Tremendous fun for all budding spies. The Spy Agency Puzzle Book is crammed with a wide variety of puzzles - pattern matching, word puzzles, number-based and logic puzzles.. The puzzles are linked by a fun narrative to help the young reader really feel like a secret agent helping to solve a top secret mission. Perfectly pitched at the 7-9 group, this is a book that is bound to keep the reader entertained.

A puzzle book themed around spy life, that really doesn't get round to including any story for a mighty long time. The first chunk is 'observation', so we're finding matching keys, doing word searches, etc. Then it's codes, and we have tasks such as numerical Wordle-equivalents, Morse code transcripts to decipher and so on, followed by more word-based tasks (words sans vowels, or in random-seeming chunks) and finally more traditional logical, IQ-styled puzzles.

All this is fine, although each segment in turn can get fairly repetitive. And once we've seen the instruction for a certain type of puzzle, we could have had two of them next time round rather than seeing the same directions all over again. But the biggest issue is that this is 100pp of puzzles, 30pp of story-based puzzles, and 30pp of answers for everything. That balance really felt off early on, and only remained that way throughout. If this aims to be part of a series, it ought to have developed a way to bypass the training, or make that part of the narrative – and frankly offer a greater story in the first place. Yes, a puzzle fan will want to do more such books in the future, but the way the majority of the thing is 'dry' and minus any narrative will not help the appeal of returning. I've seen similar books with a lot more finesse and variety to them, even if the working on these puzzles would really help brain-training in a young puzzling hobbyist.

Four stars or more for the tasks, not even two for their dressing.

Thank you NetGalley and Collins for this eCopy to review

As someone who loves puzzles and thrilling adventures, I enjoyed the new title in the Spy Agency Puzzle Book series – The Hidden Hacker. This interactive book is a brilliant blend of brain-teasing challenges and an engaging storyline. The premise is simple yet exciting: you are a secret agent tasked with unmasking a hacker threatening to shut down the internet. The stakes couldn't be higher, and the book immerses you in its world with a variety of puzzles, from code-breaking to logic and observation challenges.

What I loved most was how the puzzles were seamlessly integrated into the narrative. Each challenge felt like a step closer to solving the mystery, making it impossible to put the book down. The illustrations and layout added to the immersive experience, making me feel like a real spy on a mission.

The book is perfect for kids and adults alike, offering a fun and educational way to sharpen problem-solving skills.

The Spy Agency Puzzle Book - The Hidden Hacker starts by inviting readers to solve puzzles as part of their spy training course. There are four areas: Surveillance (maze, wordsearch, spot the difference, etc), Codebreaking (alphabet code, morse code, safe code, etc.), Hidden Words (wordsearch, folded paper, anagram connect, etc), and Logic & Patterns (magic square, sudoku, shape pattern, etc.). . Once they have completed the training course, they move on to their mission where they have to solve interconnected puzzles to reveal the answer to the mystery. The back of the book contains the solutions to all the puzzles.

This is a fun book to keep kids entertained on holiday. I'd recommend it for ages 6-8 as it was a little hard for my just-turned-5-year-old and a little easy for my 10-year-old).

Thank you to NetGalley and Collins Reference for providing me with a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Spy Agency Puzzle Book is a brilliant way to get kids engaged and excited about writing, especially for those who are a bit reluctant to pick up a pen. My children loved cracking codes and solving puzzles, which kept them entertained while subtly encouraging their writing skills. It’s a fun and interactive approach to learning that makes writing feel like a thrilling adventure.

Perfect for children aged 5-8, the puzzles are just challenging enough to spark their curiosity without feeling frustrating. Each page offers a new puzzle or secret code to decipher, and my kids were hooked from the start! It’s the kind of book that not only strengthens writing skills but also sparks creativity and problem-solving.

If you’re looking for a fun and educational way to get your little ones writing, the Spy Agency Puzzle Book is a must-have!

My students love puzzles. This book divides the puzzles up into 4 sections: surveillance, code breaking, hidden words, and logic and patterns. Sometimes the demarcation between the sections are not that cut and dry. The puzzles are very engaging though. Would have preferred the answers to come with a bit of explanation.

If you want to have some fun with your kid or you can do it alone: I highly recommend to buy this Puzzle Book