This is a wonderful novel for 9-12 year olds and is perfect for readers/ classes who are exploring World War 2. Bonnie lives in the countryside and upon the departure of her brother to the RAF , the mysterious Mr Fisher takes up residence in the spare room. Local children think he may be a spy and Bonnie needs to discover the truth . But also Bonnie wants to make her own personal contribution to the war effort and is assigned the duty of maintaining a vegetable garden albeit with initial reluctance .As the story develops Bonnie finds herself in a life saving situation and eventually learns that to be a hero isn’t always about medals and public recognition and that discreet actions can bring the most powerful results. The character of Bonnie and the dynamic with the curious Mr Fisher adds a wonderful element of suspense and self discovery. The focus upon science, physics and gardening means this book is a perfect accompaniment for a class project and will enhance a cross curricular focus on world war 2 but most importantly Cathy Faulkner has written a great novel that is entertaining and a really good read .