The Crystal Code

It's nearly Christmas. Gerald, Ruby and Sam are meeting up with Alisha and Gerald's Australian school friend Ox for two weeks of snowboarding in the mountains of California. It's a dream vacation for the world's youngest billionaire.

But soon after they arrive—by helicopter, with Gerald's butler Mr Fry at the controls, of course—the private chalet is attacked. Gerald and the gang escape through a secret passage, only to be pursued on snowmobiles by men with guns across frozen lakes and into the path of a cascading avalanche.

Could this be the work of Gerald's nemesis Sir Mason Green, recently escaped from prison? Or is someone else behind the attack? Does the old dry cleaning ticket Gerald found amongst.

Green's belongings hold the key? And how does an invitation to join the secretive Billionaire's Club land Gerald in so much trouble?

Join Gerald and his friends in the USA, the Czech Republic and a tiny island in Sweden for a new thrilling adventure. After all, with all that money, there's got to be more to the story.

About the Author

Richard Newsome (1964 - still kicking) was born in Wanganui, New Zealand and lived the first few years of his life on a small farm among the sheep and pigs. His family moved to Australia when he was two-and-a-half and generously took him along as well.

He enjoyed school but despite decent grades chose to become a journalist. He spent many years chasing police cars, ambulances and politicians. He eventually went to university and graduated with a first class honours degree in economics, which still doesn't get him decent tables at restaurants. He worked in business for a bunch of years but decided that ditching his career and becoming an author was more dignified than buying a red convertible.

His debut novel The Billionaire's Curse, which won the Text Prize for Young Adult and Children's Literature in Australia, is the first in a trilogy and is being published in seven countries.

Richard stands six foot two in his socks and one day hopes to afford some shoes.