Books like 'Behind the Curtain'
Readers who enjoyed Behind the Curtain by Peter Abrahams also liked the following books featuring the same tropes, story themes, relationship dynamics and character types.
contemporary mystery action / adventure realistic crime children high-school teens family sports
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Spy School Secret Service by Stuart Gibbs
Rated: 4.56 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIn the fifth book in the New York Times bestselling Spy School series, Ben goes undercover in the White House to take on a SPYDER operative determined to assassinate the president.Thirteen-year-old Ben Ripley has had a lot of field success despite only just beginning his second year at Spy School, something even graduates rarely experience... -
![اردوی مرگ by Stuart Gibbs]()
اردوی مرگ by Stuart Gibbs
Rated: 4.46 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsSchool may be out for summer, but top-secret training continues for aspiring spy Ben Ripley—and so does the danger.Ben Ripley is a middle-schooler whose school is not exactly average—he’s spent the last year training to be a top-level spy and dodging all sorts of associated danger. So now that summer’s finally here, Ben’s ready to have some fun and relax...Categorized as:
children crime family friendship law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook -
![Mission Manhattan by James Ponti]()
Mission Manhattan by James Ponti
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsIn this fifth installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies take on New York City in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls... -
![Lion Down by Stuart Gibbs]()
Lion Down by Stuart Gibbs
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsTeddy Fitzroy returns as FunJungle’s resident sleuth when a lion is falsely accused of killing a distinguished dog in the latest novel in New York Times bestselling author Stuart Gibbs’s FunJungle series...Categorized as:
children crime friendship law-enforcement realistic action-adventure animals anthropomorphism -
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![City of the Dead by James Ponti]()
City of the Dead by James Ponti
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn this fourth installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies go codebreaking in Cairo in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls.Codename Kathmandu, better known as Kat, loves logic and order, has a favorite eight-digit number, and can spot a pattern from a mile away... -
![Forbidden City by James Ponti]()
Forbidden City by James Ponti
Rated: 4.44 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsIn this third “thrilling” (Kirkus Reviews) installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies help a fellow agent in another international adventure perfect for fans of Spy School and Mrs. Smith’s Spy School for Girls... -
![The General by Robert Muchamore]()
The General by Robert Muchamore
Rated: 4.32 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsIn the tenth title in the number one bestselling CHERUB series, James and Lauren are off to America to help train the army--and to get into trouble in Las Vegas... -
![The Dealer by Robert Muchamore]()
The Dealer by Robert Muchamore
Rated: 4.30 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsDrugs, cars and guns!Keith Moore is Europe's biggest cocaine dealer. The police have been trying to get enough evidence to nail him for more than twenty years.Now, four CHERUB agents are joining the hunt...Categorized as:
children crime high-school law-enforcement realistic teens action-adventure audiobook -
![Mad Dogs by Robert Muchamore]()
Mad Dogs by Robert Muchamore
Rated: 4.28 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsCHERUB agents are highly trained, extremely talented—and all under the age of seventeen. For official purposes, these agents do not exist. They are sent out on missions to spy on terrorists, hack into crucial documents, and gather intel on global threats—all without gadgets or weapons... -
![Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter]()
Only the Good Spy Young by Ally Carter
Rated: 4.34 of 5 stars · 38 ratingsWhen Cammie Morgan enrolled at the Gallagher Academy, she knew she was preparing for the dangerous life of a spy. What she didn’t know was that the serious, real-life danger would start during her junior year of high school. But that’s exactly what happened two months ago when Cammie faced off against an ancient terrorist organization dead set on kidnapping her... -
![The Grift of the Magi: a Heist Society novella by Ally Carter]()
The Grift of the Magi: a Heist Society novella by Ally Carter
Rated: 4.36 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsKatarina Bishop is a thief. To many it wouldn’t matter that she now uses her considerable skills to resteal valuable works of art and return them to their rightful homes. She’s still a thief. So that’s why Kat’s surprised when an Interpol agent comes to her one snowy evening, asking for her help...Categorized as:
crime friendship high-school law-enforcement realistic action-adventure book contemporary -
![The Fall by Robert Muchamore]()
The Fall by Robert Muchamore
