Hurricane Force

Hurricane Force (2005) – Malcolm Rose
London: Simon & Schuster • ISBN: 0689872844 • Condition: Used
Buffeted, battered, and still standing, from Crappy Old Books

If you’ve ever thought, “You know what my reading pile needs? More danger, more science, more weather trying to kill people,” then Hurricane Force is very much your storm.

This is Malcolm Rose in full YA-disaster-thriller mode: high stakes, ticking clocks, clever kids, absent or confused adults, and the persistent sense that the forces of nature did not come here to play nicely. Think: extreme weather, suspicious events, and the kind of escalating chaos that makes you go “oh that’s not good” about every three pages.

Condition: Used (like the emergency services after Chapter Ten)

When Crappy Old Books says Used, we mean:

• The cover has definitely lived a bit – school bags, bedside tables, maybe the floor of a coach on a boring trip

• The spine bears those honest little creases that say, “Someone kept turning pages at speed and occasionally forgot to blink.”

• All the pages are there, attached, and fully readable – no mysterious gaps, no “the climax is missing, sorry!” drama

• The corners might be a touch softened, the odd faint smudge possibly present: the physical evidence of Actual Reading, not neglected shelf ornamentation

You will not need a hazmat suit. Just a tolerance for light cosmetic wear and heavy narrative tension.

What’s blowing around inside

Without ruining the fun, you can safely expect:

• Weather doing things it definitely should not be doing

• People who are in the wrong place at the wrong time and then stay there, because plot

• Science, tech, or suspicious activity making everything worse (or better, very late in the day)

• A structure that goes: quiet → worrying → bad → much worse → “OH, OK, THIS IS EXTREMELY BAD”

It’s not here to give you a calm, meditative reflection on cloud formations. It’s here to give you:

• Sudden danger

• Moral choices under pressure

• A strong urge to double-check your emergency kit

Why a Used copy is the right kind of dramatic

Brand-new thrillers are fine, but there’s something deeply right about a disaster story that’s already survived at least one previous reader. From Crappy Old Books, this Used copy offers:

• Built-in credibility: it looks like it’s already kept someone up past midnight at least once

• Zero pressure to keep it pristine – it’s a book, not a collectible figurine; bend it, bag it, read it in the bath at your own risk

• That cosy “pre-loved paperback” vibe that says you can throw it into a rucksack as you dash out the door, pretending you’re evacuating ahead of the storm

It’s ready for buses, couches, duvet days, or back pockets (ambitious, but we respect your confidence).

Perfect for readers who:

• Like their YA fast, tense, and full of “someone needs to make a decision right now” energy

• Enjoy stories where science and danger collide rather than politely ignoring each other

• Have a soft spot for characters trying to be brave while everything around them is falling apart (sometimes literally)

• Want something pacey enough to genuinely distract them from their phone for a bit

Recommended for teens, ex-teens, disaster-movie fans, and anyone who thinks “I’ll just read one more chapter” is a believable statement.

The slightly calmer stats

• Title: Hurricane Force

• Author: Malcolm Rose

• Publisher: London: Simon & Schuster (2005)

• ISBN: 0689872844

• Condition: Used – pre-read, mildly worn, structurally sound, narratively hazardous

Hurricane Force: for when you want a compact paperback full of escalating peril, weather-related stress, and stubborn human determination. Supplied in honestly Used condition by Crappy Old Books, who specialise in stories that arrive slightly scuffed and extremely stressful (in a good way).

Keep browsing: See more Thrillers books Other books by Malcolm Rose