Jack Courtney has travelled with his parents Nicholas and Janine Courtney (founders of the Courtney Conservation Foundation) and his friend Amelia to the The Democratic Republic of Congo, so his parents can attend an important environmental summit.

They meet Jack’s boarding school friend Xander at their hotel and enjoy time together around the hotel pool, anticipating an organised safari while Jack’s parents attend their meetings. Jack’s uncle Langdon has a mining operation in the DRC and he too meets them, along with his son Caleb.

Jack finds Caleb cocky and condescending, and dreads his cousin joining their safari trip. As expected Caleb is more than annoying, but when his behaviour causes a fatal accident, they are shocked to the core. Stunned, they return to the hotel, only to discover Jack’s parents are missing. They never arrived at their meetings.

Jack has already lost a brother to an accident years before, and can’t imagine never seeing his parents again. A ransom note is all he needs to take action. With his friends help they begin to track down his parents. The DRC is one of the most dangerous countries in the world, with severe poverty, child labour, poachers, mercenaries and dangerous animals, and they experience it all.

Only the will to find his parents alleviates Jack’s fears. Their lives are on the line, let alone that time is running out to get them to the summit – a goal to try and save mountain gorillas, stop the illegal mining and change the lives of exploited children.

Experience The Democratic Republic of Congo with its colourful markets, heaving streets of traffic and people and jungles teeming with wildlife. There are also dangerous men – poachers, bandits, and mercenaries. Severe poverty and corruption is rife, as is child exploitation in the many mines.

Jack Courtney and his friends experience this all as they are caught up in a fatal accident, a kidnapping plot, and held at gunpoint again and again. They are up against ruthless forces determined to stop them revealing the truth. Danger is everywhere, the clock is ticking, lives are at stake and Jack doesn’t know who to trust. But he and his friends are determined to fight back.

A great beginning to this new action, adventure series.

Author – Chris Wakling & Wilbur Smith

Age – 10+

Find Teacher’s Notes here

(Jungle, Danger, Mining, Environment, Family, Betrayal, Friends, Courage, Gorillas, Guns, Kidnap, Adventure, Action, Machete)