Conspiracy 365

Gabrielle Lord (author)

Scholastic, Australia: 2010 

ISBN: 9781741690330

Genres: adventure, thriller

Issues: family, loyalty, crime, identity, friendship

Callum Ormond's father died recently of an unrecognizable neurological disease. He was unable to speak but could still draw - and he was determined that the astonishing secret he had discovered about the Ormond family would be passed to his fifteen year old son.

The only problem is that several other people seem to be trying to get hold of the secret. Callum finds himself pursued by dangerous strangers who demand explanations and answers he doesn't have himself. Near death experiences are one thing but when his younger sister is attacked and Callum's blamed for her situation, he realises that discovering his father's history-changing secret is the only way he can protect his family and prove his innocence. On the run, hunted by ruthless people and uncertain whom he can trust, will Callum's life ever be the same?

On the series:

Gabrielle Lord is an experienced and well-regarded crime fiction writer. In other hands Callum's action-packed adventures would read like a Matthew Riley novel on steroids but Lord's skill and understanding of her teenage market has enabled her to craft an almost-believable, fast-paced, positively manic thriller that will keep readers hooked. Despite the addition of just about every classic plot twist available (dopplegangers, the possibly wicked uncle, the beautiful-but- not-quite-trustworthy girl, the ancient irascible relative with essential information, the loyal super-intelligent friend etc), Lord has written a convincing and entertaining series. The first-person diary-type narrative provides a movie-like perspective that will make readers feel that they are Callum's partners in disaster. Sufficient information is given about the clues to the Ormond mystery to set the problem-solvers in the audience thinking. Scholastic has set up several websites, including blog and twitter pages for Callum and his mate Boges, where readers can interact with the characters and other readers. Carefully crafted so that each monthly episode ends with Callum in a life-threatening situation, by December readers will be as exhausted as Callum but will undoubtedly have enjoyed the adrenaline pumped ride of Conspiracy 365.

January: Cal Ormond has been warned he has 365 days to survive. That ‘they' will find and kill him. That he should lie low and hide his family. But Cal has no idea what's going on - until strange accidents start happening and he realises he should take the warning seriously. And by January 31st he's drowning in sump oil...

February: Cal is now a fugitive on the run, trying to unravel the clues his father left behind. Clues that will help him understand why he's being chased by at least two groups of criminals. Is his uncle involved? Can he trust Winter? Cal's in the lion's den - literally.

March: Cal has survived numerous life-threatening situations but must continue to play hide and seek as he hunts down clues about the Ormond Riddle. And who is the mysterious boy who looks exactly like him?

April: Having found the Ormond Riddle, Cal and his best mate Boges must try and solve it. A high speed chase leaves him stranded in the country, hunted by dangerous men. Cal must make his way back to town in one piece in order to stop Gabbi's life support being switched off.

May: Locked in an asylum under a false name and considered delusional, Cal's life is in danger yet again. He must escape and get to Great-uncle Bartholomew in the hopes that the old man has some information to help Cal unravel the Ormond Riddle. But the thugs are on his trail...

June: Cal's still struggling to find the Ormond Jewel, knowing that it's essential to unraveling the Riddle, but danger pursues him and traitors threaten at every turn. Will he have to turn to crime himself in order to survive?