Luke Harding has barely had time to celebrate becoming the youngest ever person to qualify as a forensic investigator when Malc, his Mobile Aid to Law and Crime, calls him to their first case. A student has been mysteriously shot dead with an arrow. An elusive killer is at large and all the evidence points to Luke being the murderer himself...Imagine a place where technology rules...where London is a slum and the North is a cultural capital...where from the age of five, The Authorities decide your future. In this fascinating parallel world, quick-thinking Luke Harding is the youngest Forensic Investigator ever, aged just 16. Luke and his right-hand robot, Malc, make a top team. Together, they have the talent to crack any crime - and a good joke, too. Luke Harding has just qualified as an FI when fellow pupil Crispin Addley is shot dead by an arrow. Addley was on his way to beating Luke's record grades in Forensics. Then sports teacher and pairing committee chair Ms Kee killed. Kee had been irked that she had 'lost' sporty Luke to Science. Malc states Luke had motive to kill both people and Luke, ridiculous though it seems, has to accept this. Then Vince Wainright is murdered with a diamond cutter. Vince was to be paired with Jade, Luke's secret girlfriend. Luke must race to clear his name. He interviews colleagues, friends and enemies of the victims but there is no clear lead. The Authorities are threatening to take Luke off the case as he is the prime suspect. Luke then realises a connection between the murder weapons - a diamond cutter, a diamond-shaped arrow and a poisoning with the venom of a diamondbacked snake...Luke's nickname at school is Diamond. At the memorial service of Ms Kee, Luke hatches a plan to use special technology to try and expose the killer. Jade is an expert musician and has a new machine that can direct sound at a person like a laserbeam without people nearby hearing anything. At the after-service gathering Jade directs whispers of guilt at some of the suspects. All act confused except for school nasty Ed Hoffman who, thinking the whole room has heard and he's been exposed, grabs a knife and lunges to stab Luke. Malc takes the blow, saving Luke's life. Hoffman is taken away.

 

This book is part of a book series called Traces-Luke Harding, Forensic Investigator .

There are 232 pages in this book. This book was published 2007 by Pan Macmillan .

Malcolm Rose is an experienced children's author who has long been fascinated by the world of spies. His recent books include the thrilling Jordan Stryker series (Usborne Publishing), about a teenage special agent.