The Recruit book cover by Robert Muchamore

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The store links use this book's US print edition, ISBN 9781442413603.

Where The Recruit sits

Series
Book 1 of CHERUB. See all CHERUB books in order
The book before
None. This is where the series starts.
The book after
The Dealer
Order checked
Last checked: September 24, 2026, against simonandschuster.com

What The Recruit is about

The setup only, with no spoilers. Each line names the record it rests on.

  • James is taken into CHERUB, a secret branch of MI5 made up of teenage spies. (Library of Congress; read November 6, 2026) James is recruited into CHERUB, a secret division of MI5 which consists of teenage spies
  • He has to get through its training before he is sent out on a first mission. (Library of Congress; read November 6, 2026) completes his training and goes on his first mission

The story behind The Recruit

  1. On a visit to Australia, Muchamore found his twelve-year-old nephew complaining that there was nothing good to read. (muchamore.com; read November 6, 2026)
  2. In 2001 he started a book with the plain working title KN1, short for Kids Novel 1. (muchamore.com; read November 6, 2026)
  3. By the time he finished it, its title had become CHERUB. (muchamore.com; read November 6, 2026)
  4. Hodder Children's Books bought it in March 2003, and it came out in April 2004 as The Recruit. (muchamore.com; read November 6, 2026)

All checked facts about Robert Muchamore

Topics in this book

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Topics

Reading ages

  • Young Adult

Other books in CHERUB

12 books listed so far

  1. Book 2: The Dealer
  2. Book 3: Maximum Security
  3. Book 4: The Killing
  4. Book 5: Divine Madness
  5. Book 6: Man vs. Beast
  6. Book 7: The Fall
  7. Book 8: Mad Dogs
  8. Book 9: The Sleepwalker
  9. Book 10: The General
  10. Book 11: Brigands M.C.
  11. Book 12: Shadow Wave

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