Cover of The Recruit
Cover of Class A
Cover of Maximum Security
Cover of The Killing
Cover of Divine Madness
Cover of Mad Dogs
Series

CHERUB

7 books

Here are 7 books from the CHERUB series by Robert Muchamore. Start with The Recruit (2005), then read the rest in the order below.

Books in order

1
Cover of The Recruit

The Recruit

Robert Muchamore

Meet James, a brilliant but troubled teenager who finds himself recruited into CHERUB—a covert organization that trains elite agents under seventeen to carry out dangerous intelligence missions that adults could never accomplish. With no gadgets, no weapons, and no official existence, CHERUB operatives infiltrate terrorist networks, hack critical systems, and gather intelligence on global threats by exploiting the one advantage adults never expect: that children could be spying on them. But before James can deploy into the field, he must survive one hundred grueling days of basic training—a brutal gauntlet designed to break even the most resilient recruits. In this high-stakes thriller, a desperate teenager discovers that his only way forward is through an impossible ordeal that will test his intelligence, his courage, and his will to survive. Robert Muchamore launches readers into a world of espionage, danger, and moral complexity where childhood ends and the real mission begins.

Adventure FictionSpy FictionComing of Age
2
Cover of Class A

Class A

Robert Muchamore

In this thrilling installment, young operative James Adams faces his most dangerous assignment to date. Tasked with infiltrating the inner circle of Europe's most notorious drug lord, James must rely on his specialized skills and unwavering courage. The mission demands absolute precision as he navigates a treacherous world of crime and deception, aiming to dismantle a vast criminal empire from its very core. This high-stakes operation will test the limits of his training and resolve as he races against time to bring a powerful kingpin to justice.

FictionAdventure FictionThriller
3
Cover of Maximum Security

Maximum Security

Robert Muchamore

In the thrilling world of CHERUB, teenage agents undertake dangerous missions that adults never suspect. James is thrust into his most perilous assignment yet, infiltrating Arizona Max, a maximum-security prison housing hundreds of young offenders. His target: the son of a notorious weapons dealer supplying deadly arms to terrorists. James must navigate the brutal realities of prison life and earn the trust of his target to get close to the father's illicit operations. But with the stakes higher than ever, getting in is only the first challenge; escaping with the intel and his life will be the ultimate test.

Adventure FictionThrillerSpy Fiction
4
Cover of The Killing

The Killing

Robert Muchamore

For thirty years, small-time crook Leon has managed to stay one step ahead of the law, but his sudden display of wealth attracts unwanted attention. Young operative James is tasked with a seemingly straightforward mission: befriend Leon's children and infiltrate his life to uncover the source of his newfound fortune. However, the deeper James digs, the more he realizes the situation is far more complex and dangerous than anticipated. The key to unlocking the truth may lie with an eighteen-year-old boy, a boy who tragically died thirteen months prior, leaving behind a mystery that could shatter everything.

MysteryThrillerDetective Fiction
5
Cover of Divine Madness

Divine Madness

Robert Muchamore

In this gripping installment of the series, James faces his greatest psychological challenge yet when he's sent on a dangerous infiltration mission to Australia. Embedded within a manipulative cult, he must navigate sophisticated brainwashing techniques designed to strip away his identity and force conformity. As the pressure to surrender his will intensifies, James fights desperately to maintain control of his own mind while maintaining his cover. With his sense of self hanging in the balance, he must determine how far he's willing to go—and what he's willing to sacrifice—to complete the mission. Muchamore delivers a tense, psychologically complex thriller that explores the fragile nature of identity and the power of manipulation.

Adventure FictionSpy FictionPsychological Thriller
7

The Fall

Robert Muchamore

The Fall

Robert Muchamore

In a world where certainty fractures and loyalties are tested, a single fall becomes the spark for a far-reaching reckoning. As events unfold, characters are forced to confront what they’ve sacrificed, what they’ve denied, and what they can no longer escape—turning private choices into public consequences. Blending psychological tension with moral urgency, the novel explores themes of guilt, resilience, and the thin line between downfall and renewal. Written in a sharply observant, early-20th-century style, it delivers a compelling, character-driven drama that lingers long after the last page.

FictionHistorical Fiction
8
Cover of Mad Dogs

Mad Dogs

Robert Muchamore

In the gritty underbelly of the British underworld, a brutal turf war erupts between rival gangs, plunging the streets into chaos. The police, desperate for an edge, turn to an unlikely secret weapon: CHERUB. These highly trained operatives, all under seventeen, leverage the element of surprise, as criminals rarely suspect children are their spies. James Adams, a young agent, must go deep undercover into the heart of the most dangerous gang to gather crucial intelligence and defuse the escalating violence before it's too late.

FictionAdventure FictionThriller