After living all over the world, eighth-grader Ryan Quinn feels like he can finally call New York City his home. Ryan’s family moved back to the United States when his father began working for the United Nations. While Ryan’s dad is on a UN trip, mercenaries led by General Aung Win, break into Ryan’s home and kidnap his mother, holding her hostage until Ryan can reach his father. After the break-in, Ryan discovers a secret room which holds information on the Emergency Rescue Committee (ER). Ryan’s family is apart of this underground organization dedicated to rescuing key individuals threatened by their tyrannical countries. Ryan's dad is on a secret rescue mission that has gone horribly wrong and only Ryan can fix it.McGee’s middle-grade series is an action-packed thrill ride from start to finish. Readers are introduced to Ryan Quinn, a good kid who naturally fights for the underdog and cleverly outwits his attackers. Ryan’s tactical gifts are skills his parents trained him to do to survive his global childhood. Unfortunately, these skills are not always appropriate in a school setting. This causes Ryan to feel torn about when he should and shouldn’t fight for others who need help. However, when Ryan is plunged into the world of the Emergency Rescue Committee, he realizes his true calling. Many adventure books have the protagonists miraculously developing stellar survival skills during their times of crisis, which makes the characters less believable or relatable. However, McGee expertly weaves those skills into Ryan’s foundational being making his feats seem more natural and believable. A great read for fans of globe-trotting adventures like Roland Smith’s Peak series or Ally Carter’s Heist Society series.
