The Billionaire's Curse

August 23, 2010
Hailing from Australia, Newsome's debut (the first in the Archer Legacy series) is a fun, if generally predictable tale of a boy who suddenly finds himself rich and embroiled in a deadly adventure. Gerald Wilkins has just learned that his great-aunt Geraldine has left him her entire fortune, even though he's never met her. As his absentee parents take off on a trip around the world, Gerald discovers a note from his grandmother informing him that her death was actually a murder, and he is soon on the trail of the missing Noor Jehan diamond. Along the way, he picks up two companions, twins Ruby and Sam, and as the three children make their way through London and the countryside, they discover suspects around every corner. Newsome's world is the sort in which almost all adults are either dastardly or incompetent (Geraldine's mother is practically villainous in her money-grubbing), and the ageism wears thin. Fortunately, the brisk pacing and easy camaraderie between Gerald, Ruby, and Sam should ensure that young readers have a blast. Ages 8–12.

May 1, 2010
Grades 4-6 This over-the-top first novel and series debut introduces Gerald Wilkins, an Australian youth whos the recent heir to a fortune bequeathed to him by an English aunt he barely knew. While Geralds giddy, irresponsible parents use his good fortune to take a Caribbean vacation, the 12-year-old stays behind in London, facing threats connected to the recent theft of a world-renowned diamond. His attempts to piece together how his aunts death and the diamond are connected involves sleuthing about museums and stuffy clubs, and leads to a dastardly attempt on his life by a creepy man of overwhelming strength who smells of bleach. Luckily, twins Ruby and Sam intervene, saving the new billionaire, and the threesome become fast friends. The plot is rife with killings, suspects, ancient clues, and booby-trapped caverns straight out of an Indiana Jones movie. Newsome relies too much on far-fetched coincidences to drive her plot. Still, readers who enjoy quick-reading mysteries likely will not mind.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)

July 1, 2010
Gr 5–8—-ussie Gerald Archer Wilkins, 13, becomes a reluctant billionaire when he inherits his great-aunt Geraldine's fortune. In a letter, Geraldine predicts her murder and asks him to investigate it and its connection to the theft of a priceless diamond from the British Museum. Gerald dutifully visits the institution but encounters difficulties when a threatening man demands answers at knifepoint. The boy picks up the obligatory sidekicks, twins Sam and Ruby Valentine, when they rescue him. The teens move from London to the new billionaire's country estate as they identify the thieves, using a set of mystical clues. An action-packed denouement complete with rats, snakes, and booby traps uncovers the true villain in this planned trilogy. Newsome's story will appeal to fans of "39 Clues"-style adventure-mysteries. While the dramatic escape scenes create a delicious urgency, the story is fairly predictable, and most readers will identify the villain quickly, despite the large cast of characters. Almost all of the twists occur when Gerald has a supernatural vision, so the plot lacks a degree of inner strength. Character development is nonexistent. The boy learns how to use a credit card and bribe taxi drivers, but his adventures instill in him no great resolve, except possibly a strong survival instinct. That said, many middle schoolers will enjoy this title without prompting, and adventure books are always in demand.—"Caitlin Augusta, Stratford Library Association, CT"

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2010
A great-aunt Gerald never met leaves him twenty billion pounds and a note telling him to find her murderer. Threats from greedy strangers put Gerald on a search for a diamond casket whose importance he doesn't understand. The story's climax portends more mystery in later volumes. Gerald functions well as a normal kid mystified by his circumstances.

(Copyright 2010 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)