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsWhen an MI5 mission goes disastrously wrong, James Adams needs all of his skills to get out of Russia alive.Meanwhile, his sister Lauren is on her first solo mission trying to uncover a brutal human trafficking operation.And when James does get home, he finds that his nightmare is just beginning...Categorized as:
children crime high-school law-enforcement realistic teens action-adventure audiobook -
![Restart by Gordon Korman]()
Restart by Gordon Korman
Rated: 4.23 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsThe amazing New York Times bestseller about what you can do when life gives you a second chance.Chase's memory just went out the window.Chase doesn't remember falling off the roof. He doesn't remember hitting his head. He doesn't, in fact, remember anything. He wakes up in a hospital room and suddenly has to learn his whole life all over again . . . starting with his own name.He knows he's Chase... -
![Maximum Security by Robert Muchamore]()
Maximum Security by Robert Muchamore
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 40 ratingsCHERUB agents are all seventeen and under. They wear skate tees and hemp, and look like regular kids. But they're not. They are trained professionals who are sent out on missions to spy on terrorists and international drug dealers. CHERUB agents hack into computers, bug entire houses, and download crucial documents. It is a highly dangerous job. For their safety, these agents DO NOT EXIST...Categorized as:
children crime high-school law-enforcement realistic teens action-adventure audiobook -
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![Sammy Keyes and the Showdown in Sin City by Wendelin Van Draanen, Tara Sands]()
Sammy Keyes and the Showdown in Sin City by Wendelin Van Draanen, Tara Sands
Rated: 4.40 of 5 stars · 10 ratingsAmber and her best friend Justin are spending the summer at Camp Cushetunk. Amber is having a great time learning to ride and take care of the Cinnamon, the sweetest horse everuntil she becomes the target of pranks. Amber and her friends plot revenge, but things dont turn out as planned and the horsing around leads to real trouble...Categorized as:
children family law-enforcement realistic action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
![Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics by Chris Grabenstein]()
Mr. Lemoncello's Library Olympics by Chris Grabenstein
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsWelcome, boys and girls, readers of all ages, to the first-ever Library Olympiad! Kyle and his teammates are back, and the world-famous game maker, Luigi Lemoncello, is at it again! This time Mr. Lemoncello has invited teams from all across America to compete in the first ever LIBRARY OLYMPICS. Will it be fun? Like the commercials say. .Categorized as:
children family friendship law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook book -
![Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman]()
Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsA hidden book. A found cipher. A game begins . . . .Twelve-year-old Emily is on the move again. Her family is relocating to San Francisco, home of her literary idol: Garrison Griswold, creator of the online sensation Book Scavenger, a game where books are hidden all over the country and clues to find them are revealed through puzzles...Categorized as:
children family friendship law-enforcement realistic 21st-century action-adventure audiobook -
![The Sleepwalker by Robert Muchamore]()
The Sleepwalker by Robert Muchamore
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsIn the ninth breathtaking title in the bestselling CHERUB series, James is getting into trouble on campus, while Lauren has an air crash to investigate...Categorized as:
children crime high-school law-enforcement realistic action-adventure book contemporary -
![The Alcatraz Escape by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman]()
The Alcatraz Escape by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsSleuthing duo Emily and James tackle their most challenging mystery yet set on the haunting Alcatraz Island in Book 3 of the New York Times bestselling Book Scavenger series!Legendary literary game-maker Garrison Griswold is back in action―this time with “Unlock the Rock... -
![The Odds of Getting Even by Sheila Turnage]()
The Odds of Getting Even by Sheila Turnage
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsHumor and action abound in this second follow-up to the Newbery honor winner and New York Times bestseller, Three Times LuckyThe trial of the century has come to Tupelo Landing, NC. Mo and Dale, aka Desperado Detectives, head to court as star witnesses against Dale's daddy--confessed kidnapper Macon Johnson. Dale's nerves are jangled, but Mo, who doesn't mind getting even with Mr... -
![The Highland Falcon Thief: Adventures on Trains #1 by M.G. Leonard, Sam Sedgman]()
The Highland Falcon Thief: Adventures on Trains #1 by M.G. Leonard, Sam Sedgman
Rated: 4.29 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWhen eleven-year-old Harrison "Hal" Beck is forced to accompany his travel-writer uncle on the last journey of a royal train, he expects a boring trip spent away from video games and children his age.But then Hal spots a girl who should not be on board, and he quickly makes friends with the stowaway, Lenny... -
