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Cover of Skeleton Key by Anthony HorowitzSkeleton Key
Modern · Fiction, Thriller, Young Adult

Skeleton Key

by Anthony Horowitz
2002 · 352 pages · Fiction
Lifetime bestseller
≈ 9 hours to read · about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day

What it's about

Alex Rider has been through a lot for fourteen: shot at by terrorists, chased down a mountain, face to face with evil. But now he faces a man who has lost everything, his country and his only son, and who happens to have a nuclear weapon and a grudge against the world.

Why it's worth reading

It's on the BBC's Big Read. The Alex Rider series is one of the most popular spy series for young readers.

You'll love it if you liked

Good to know

It's the third Alex Rider book; start with Stormbreaker.

By the numbers

66.3Must-Read Score
  • Readers58 out of 100 · counts 42%
  • Critics0 out of 100 · counts 14%
  • Bestseller34 out of 100 · counts 34% (its stronger lane)
  • Buzz0 out of 100 · counts 10%

Critics and Bestseller are two ways to earn a place: a book's stronger one counts more. Buzz rewards recent bestseller weeks and prizes, so older books start at zero. The parts combine into the Must-Read Score, shown on a scale where the best book we found scores 99 and the last book to make the ranking scores 50.

Where it ranks

Why it made the list

On the lists
BBC's The Big Read

Reads as

Gripping, Adventurous

How we rank

Already read it? Upload your Goodreads or StoryGraph history and get the 50 best books you haven't read, tuned to your taste.Get my 50

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Explore the best-of lists

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Quick answers

Is Skeleton Key worth reading?

Yes. It's on the BBC's Big Read. It ranks #1,729 of the 2,816 books in our ranking, with a Must-Read Score of 66.3 (the best book we found scores 99).

What is Skeleton Key about?

Alex Rider has been through a lot for fourteen: shot at by terrorists, chased down a mountain, face to face with evil. But now he faces a man who has lost everything, his country and his only son, and who happens to have a nuclear weapon and a grudge against the world.

How long does it take to read Skeleton Key?

About 9 hours (352 pages), or about 3 weeks at 30 minutes a day.

What should I read after Skeleton Key?

If you liked it, try Point Blanc by Anthony Horowitz, Stormbreaker by Anthony Horowitz or The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan.