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The Billionaire's Curse (Billionaire #1)

by Richard Newsome (Goodreads Author)

3.9 of 5 stars 3.90 · rating details · 651 ratings · 127 reviews

What would you do if you suddenly became a billionaire?

Gerald has just become the richest thirteen-year-old on the planet. The world's most valuable diamond has been stolen, and it seems there has been a murder.

Now Gerald's life is in danger.

Paperback, 355 pages

Published August 3rd 2009 by Text Publishing

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Nov 18, 2009 Karen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: australian, crime, young-adult, review-books

Remember when you were a kid and The Adventurous Four, The Famous Five and The Secret Seven were just the ticket for an exciting read (okay so you have to be of "a certain age" for that to apply), but I still remember how satisfying those books were. An adventure, a puzzle that had to be solved - by a bunch of kids of a similar age to yourself, all done and dusted and home in time for tea. Many a person "of a certain age" will attest that these books were the ones that got them started on a life...more Remember when you were a kid and The Adventurous Four, The Famous Five and The Secret Seven were just the ticket for an exciting read (okay so you have to be of "a certain age" for that to apply), but I still remember how satisfying those books were. An adventure, a puzzle that had to be solved - by a bunch of kids of a similar age to yourself, all done and dusted and home in time for tea. Many a person "of a certain age" will attest that these books were the ones that got them started on a life-long love of reading. Perhaps that's partly because they were so easy to identify with, or had scenarios that the average kid could aspire to, dream of. THE BILLIONAIRE'S CURSE could very well be the same sort of book for kids of a current age.

Definitely set in a more current day world - the book blurb starts off with "What would you do if you suddenly became a billionaire?". It's the story of 13 year old Australian boy Gerald, who comes from a relatively staid, standard suburban life enlivened mostly by fantasies of great deeds and heroics. He could never have imagined the scenario that instead finds him home from school and bundled onto a luxury private jet, winging his way to London to become the richest thirteen-year-old in the world, as a hitherto unknown Great Aunt leaves the family fortune to him. Nor could he have dreamed up the theft of the world's most valuable diamond, and a murder that leads directly to Gerald's own life being in danger. Gerald's just the boy for the situation though - he's got his billionaire survival kit, he's got some new friends and they are off to solve the mystery!

Despite a considerably more current day setting and plotline than those great old books of our own childhood, there is quite a feel of the The Famous Five about the style of THE BILLIONAIRE'S CURSE. The language used is simple, yet engaging, slightly formal and every so slightly stagey, but it works. This is the sort of book that a child could read for themselves, or an adult would have great fun reading to children - either way the book works as a great entertainment, with just enough scary bits for a spot of hiding under the doona to add to the excitement.

The winner of the inaugural Text Prize for Young Adult and Children's Writing, THE BILLIONAIRE'S CURSE made this adult reader very very happy. Whilst there is something nostalgic, old-fashioned, almost comfortable about reading a kids book about kids who save the day and solve the puzzle, there is something very satisfying about the idea that kids - of all ages - are still able to find a book like THE BILLIONAIRE'S CURSE that may, just may, lead to a life-long love of reading.
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Mar 16, 2012 Brianna rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: good-books

This book is great and i would recommend this book to everyone. This is a book which i think is good for ages 10-25 mabe even older.

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May 02, 2013 Linda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

AWESOME! I actually bought book #2 first but wisely decided to get this book, #1 of the Archer Legacy, first. If you like action-packed adventure, meet Indiana Jones Jr. Never mind that the book was meant for middle grade readers; you'll love it! My only complaints about the story is that if it's meant for middle grade readers, there is a bit too much violence and Gerald, the hero, swears.

Gerald Wilkins is a 13 year-old boy living in Australia, dreaming of adventure in his mundane life. All he...more

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May 13, 2012 Tonya rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I haven't read a kids book in a long time (this one is about grades 5-8), and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. When I was done, I handed it to my 7th grade son and he read it as quickly as any book he's ever read.

The Billionaire's Curse is about a 13-year-old British boy who has to give up his holiday with friends to go to England to the funeral of a great aunt he never met. While there he discovers that he is the sole heir to her twenty billion pound fortune. His great aunt left him a note sayin...more

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Mar 01, 2011 Vicky rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Take one 12 year old kid from Australia, one dead aunt in London - who also happens to be a billionaire - add a missing diamond, disinterested parents, and a butler reminiscent of Lurch from the Addam's Family, and you get an adventure full of twists and turns, murder and mayhem.