![Shatterproof by Roland Smith]()
Shatterproof by Roland Smith
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 27 ratingsAfter pulling some spectacular heists, Amy and Dan have become two of Interpol's most wanted criminals. So when Vesper One orders them to steal the world's largest diamond, they know they're facing life in prison...or worse. But with the Cahill hostages still in peril, Amy and Dan have no choice but to launch a mission that leads them to an ancient city full of dangerous secrets... -
![Sammy Keyes and the Wild Things by Wendelin Van Draanen]()
Sammy Keyes and the Wild Things by Wendelin Van Draanen
Rated: 4.27 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsThis is not the summer camping trip of Sammy's dreams. She imagined shady glades, meandering streams, a deer or two. What she gets are scrubby shrubs, blazing sun, rattlesnakes, ticks, and scorpions. Her fellow campers are desperate to catch a rare glimpse of an endangered condor. To Sammy, the trip is nothing more than the painful in pursuit of the unspeakably ugly...Categorized as:
children crime law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
![Mr. Lemoncello's All-Star Breakout Game by Chris Grabenstein]()
Mr. Lemoncello's All-Star Breakout Game by Chris Grabenstein
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsMr. Lemoncello is going LIVE ACROSS THE NATION with his brand new television BREAKOUT!After months of anticipation, Mr. Lemoncello is launching his first-ever GAME SHOW on the world-famous Kidzapalooza TV network—where kids rule! Kyle can't wait to audition! But only a lucky few will make it through the auditions to compete in front of MILLIONS of viewers in Mr...Categorized as:
children friendship law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
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![Mr. Lemoncello's Great Library Race by Chris Grabenstein]()
Mr. Lemoncello's Great Library Race by Chris Grabenstein
Rated: 4.22 of 5 stars · 18 ratings#1 New York Times bestselling author Chris Grabenstein is back with the third fantastically fun, puzzle-packed MR. LEMONCELLO adventure!On your marks. Get set. Lemon, cello, GO!Everyone's favorite game maker, Mr...Categorized as:
children family friendship law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook book -
![Shadow Wave by Robert Muchamore]()
Shadow Wave by Robert Muchamore
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 21 ratingsA CHERUB agent must choose between the agency and his own beliefs in the twelfth and final book of the CHERUB series, which Rick Riordan says has “plenty of action.”CHERUB agents are highly trained, extremely talented—and all under the age of seventeen. For official purposes, these agents do not exist... -
![Vrije val by Robert Muchamore]()
Vrije val by Robert Muchamore
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 25 ratingsLeon is a small time crook who's ridden his luck for three decades. When he starts splashing big money around, the cops are desperate to know where it came from.James' latest mission looks routine: make friends with Leon's kids, infiltrate his home and dig up some leads.But the plot James begins to unravel isn't what anyone expected...Categorized as:
children crime high-school law-enforcement realistic teens action-adventure audiobook -
![Golden Gate by James Ponti]()
Golden Gate by James Ponti
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsAfter thwarting a notorious villain at an eco-summit in Paris, the City Spies are gearing up for their next mission. Operating out of a base in Scotland, this secret team of young agents working for the British Secret Intelligence Service’s MI6 division have honed their unique skills, such as sleight of hand, breaking and entering, observation, and explosives...Categorized as:
children crime family friendship law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook -
![Public Enemies by Gordon Korman]()
Public Enemies by Gordon Korman
Rated: 4.21 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsWANTED...Aiden and Meg Falconer have been crossing the country as fugitives in order to prove their parents didn't commit a crime. In a world where criminals are celebrities and news coverage is 24-7, the Falconers are finding it very hard to hide from their unwanted fame. They've been chased from state to state by the FBI... and by a killer they know only as Hairless Joe...Categorized as:
children crime family law-enforcement realistic action-adventure book children-books -
![Sammy Keyes and the Psycho Kitty Queen by Wendelin Van Draanen]()
Sammy Keyes and the Psycho Kitty Queen by Wendelin Van Draanen
Rated: 4.20 of 5 stars · 15 ratings"The most winning junior detective ever in teen lit. (Take that, Nancy Drew!)" —Midwest Children's Book Review It's Sammy's birthday, which should be a good thing, except that Dorito, Sammy's cat, is missing, and while Sammy's searching for him, she finds three dead cats in dumpsters around town...Categorized as:
children crime law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook book children-books -
![The Mysterious Benedict Society: Mr. Benedict's Book of Perplexing Puzzles, Elusive Enigmas, and Curious Conundrums by Trenton Lee Stewart, Diana Sudyka]()
