thing.i can't even begin to describe the plot without getting carried away, i laughed or gasped through the whole thing, Nick has a great voice that any teen can identyfie with even though they will probubly never find thenselves in the same place, although Tim is so dunb it gets annoying it would not be as good any other way. though the one thing that bothered me was Nick's older brother's name is Herbert, and Tim is his professional name he is known as Tim through this book but Herbert through the preveous, well the gook has so many other GREAT qualiteis that is easy to ignore

This book is longer than some of the other Diamond Brothers stories, but I am sure that readers of all ages will keep going and finish it in one sitting: it is very fast-moving and they will want to see what happens next. Don't go too fast, or you will miss the clues that Anthony Horowitz has cleverly inserted here and there! Although there are the usual witticisms - "I had more bruises than a peach in an overnight corner shop" is one of the best - and over the top incidents, it seems slightly more serious and realistic than usual: it could almost happen in real life.

Most of the usual elements that I have learned to expect in the Diamond Brothers' adventures are present, with a few small variations. For example, when they are out of money with nothing to eat except beans on toast and Tim gets an advance from a new client, he actually buys some ingredients and cooks a meal instead of getting takeaway food. When he first found the Purple Peacock Ming Vase, which was what he had been retained to do, I was expecting Tim to accidentally break this expensive vase or use it as a weapon, but it is Nick who wants Tim to hit someone with it, and Tim who can't bring himself to do it. I expect that many readers will be shocked by Nick's command and surprised and delighted with Tim's refusal. They will be disappointed but probably not too surprised by an incident near the end of the story.

People who enjoy the references to areas of London in these stories get some interesting information about the tunnels under the river Thames in east London, although one thing that comes to mind is that part of this story could not be written today: there is a very good description of Wapping High Street and the surrounding area as it used to be, but it has changed greatly in recent years. I would love to see these stories published with illustrations that show the featured London venues.