Gerald Wilkins has never met his great aunt Geraldine, but for some reason, she leaves him her entire estate when she dies. Gerald's mother is ecstatic and immediately takes off on "vacation," dumping Gerald with his aun...more

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Feb 05, 2011 Alice rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a fun and exciting story, but the writing is a bit amateurish.... I was not surprised to discover this is the author's first novel. It reads like a screenplay, as if the author was hoping a movie studio would buy the rights to make it into a movie. The plot is pretty silly, but it's suspenseful and a fun read. Kids won't mind the plot holes.

I had planned to recommend it to my 11 year old, since there wasn't anything objectionable other than a couple of minor swear words and a lot of ac...more

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May 27, 2010 Colleen Von rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A delightful kids’ adventure with smart, capable heroes

Australian author Richard Newsome’s debut novel is a delight! The Billionaire’s Curse is the first in a trilogy and I can’t wait to read the sequels. He is a fabulous story-teller whose murder mystery full of quirky characters, spunky kids, creativity and adventure.

The story is every kids’ fantasy. Gerald Wilkins suddenly and unexpectedly inherits billions from an aunt he barely knew. He is also charged with solving her murder. Along the w...more A delightful kids’ adventure with smart, capable heroes

Australian author Richard Newsome’s debut novel is a delight! The Billionaire’s Curse is the first in a trilogy and I can’t wait to read the sequels. He is a fabulous story-teller whose murder mystery full of quirky characters, spunky kids, creativity and adventure.

The story is every kids’ fantasy. Gerald Wilkins suddenly and unexpectedly inherits billions from an aunt he barely knew. He is also charged with solving her murder. Along the way, he meets Sam and Ruby and the new friends join Gerald to solve the mysteries.

I loved the main characters. I thought the kids were great role models – they’re smart, brave, observant, and committed. They’re also good kids and the wealth and privilege does not change them. Ruby, in particular, I find refreshing as a female heroine for young girls. Ruby is clever and courageous, and she’s also the most physically fit and skillful of the group. The kids tease each other (particularly the twins, Sam and Ruby), but they are clearly devoted and thoughtful. They were real kids propelled into a fantastic adventure and I can’t wait to see them develop in Newsome’s next books.

The adventure takes Australian Gerald to aristocratic England and Newsome manages to include some wonderful passages about the countryside, London, museums, works of art. I love that the book is educational as well as a page-turner. I’m hopeful that Newsome will take us to more far-flung places in the next two installments.

Newsome’s ability to dream up quirky characters is a great gift. At first, some seem to fit a cliché, but read carefully… they are never that simple. Some characters’ true natures are revealed in the Billionaire’s Curse, but many more are left to further develop in the next 2 books. Newsome has wisely given us enough that we think we know who they will turn out to be, but has left plenty of room for surprises.

Newsome is a gifted writer – clever and witty. To have won a literary prize with his first novel is no small feat. The narration and dialog are sharp and clever. He never indulges in lengthy digressions – those “sinkholes” that ensnare so many new and seasoned writers. There are some other good storytellers in kids’ books at the moment, but I can’t think of any who write as well as Newsome.

This book is great for kids around 8 and older. (That includes adults!) This book is already being published in 8 countries after having won the Text Publishing prize in Australia. It has also been chosen as one of the Summer 2010 Kids’ Indie Next books, selected by independent booksellers as a great read for kids 9-12. I expect the series to take off and it will be ripe for a movie! Keep your eye out for Newsome - he is an author to watch!
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Oct 25, 2011 BurningYourBooks rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade-reader

What a crudy book! The only thing preventing me from giving this book a one star rating instead of two is because, despite it's numerous flaws, I can see where this book would be a good selection for parents or teachers looking for a book for the male elementary school reluctant reader demographic. I think for students who have a hard time getting through books this would make a good selection but *only as a last resort*.

This book was filled with a lot of toilet humor and quite a few hurtful mes...more What a crudy book! The only thing preventing me from giving this book a one star rating instead of two is because, despite it's numerous flaws, I can see where this book would be a good selection for parents or teachers looking for a book for the male elementary school reluctant reader demographic. I think for students who have a hard time getting through books this would make a good selection but *only as a last resort*.

This book was filled with a lot of toilet humor and quite a few hurtful messages. Throughout the book people were continually being set on fire or shot to death in front of children, being shot in the butt (And may I take the time to say that Newsome has a rather weird preoccupation with people's backsides? Police officers get shot in the butt until they pass out, a girl is referred to as a "pig's arse", etc it's bizarre to say the least) and most of all the adults are made out to be the most inept, villainous creatures on the planet. If there was any obsession in this book greater than the butt one, it had to be the author's dogged refusal to portray any adult as anything other than an enemy.

