What do you think?
Rate this book
Henderson's Boys #3
Secret Army
Britain, 1941. The government is building a secret army of intelligence agents to work undercover, gathering information and planning sabotage operations. Henderson's boys are part of that network: kids cut adrift by the war, training for the fight of their lives. They'll have to parachute into unknown territory, travel cross-country and outsmart a bunch of adults in a daredevil exercise.
In wartime Britain, anything goes.
In wartime Britain, anything goes.
363 pages, Paperback
First published February 4, 2010
121 people are currently reading
1110 people want to read
About the author
Robert Muchamore
148 books1,910 followersRobert Muchamore was born in Islington, London in 1972. He still lives there, and worked as a private investigator up until 2005 and the critically-accepted release of Maximum Security.
The Hunger Games phenomenon is part of the huge YA / Children's book explosion that has grown, thanks to the British Rat pack of YA authors, Anthony Horowitz, Robert Muchamore, Mark A. Cooper and Charlie Higson. We owe much of the hunger games sucess to authors such as Robert.
Robert was inspired to create the CHERUB series by his nephew after he complained about the lack of anything for them to read. CHERUB: The Recruit was Robert's first book and won the Red House Children's Book Award 2005 in the Older Readers Category.
Following the last book in the CHERUB series, it was revealed that a trilogy would be released starting from August 2011 that will focus on a new set of CHERUB agents centred upon Ryan Sharma and also involve an sixteen year old Lauren Adams. The first book will be called People's Republic.
Check out the Hendersons Boys series. Henderson's Boys is a series of young adult spy novels written by English author Robert Muchamore. The series follows Charles Henderson, the creator of the fictitious CHERUB organisation.
CHERUB is currently being made into a TV series.
The Hunger Games phenomenon is part of the huge YA / Children's book explosion that has grown, thanks to the British Rat pack of YA authors, Anthony Horowitz, Robert Muchamore, Mark A. Cooper and Charlie Higson. We owe much of the hunger games sucess to authors such as Robert.
Robert was inspired to create the CHERUB series by his nephew after he complained about the lack of anything for them to read. CHERUB: The Recruit was Robert's first book and won the Red House Children's Book Award 2005 in the Older Readers Category.
Following the last book in the CHERUB series, it was revealed that a trilogy would be released starting from August 2011 that will focus on a new set of CHERUB agents centred upon Ryan Sharma and also involve an sixteen year old Lauren Adams. The first book will be called People's Republic.
Check out the Hendersons Boys series. Henderson's Boys is a series of young adult spy novels written by English author Robert Muchamore. The series follows Charles Henderson, the creator of the fictitious CHERUB organisation.
CHERUB is currently being made into a TV series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews
August 1, 2018
This book was just as good as the other two even if it was more about training than anything else it just makes me want to read the next as soon as possible. I liked the characters even more in this book they were just developed so much more than before. I loved the story even if it was more training than anything else. So overall I loved this book and will be continuing the series.
May 14, 2021
The series is taking a little break here from the gritty romp through Nazi-occupied France, for a four hundred page look at early CHERUB training techniques. It is a very nice little aside actually and it feels fun to have a more light-hearted entry into this series. It is also enjoyable seeing the parallels between the CHERUB setup and training here, to the version we are so familiar with, 60 years down the line.
January 19, 2018
4 stars (just) - this is much more like what I expected from this series so it’s the best one so far for me.
My main criticism from the last book - the unlikely language from young teens - still stands, but the sexism didn’t seem as prominent, mostly because they actually DID something in this book. However I was still confused by Henderson’s domestic issues which were included without much purpose. Ok, Henderson had problems with his wife but it had absolutely no consequences elsewhere and the issues were only skimmed over. I just didn’t see the point.
Other than that, I was pretty impressed by the plot. It resembled the Cherub books more in that it focused on Marc, Rosie, Paul, PT and their new friends during training. Granted, they didn’t have a proper mission until very late in the story, but the build up was good and I liked the insight into training.
So I’m moving on to the next book, but it’s the last one I actually have in physical form. And so it’s going to have to really impress me if I’m to bother getting hold of the next ones...
My main criticism from the last book - the unlikely language from young teens - still stands, but the sexism didn’t seem as prominent, mostly because they actually DID something in this book. However I was still confused by Henderson’s domestic issues which were included without much purpose. Ok, Henderson had problems with his wife but it had absolutely no consequences elsewhere and the issues were only skimmed over. I just didn’t see the point.
Other than that, I was pretty impressed by the plot. It resembled the Cherub books more in that it focused on Marc, Rosie, Paul, PT and their new friends during training. Granted, they didn’t have a proper mission until very late in the story, but the build up was good and I liked the insight into training.
