Eagle Strike by Anthony Horowitz (Alex Rider #4)

While on holiday with his friend Sabina Pleasure and her family, an attempt is made on Sabina's father's life. When Alex learns his old foe, Yassen Gregorovich the man who killed his uncle, is behind it, he is determined to find out who would want to kill the journalist. Alex's curiosity leads him to Damian Cray, the ultra-rich philanthropist pop star who has an insane plan to save the world no matter the cost.

Another crazy madman, another crazy adventure. It's par for the course for Alex Rider at this point.  What is it with villains that in these books that they leave Alex alone with some trap? It's like in Austin Powers:

Dr. Evil: Scott, I want you to meet daddy's nemesis, Austin Powers
Scott Evil: What? Are you feeding him? Why don't you just kill him?
Dr. Evil: I have an even better idea. I'm going to place him in an easily escapable situation involving an overly elaborate and exotic death.
Dr. Evil: All right guard, begin the unnecessarily slow-moving dipping mechanism.
[guard starts dipping mechanism]
Dr. Evil: Close the tank!
Scott Evil: Wait, aren't you even going to watch them? They could get away!
Dr. Evil: No no no, I'm going to leave them alone and not actually witness them dying, I'm just gonna assume it all went to plan. What?
Scott Evil: I have a gun, in my room, you give me five seconds, I'll get it, I'll come back down here, BOOM, I'll blow their brains out!
Dr. Evil: Scott, you just don't get it, do ya? You don't.

So a giant video game set and they just leave him alone. So dumb. But it wouldn't be much of a book if they just shot him. But as adventure spy thrillers go, it is a pretty good book. I'll definitely finish the series but I am going to take a break for a couple of books, I think. It's funny because there was a giant reveal at the end of this book that leaves Alex and the reader questioning everything we've known about Alex's father up to this book. So I definitely want to find out about that.

Alex Rider
Stormbreaker
Point Blank
Skeleton Key