Early on in the novel our bland as a cup of uncooked oatmeal protagonist Gerald is bullied in front of the whole class by his teacher. And when I say bullied, I do mean bullied. There's no way that a teacher with that kind of behavior wouldn't have been fired years ago, and yet it's just another one of the adult behaviors that Newsome just lets slide. Gerald's parents don't care for him, the butler is antagonistic, the police don't listen. Tell me what is the message supposed to be here Mr Newsome? Because the only thing I can see any child taking away from this book is this :

"Adults are useless and will never protect you."
"Adults are stupid fools and you should not confide in them."
"If you tell an adult the truth they will never believe you."
"Do not go to an adult with your problems since they will call you a liar and a little kid, it is much better to seek all advice from someone your own age."
"The only good kind of adult are those that love and adore you instantly or give you stuff."

*insert hair tearing*

And when I say all adults are like this in the novel, I do mean, all adults. The only exceptions to this rule were Gerald's aunt who was dead and had left him a lot of money and then later on a maid and a lawyer who's only job was to dote endlessly on Gerald. Seriously now, all adults are bad unless they bow to your only whim? I'm not saying that a children's author need never write tension and conflict between adults and children, but why do it in a way that so clearly vilifies adults? One need only take a look at books such as Conrad's Fate by D W Jones to see that it's possible to not only have realistic conflict, but to have it so that it adds to character and story development and actually ends up going somewhere and resolving its self.

The rest of the book was fairly bland and uninspiring even without these bits added into it. Gerald is a faceless character that the reader knows nothing about, the adults are either abusive or being shot at or killed. Later on in the story Gerald is joined by a set of twins named Sam and Ruby who conveniently solve puzzles for Gerald (when he's not busy having mysterious and completely unexplained visions - you can't just bring that into a book and not explain it - god the temptation to resist abusing that power any further than the author already did must have been monumentous). The two twins constantly call each other names, hit each other and get into fights, which might be realistic except that after fifty pages of this it becomes incredibly grating and none of the resulting dialogue is witty enough to make it worth while to sludge through (there were only so many "you're stupid" "no you're stupid" "shut up" "no, you shut up" I could take).

Over all I consider this to be the lowest of the low of all the children's books I've read this year or any other. Holding this in my hands I fancied that I could actually hear the screams of the old growth trees that were slaughtered in far away Asia in order to be grinded into the pulp that would become this this hot mess. Save yourself some cash and a bit of your brain and buy something else.(less)

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Mar 25, 2013 Emily rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was surprised how much I enjoyed this book. While my kids were mildly confused by some of the British and Australian slang in this book it was also enjoyed by them. I actually can't wait to read the next one.

The formula is pretty similar to other middle grade lit. Young Gerald hates his life filled with bullying teachers, weird dreams, and selfish, emotionally absent parents when things are suddenly turned upside down - no, he doesn't find out he's a wizard or the son of a Greek god, but he do...more

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Jul 19, 2012 mara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: middle-grade

I actually really loved this book. It's fast, fun, and an interesting take on who-took-the-diamond, and who's-trying-to-kill-me. Gerald Wilkins is a normal 13-year-old, until he inherits 20 billion pounds from his great-aunt Geraldine. With the help of two new friends, he tries to solve the mystery of the diamond theft and his great-aunt's murder.

There are two possible concerns for parents: there is a scene near the end where a character violently attacks a bad guy because the bad guy hurts and...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Stephenie M rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The Billionairs Curse is very interesting to me.It is interesting to me because it is sort of a thriller and is also a mystery.It is about a boy who has a very rich great aunt who dies then she gives 20 million quid to Gerrald her great nephew.Gerrald does not know why he has inhereted the money insted of his cousins who spent evrey spare minute with Gerraldline [Gerralds great aunt].Gerrald dident even know she exsited but she knew him from all the leters Gerralds mom sent.When Gerrald goes to...more

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Aug 04, 2010 Amanda rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Imagine being turned into a multi-billionaire overnight. Gerald is suddenly the sole heir to a fortune his great aunt left him. He never met her. After reading a note written to him from his great aunt shortly before she died, he is thrown into a murder mystery. The biggest diamond in the world has been stolen and Gerald thinks it has to do something with his Great Aunt Geraldine's death. Along with his new friends Ruby and Sam, Gerald tries to figure out the whole mystery of her death and the r...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Beth rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Disclaimer - Free Fridays ebook from B&N

I read almost everything and free is always good so do read the "childrens" books that are offered during the Free Fridays, I also have a 13 year old granddaughter so read these with an eye as to whether she would like them.

