Middle schooler Ben Ripley is looking forward to hanging out with his best friend at home for the summer after enduring his first year at a CIA-run boarding school for future spies. But it turns out summer school is required. The camp setting eases the sting a little, until Ben discovers SPYDER, the secret organization wanting to overthrow the CIA and dominate world espionage, wants Ben to join them. They've given him twenty-four hours to say yes, or die. He tells his friend, super student Erica Hale, but the CIA sends her father, Alexander, to help instead. Unfortunately, Alexander's reputation as a super spy belies his limited talent and gift for bumbling. Stuart Gibbs keeps the premise fresh and funny in this sequel to Spy School (Simon & Schuster, 2012), with new revelations about the Hale family spy dynasty in particular while continuing to develop Ben and other characters. The setup to the climax involving a Civil War reenactment is especially hilarious in this action-packed, tongue-in-cheek offering. (Ages 9-12)