The Mysterious Benedict Society: Mr. Benedict's Book of Perplexing Puzzles, Elusive Enigmas, and Curious Conundrums by Trenton Lee Stewart, Diana Sudyka
Rated: 4.19 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsThis exclusive companion book to the bestselling Mysterious Benedict Society series is a mind-bending collection that will put YOU to the test! With full-color artwork throughout, this companion features ingenious new puzzles, riddles, and brainteasers compiled by Mr. Benedict himself, with the help of Reynie, Kate, Sticky, Constance, and other Society associates...Categorized as:
children friendship law-enforcement realistic action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
![Stolen Children by Peg Kehret]()
Stolen Children by Peg Kehret
Rated: 4.24 of 5 stars · 29 ratingsAmy learned a lot in her babysitting course, but not what to do if two thugs show up, intent on kidnapping. Armed with misinformation and a weapon, the men take Amy and little Kendra to a remote cabin in the woods. There they make videos of the girls and mail them to Kendra’s wealthy parents in an effort to get ransom money...Categorized as:
children crime family friendship law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook -
!["Shouldn't You Be in School?" by Lemony Snicket]()
"Shouldn't You Be in School?" by Lemony Snicket
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsIs Lemony Snicket a detective or a smoke detector? Do you smell smoke? Young apprentice Lemony Snicket is investigating a case of arson but soon finds himself enveloped in the ever-increasing mystery that haunts the town of Stain'd-by-the-Sea...Categorized as:
children crime family friendship law-enforcement realistic action-adventure audiobook -
![London Calling by James Ponti]()
London Calling by James Ponti
Rated: 4.50 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsIn this sixth installment in the New York Times bestselling series from Edgar Award winner James Ponti, the young group of spies stage a rescue in Rome.Cairo, the newest member of the City Spies, takes the lead when his sister disappears in Istanbul. Determined to save the family of one of their own, the team risks discovery as their search leads them to Rome... -
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![Scorpia (Alex Rider) by Anthony Horowitz]()
Scorpia (Alex Rider) by Anthony Horowitz
Rated: 4.16 of 5 stars · 49 ratingsScholastic Inc. Trade Paperback, 2006, with 312 pages. - Alex Rider, teen spy, has always been told he is the spitting image of the father he never knew. But when he learns that his father may have been an assassin for the most lethal and powerful organization in the world, Scorpia, Alex's world shatters. Now Scorpia wants him on their side. Alex learns their newest plot...Categorized as:
children crime high-school law-enforcement realistic teens action-adventure audiobook -
![Dare You by Jennifer Brown]()
Dare You by Jennifer Brown
Rated: 4.25 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsIn the second book of the suspenseful Shade Me trilogy, Nikki Kill becomes embroiled in another mystery where only her synesthesia can help her unravel the dark truth.Nikki Kill didn’t realize that trying to find out who killed Peyton Hollis would tangle her in a web of dangerous family secrets that would rock her identity to the core... -
![Deep Water by Watt Key]()
Deep Water by Watt Key
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA middle grade survival story about a scuba dive gone wrong and two enemies who must unite to survive.It's the most important rule of scuba diving: If you don't feel right, don't go down.So after her father falls ill, twelve-year-old Julie Sims must take over and lead two of his clients on a dive miles off the coast of Alabama while her father stays behind in the boat... -
![Dead Man's Cove by Lauren St. John]()
Dead Man's Cove by Lauren St. John
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsWhen orphaned Laura Marlin moves from a children's home to live with her uncle in Cornwall, she longs for an exciting life just like the characters in her favourite detective novels. A real life adventure is on hand as she is deposited at her uncle's spooky house...Categorized as:
children crime friendship law-enforcement action-adventure book children-books contemporary -
![The Light Jar by Lisa Thompson]()
The Light Jar by Lisa Thompson
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 12 ratingsA story of fear and hope, loneliness and friendship -- full of the heart, engaging characters, and propulsive, page-turning mystery that made The Goldfish Boy so beloved.Nate and his mother are running away. Fleeing from an emotionally abusive situation, they hide out in an abandoned cottage in the middle of a forest. Though it's old and run-down, at least it's a place of their own... -
![Live Wire by Harlan Coben]()
Live Wire by Harlan Coben
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 31 ratingsHarlan Coben has risen to the top of bestseller lists worldwide, attracting voracious audiences for his peerless novels of domestic suspense as well as those featuring his fan-favorite sports agent, Myron Bolitar. Now in Live Wire, he offers a knock-your-socks-off novel that will electrify all his fans: Myron’s family takes center stage... -
![Now You See Them, Now You Don't by Gordon Korman]()