So I’m moving on to the next book, but it’s the last one I actually have in physical form. And so it’s going to have to really impress me if I’m to bother getting hold of the next ones...
December 5, 2019
I really enjoyed this book because it was action packed and I especially enjoyed the final task in the mission where PT,Rosie and Marc all worked together to eventually get the gun to the lost property office in the station. However Luc was meant to be with them as well however his parachute went off target and he landed in a field. After climbing onto the Polish teams’ bus he ransacked it and he also managed to get a gun to the lost property office!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 2, 2014
This is the third book in the Henderson's Boys series, the prequel series to CHERUB. Unfortunately this is the obligatory "training" book of the series. If it were a video game, it would be the levels where you learn the controls but are keen to get through so you can play the exciting levels.
Charles Henderson is training up his group of child spies but many of his superior officers are threatening to shut the unit down before it even gets going. Paul,Rosie, Marc and PT, along with new recruits Luc and Troy, are going to have to prove themselves to secure the future of the unit...
I understand that this book was necessary as there had to be a period when the group were trained up. The trouble is that meant a lot of the best bits of the first two books were lost. The early books were CHERUB in World War II, an action story with a proper historical element. Without the historical element it didn't feel very different from the first CHERUB book, The Recruit.
Muchamore tries to liven the book up with some interesting character stuff but it doesn't work too well. Troy is introduced here and then pretty much forgotten for the rest of the book. The main group is gradually becoming more professional, with Paul in particular becoming a little action hero. I hated Luc but appreciated the character- Henderson recognized that horrible people make good spies. And there's also a bit about Henderson and his wife which frankly felt rather out of place.
An enjoyable enough read but a definite drop in drop in excitement from the first two books. Probably justified for the overall series plot though and I suspect the action really goes up a knot in the next few books.
Charles Henderson is training up his group of child spies but many of his superior officers are threatening to shut the unit down before it even gets going. Paul,Rosie, Marc and PT, along with new recruits Luc and Troy, are going to have to prove themselves to secure the future of the unit...
I understand that this book was necessary as there had to be a period when the group were trained up. The trouble is that meant a lot of the best bits of the first two books were lost. The early books were CHERUB in World War II, an action story with a proper historical element. Without the historical element it didn't feel very different from the first CHERUB book, The Recruit.
Muchamore tries to liven the book up with some interesting character stuff but it doesn't work too well. Troy is introduced here and then pretty much forgotten for the rest of the book. The main group is gradually becoming more professional, with Paul in particular becoming a little action hero. I hated Luc but appreciated the character- Henderson recognized that horrible people make good spies. And there's also a bit about Henderson and his wife which frankly felt rather out of place.
An enjoyable enough read but a definite drop in drop in excitement from the first two books. Probably justified for the overall series plot though and I suspect the action really goes up a knot in the next few books.
November 30, 2021
Once again a very enjoyable read!
I only gave it 4 stars since I thought Eagle Day was better and we were introduced to a bit too many characters and some of them weren’t explored as much as I hoped they would be.
But still an excellent book with an epic plot centred around the training of the kids. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
And I like the addition of Luc. A very controversial character that provoked varying emotions, good and bad.
I only gave it 4 stars since I thought Eagle Day was better and we were introduced to a bit too many characters and some of them weren’t explored as much as I hoped they would be.
But still an excellent book with an epic plot centred around the training of the kids. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
And I like the addition of Luc. A very controversial character that provoked varying emotions, good and bad.
June 14, 2021
A slightly slower read than the previous two books, but enjoyable enough.
It's not surprising that this book would take a more sedate pace than the first two in the series, as they have now returned to England and the training school has to be set up. I was expecting there to be a bit of a lull, but this was still entertaining to read despite the lower stakes. The final test especially was really engaging and made for a good read.
The new characters seem interesting and it will be nice to have a bit more of a varied roster in the coming books. I remember from the previous CHERUB books that the author usually deals quite well with multiple characters with different plots, so I am sure the same will happen here.
There was the same brutal violence and unflinching descriptions of them that endeared the series to me as a kid, although I think I may have got a bit more squeamish since then, as I didn't find myself enjoying them quite so much. I'm sure as a teenager I would have loved it, though, as well as the antics of the group that seems genuinely realistic for teenagers, even when the actual premise strays further away from the realms of believability.
A fine middle of the series, and a good way to introduce more characters while still keeping the fun going.
It's not surprising that this book would take a more sedate pace than the first two in the series, as they have now returned to England and the training school has to be set up. I was expecting there to be a bit of a lull, but this was still entertaining to read despite the lower stakes. The final test especially was really engaging and made for a good read.
