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  • Published: 2 January 2018
  • ISBN: 9780143784210
  • Imprint: Random House Australia
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 256

Friday Barnes 8: Never Fear

The bestselling detective series




Friday's time at Highcrest is running out!

Friday's time at Highcrest is running out!

The new headmaster is turning everything upside down. Friday's irritatingly high IQ has her fast-tracked to graduation, while a pair of incriminating pants puts Ian on the rocky road to expulsion.

When a rumour emerges of embezzled gold stashed on the school grounds, Friday is determined to uncover the truth. But some big questions remain: Can she stay out of detention long enough to solve the mystery? How will Melanie survive without Friday to tell her what class she's in? And will Friday ever get that first kiss with Ian?

With implosions and explosions everywhere, Friday Barnes will have to use her head and get a grip on her beating heart in order to find the gold that lies within.

  • Published: 2 January 2018
  • ISBN: 9780143784210
  • Imprint: Random House Australia
  • Format: EBook
  • Pages: 256

Other books in the series

About the author

R.A. Spratt

R.A. Spratt was born in the UK and lived in Dursley, Gloucestershire – a town immortalised by Harry Potter’s deeply unpleasant relatives – until she was two years old. Then, like many ambitious English people cursed with regional accents so strong no other British person can take them seriously, her family moved to Australia.

The tedium of growing up in the western suburbs of Sydney was fertiliser to the growth of R.A.’s imagination. The only thing for a kid to do was get on a bicycle and go to the library, so R.A. Spratt did just that. Once there, she read everything, devouring the books of Arthur Ransome, Enid Blyton, Roald Dahl, Robin Klein and Judy Blume, and audiotapes of Shakespeare productions and Sherlock Holmes dramatisations. And so, her young mind was formed, and set on the path of becoming the extraordinary author she is today.

Now based in Bowral NSW, she's the bestselling writer of dozens of absurd and witty books including Friday Barnes, The Adventures of Nanny Piggins, The Peski Kids and the Shockingly and Astonishingly Good Stories collections. Her podcast, Bedtime Stories with R.A. Spratt, has had over 4 million downloads and connects R.A. with story-lovers across the globe.

For more information, visit raspratt.com

Also by R.A. Spratt

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Praise for Friday Barnes 8: Never Fear

I like that Spratt has portrayed Friday as a strong, capable and smart young woman, who shows other young girls that they can be all of these things too. There is no damsel in distress, or girls reliant on boys, but the book is all about young women making choices that are smart (most of the time) and well thought out (sometimes), and boys that are messy and pretending not to like girls (sounds familiar right).

Allison, Little Big Reads

All of her usual flair continues in this funny outing for this wonderful quirky main character. This time a little romance sneaks into the equation, showing readers a different side of her character. She is self sufficient, daring and clever, and is sure to attract the most fastidious of readers.

Fran Knight, ReadPlus

Awards & recognition

Sisters in Crime Davitt Award

Longlisted  •  2019  •  Best Children's Crime Novel

WAYBRA Children's Choice Awards

Shortlisted  •  2019  •  Younger Readers

YABBA Children's Choice Awards

Shortlisted  •  2022  •  Fiction for Older Readers

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