“‘She’s good at this type of thing.’
‘What, irritating people?’ asked Mrs Knox.
‘Yes, but also solving mysteries,’ explained Uncle Bernie.”

When we last saw Friday Barnes she was being arrested, rudely interrupted while she was indulging in a second slice of chocolate cake, having just solved the case of Highcrest Academy’s swamp yeti. We pick up Friday’s story with her arrest.

“‘Will you do “good cop, bad cop”, or are you doing it already and that’s why you’re being nice to me?’”

Rather than becoming the central plot of this book, the story of Friday’s arrest is cleared up very quickly. Then we turn our attention to the problems of other Highcrest Academy students, who all now know that Friday is the girl detective that will solve them.

“‘I assume you need help. Like the vast majority of students at this school, you have never spoken to me voluntarily.’”

In this book, Friday applies her photographic memory to competitive baking and competitive rocket launching. She also solves a kidnapping and ponders the mystery of the man she met in the police station. Then we navigate our way around all of the holes that staff and students keep falling into all over the school grounds. We even discover why Friday is banned from the school library.

Melanie, Friday’s best (and possibly only) friend, is really growing on me. Her ability to go from vague to astute in an instant has endeared her to me and I find her fondness of naps very relatable.

We are introduced to a new Year 10 student, Christopher. The addition of a second handsome boy to the series immediately caused speculation of a ‘love triangle’, despite Friday and Ian denying they are in love with one another. Given Friday is only eleven I could do without so much of Melanie’s conversation revolving around her best friend’s potential love life.

Two books in and I’m already beginning to wonder if every book is going to end with the core mystery being solved and a sudden cliffhanger that comes out of nowhere. The mysteries are still fun though and I’m enjoying the creative laziness of many of Highcrest Academy’s teachers. I’m hoping Uncle Bernie finds a way to drop in during the next book for more than a few pages.