The new characters seem interesting and it will be nice to have a bit more of a varied roster in the coming books. I remember from the previous CHERUB books that the author usually deals quite well with multiple characters with different plots, so I am sure the same will happen here.
There was the same brutal violence and unflinching descriptions of them that endeared the series to me as a kid, although I think I may have got a bit more squeamish since then, as I didn't find myself enjoying them quite so much. I'm sure as a teenager I would have loved it, though, as well as the antics of the group that seems genuinely realistic for teenagers, even when the actual premise strays further away from the realms of believability.
A fine middle of the series, and a good way to introduce more characters while still keeping the fun going.
December 26, 2022
Britain 1941. Charles Henderson Espionage Research Unit B. is threatened by our own side. Bureaucrat Walker wants to wreck chances of 10-15 year-olds. Hoorah for Rosie making place for girls.
Muchamore makes everyone so believable. How much is real? The possibilities were probably harder. Bully Luc is downright evil vicious crazy. Henderson's wife is screaming violent crazy. But even in the bitter cold, childish games sneak in, a snowball fight. What happens to Mavis, venomous blue spider? Muchamore knows how to beckon curious thoughts to more of his books.
Typos:
37.347 mum; Marc IS mum' Luc
p 355 just deserts IS just desserts --- but first phrase is normal then
52-2202 maps
February 3, 2024
I am loving this collection of books! I like how it takes place during the war and how young children can help to win it.
Our young heros, Paul, Rosie, PT and Marc, from the previous books join agent Charles Henderson’s training camp. They meet some new friends there. Meanwhile, they have to outwit the air vice marshal who wants to shut down the training camp. They also have to learn to parachute and outsmart some adults at a daring exercise.
Our young heros, Paul, Rosie, PT and Marc, from the previous books join agent Charles Henderson’s training camp. They meet some new friends there. Meanwhile, they have to outwit the air vice marshal who wants to shut down the training camp. They also have to learn to parachute and outsmart some adults at a daring exercise.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2022
It is the middle of World War II and Germany is taking down France and its neighbours. A small group of spies must get intelligence from the tense, Nazi-occupied land of France. My favourite character is Marc because he is big, tough, brave and the main character of the story. My favourite part is when they parachute into France.
March 31, 2023
This series continues to draw me in, and as a history buff, i love the different perspective of WWII. This book is about the training and finally a trial deployment of the new Unit of (theoretical) teen spy's.
The violence and sexual content in this volume increases so the age level of readers should go up a bit.
The violence and sexual content in this volume increases so the age level of readers should go up a bit.
October 18, 2017
I’m not sure about this book. I enjoyed it, but knowing there isn’t another book in this series it seems like a cop out. All of it is a training exercise rather than any real spy action, which would be fine if they were in France toward the end of the book but they never get there.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
June 4, 2020It was spectacular I love the courage that all the kids have to get the gun. It is also amazing because it shows luc actually cares about Charles Henderson’s espionage research unit b aka Cherub as we all know it.
March 4, 2018
When you read this book, you feel like you are reading a story that really happened. Muchamore explores the historic facts around the fictional storyline, like a pro.
July 22, 2018
good book
January 27, 2019
Amazimg
An amazing book with a great setting and storyline . Very well priced. If you love cherub then you will definitely love Henderson's boys.
An amazing book with a great setting and storyline . Very well priced. If you love cherub then you will definitely love Henderson's boys.
July 1, 2019
good book
January 5, 2020
Muito intressante nao da para parar de ler
December 28, 2020
Pior Livro de Muchamore so far. Estou a apanhar vibes que não estou a gostar...
August 8, 2021
it was a good book to read i dont recone the book was as good as the other to. my favorie charcter is marc
September 17, 2021
Excellent
February 28, 2022
Je déteste toujours autant Luc que quand j'avais 12ans, c'est vraiment pas un antagoniste appréciable.
April 26, 2022
A good book that can be read
October 6, 2022
Great pacing, likeable characters, lots of unexpected twists, and a thrilling climax. Thoroughly enjoyable read.
3 in the series down - 4 to go!
3 in the series down - 4 to go!
August 29, 2023
I found this one slightly less thrilling than the one before. I feel like the whole plot was setting up for the next book but it was still good and I did enjoy it!
Read
December 15, 2023saur good
one thing tho: fuck luc
4,5/5
one thing tho: fuck luc
4,5/5
January 17, 2024
C'est un peu historique amusant et plein de suspense
Displaying 1 - 30 of 89 reviews