Crossing the Line

It’s spy versus spy in this thriller, which sees a teenage secret agent defecting from the North Korean agency she was forced to serve. For 10 years, Jocelyn Steely has been an unwitting, drug-dependent tool for KATO, which kidnapped her as a child; when the organization sends her to infiltrate the U.S.-based International Defense Agency, she seizes the opportunity to regain control over her destiny. Acting as a double agent, Jocelyn plays one group against the other, slowly winning the trust of the IDA agents she has fought against for years while planning her revenge against KATO. Although the premise tilts heavily toward the cinematic (as is often the case with this genre), the characters’ interactions are fully realistic as Rogers crafts a tense tale of espionage, action, and intrigue. Jocelyn makes for a kick-ass, determined heroine, and there’s no shortage of scenes of adrenaline-charged adventure. Despite a less-than-satisfying cliffhanger ending, this is a strong debut for both the author and the Raven Files series. Ages 12–up. Agent: Michelle Wolfson, Wolfson Literary Agency. (Apr.)