Now You See Them, Now You Don't by Gordon Korman
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 14 ratingsCATCH THEM...One man holds the key to freeing Aiden and Meg Falconer's parents from prison: a mysterious figure named Frank Lindenauer. Aiden and Meg must cross the country to try to catch him... even as the FBI tries to catch them first.In California, Aiden and Meg fall in with a crowd that already has its share of trouble. They want to believe they've found friends who will help them out...Categorized as:
children crime family law-enforcement realistic action-adventure book children-books -
![Sammy Keyes & the Runaway Elf by Wendelin Van Draanen]()
Sammy Keyes & the Runaway Elf by Wendelin Van Draanen
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 15 ratingsIt's Christmas, but leave it to Sammy Keyes to find trouble even in the midst of the holiday parade. Trying to help a friend, she reluctantly volunteers on the Canine Calendar float, only to have the famous cover dog dog-napped on her watch! The animal's owner orders Sammy to find the dog before the $50,000 ransom being demanded comes due... -
![Kalahari by Jessica Khoury]()
Kalahari by Jessica Khoury
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 16 ratingsDeep in the Kalahari Desert, a Corpus lab protects a dangerous secret…But what happens when that secret takes on a life of its own? When an educational safari goes wrong, five teens find themselves stranded in the Kalahari Desert without a guide... -
![Framed by Gordon Korman, Jonathan Todd Ross]()
Framed by Gordon Korman, Jonathan Todd Ross
Rated: 4.11 of 5 stars · 18 ratingsThe sequel to Gordon Korman's ZOOBREAK - Griffin Bing, the Man with a Plan, has been framed!Griffin Bing's new principal doesn't like him. And Griffin doesn't like the boot camp football atmosphere the new principal has brought. Griffin manages to stay out of trouble -- until a Super Bowl ring disappears from the school's display case, with Griffin's retainer left in its place...Categorized as:
children crime friendship high-school law-enforcement realistic sports action-adventure -
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![Found by Harlan Coben]()
Found by Harlan Coben
Rated: 4.08 of 5 stars · 24 ratingsMurder. Mystery. High School.A new Mickey Bolitar novel following on from Shelter and Seconds Away.It’s been eight months since Mickey Bolitar witnessed the tragic death of his father.Eight months of lies, dark secrets and unanswered questions.As if that wasn’t bad enough, Mickey’s sophomore year of high school brings on a whole new set of troubles...Categorized as:
crime friendship high-school law-enforcement realistic sports abuse action-adventure -
![Eagle Strike by Anthony Horowitz]()
Eagle Strike by Anthony Horowitz
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 45 ratingsROGUE AGENT!Sir Damian Cray: Millions adore him. He is a philanthropist, peace activist, and the world's most famous vintage pop star. But still it's not enough - not if he is to save the world. Trouble is, only Alex Rider recognizes that it's the world that needs saving from Sir Damian Cray...Categorized as:
children crime friendship high-school law-enforcement realistic teens action-adventure -
![The Medusa Plot by Gordon Korman]()
The Medusa Plot by Gordon Korman
Rated: 4.10 of 5 stars · 39 ratingsAre you ready to save the world? The bestselling series returns with an adventure spanning 6 explosive books, 2 secret-filled card packs, and a website that places readers right in the action.Thirteen-year-old Dan Cahill and his older sister, Amy, thought they belonged to the world's most powerful family. They thought the hunt for 39 Clues leading to the source of that power was over... -
![The Fugitive Factor by Gordon Korman]()
The Fugitive Factor by Gordon Korman
Rated: 4.14 of 5 stars · 26 ratingsNOWHERE TO HIDE.Aiden and Meg Falconer are out to find the evidence that will free their parents from a life sentence in prison. But in order to do that, they have to live undercover. Ever since they broke out of a juvenile detention facility, they've been chased by the FBI... and by a strange killer they've nicknamed Hairless Joe...Categorized as:
children crime family law-enforcement realistic action-adventure book children-books -
![Break Us by Jennifer Brown]()
Break Us by Jennifer Brown
Rated: 4.17 of 5 stars · 6 ratingsNikki Kill doesn’t see the world in black and white. Her synesthesia shades everything in view, transforming numbers, words, and emotions into colorful clues. Which means she’s a dangerous commodity to anyone with something to hide.Nikki has already taken on the Hollises—one of L.A.’s most powerful families—for murdering her half sister, Peyton...Categorized as:
family friendship high-school law-enforcement realistic action-adventure book contemporary -
![Almost True by Keren David]()
Almost True by Keren David
Rated: 4.13 of 5 stars · 8 ratingsRuthless killers are hunting Ty so the police move him and his mum to a quiet seaside town. But a horrific attack and a bullet meant for Ty prove that he's not safe.On the road again, Ty's in hiding with complete strangers . . . who seem to know a lot about him. Meanwhile he's desperate to see his girlfriend Claire, and terrified that she may betray him...
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