Blood Ties by Sophie McKenzie
Published by Simon and Schuster, 2008

Theo tries hard to escape from his bodyguard who waits for him every day when school finishes. Why does he need a bodyguard? Even he doesn’t know, until in a desperate measure to safeguard her son, his mother reveals to him that his father, presumed dead, is very much alive.

The clues he uncovers in an effort to find his Dad lead Theo to meet the very unhappy teenager, Rachel, who is constantly compared to her dead sister by her parents, who is bullied at school and who understandably suffers from low self-esteem.

Both of these young people will make some startling discoveries about their identities, which will affect their past, present, and future in dramatic and life-altering ways...

Who is Rachel receiving mysterious, coded texts from? Her Dad?
Why is Theo’s Dad in hiding?
And how are both fathers connected and linked to RAGE - the Righteous Army against Genetic Engineering?

This is a guaranteed good read, full of suspense, to be equally enjoyed by any teenager, male or female.

Sophie McKenzie’s gripping thriller Blood Ties is overall winner of the Red House Children’s Book Award 2009.

Her debut novel Girl, Missing won the Richard and Judy Best Kids' Books 2007 award in the 12+ category as well as The Red House Book Award 2007 for Older Readers.