Taking the Chequered Flag (Michael Panckridge and Pam Harvey, HarperCollins, $14.99 pb, ISBN 9780207200625, April) ****

Taking the Chequered Flag by Michael Panckridge and Pam Harvey is the fourth book the pair have written together. Panckridge has also writte numerous other novels, including the popular ‘Legends’ series, and has teamed up with cricketer Brett Lee to co-write five novels. Due for release in April, Taking the Chequered Flag is a story revolving around the world of motocross. E D, the youngest of four brothers, and the only one who doesn’t enjoy racing, loses a bet with one of his brothers, and must compete in a competition race. His reluctance soon disappears when he finishes in the top place-getters, and E D finds himself racing in place of Tony, one of his brothers, who is involved in an accident—an accident that may have been planned! Mysterious riders, smuggling of high-tech gadgets, cheating and a legendary motocross track called the Graveyard are only some of the highlights of this story. Fans of Panckridge’s earlier novels won’t be disappointed with this one. Fans of motocross and lovers of mystery and action will enjoy the novel too. I’d recommend the novel for both boys and girls (yes—girls race along with the boys in this novel), aged 8-plus.

Sharon Athanasos is a freelance reviewer and former bookseller

This review from Australian Bookseller & Publisher magazine is reproduced by kind permission of Thorpe-Bowker, a division of R R Bowker LLC. © Copyright 2008, Thorpe-Bowker

Tags: michael panckridge, pam harvey