After learning a terrible secret about his father, teen spy Alex Rider travels to Venice to uncover the truth about his past. But the truth lies with a criminal organization known as Scorpia. When he agrees to train as an assassin and is given a target that he knows well, Alex must make a choice: work with MI6 once more or betray everything he believes in.

When his relaxing holiday with Sabine Pleasure and her family is interrupted by a ruthless attack, teenage MI6 agent Alex Rider knows it's no accident. Determined to hunt down the hit man who sent Sabine's father into a coma, Alex plunges headfirst into a world of violence and mystery, uncovering a sinister plan to start a nuclear war. And once the missiles are launched, Alex has just ninety minutes to save the world. ....