This is a cute story with some interesting twists and turns, it does leave you hanging by not actually answering all the questions it raises. (the better to get you to buy the next in the series?) I might buy the next one just to ha...more

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Jun 07, 2010 Jeanie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I first read this book, truth be told, I didn't hear about it or know much about it. All I knew was that it was a book for a young adult audience.

I thought the premise of the book was very interesting. Every kid wants a ton of money to play around with but what made this book interesting was the mystery quality about it. The main character is asked to avenge his grandmother's murder. The mysterious circumstance surrounding the plot and the adventurous aspect of it, made The Billionaire's Cu...more

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Feb 23, 2010 Ally Gimbel rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

What a page turner! This book infuses mystery, mythology and adventure into a thrilling tale of a teenage boy whose mundane life gets turned upside down in an instant. After Gerald's vacation is cut short by the death of an unknown family member, Gerald finds himself suddenly the inheritor of his late great-aunt Geraldine's multi-billion dollar estate. He is charged with investigating Geraldine's mysterious murder, which involves a diamond, a curse and another crooked billionaire. As Gerald and...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Sharon rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy-and-science-fiction

Much the same format as Harry Potter....a 13 year old boy made special by an highly unusual endowment (in this case, billions of dollars), his best friends (a boy and a girl), uncaring family, caring "new" family, an evil antagonist who just won't give up and the search for several relics which have more to them than meets the eye. But, this is still a really fun read---maybe because Newsome is a skilled writer who was smart enough to go with a proven format and do it well. This is funny, scary,...more

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May 07, 2012 Amber rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

There is no fundamental flaw with this book. It's okay. It has a plot, some characters, rising action and a sort-of satisfying conclusion. The problem is that it pales in comparision to its competitors. The 39 Clues series is quite similar (kids inherit loads of money and undertake a giant adventure, made more interesting by a dysfunctional family and bizarre curses / history), yet better-written, with greater depth to both the characters and plot, even though the books tend to be slightly short...more

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Feb 04, 2011 Jessica Luong rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I usually do not like reading books with sequels, simple because I have to wait for the next one to come out, but this book would be totally worth the wait.

Gerard was called into the principals office- but this time, it was not because of something he had done. Walking in, he saw that his mother had tears of joy in her eyes, simply because his great-aunt had died. That might strike one as odd, until the reader learns that his great-aunt was a billionaire.

At the reading of the will, Gerard real...more

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Feb 24, 2010 Claire rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Recommended to Claire by: Jim

Shelves: 9-to-11-year-old-readers, award-winner

Recipient of the Text Award, (notable unpublished manuscripts in Australia/New Zealand)an adventure story set in England. Twelve year old Gerald is the unlikely recipient of a billions of dollars inheritance from an aunt her never knew. Lots of family jealousy, but more notably a murder plot. Gerald is warned from beyond the grave that his aunt has been murdered and his life is endangered as well. He is tasked with the who and the why of the murder.
He meets up with a clever set of twins and the...more

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May 20, 2013 Cindy Williams rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Just an ok book. Probably 2.5 stars. The writing is only so-so and there are quite a few British/Australian slang words (author is Australian, most of book set in England). I think there is also a lot of violence for a book for this age group, all the grown ups are liars/untrustworthy (some are cold-blooded killers) & some mean teasing. Thing that annoyed me the most though were the MNAY lucky coincidences: kids are investigating, possible bad guys happen to appear, kid(s) hide & adults...more

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Aug 21, 2012 Kathryn rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, childrens, adventure, on-my-nook

What a fun book! I enjoyed every minute of the story. Yes, it's ridiculous in many ways - the premise is preposterous, Gerald's "magic tunnel vision" is equally so, and the precocious trio of kids catching the bad guys is also silly - but it is such a fun ride. I plan to get the next two books, but I think I will get the dead-tree version so it will be easier to share with my son once he's old enough.

I heartily recommend The Billionaire's Curse for kids (and adults who like to read kids' books)...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Jenny Rose rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Great-aunt Geraldine has died and all the nieces’ and nephews’ families from around the world have gathered. They all want to know what is their share of the Billionaires’’ wealth. Gerald could care less. He has never met his namesake and would rather be skiing with his mates. Gerald is stunned when the reading of the will reveals he has inherited the majority of the wealth.

As he learns about his distant aunt, Gerald discovers connections to a diamond, a legendary box, and tea bag staples. But w...more

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Aug 31, 2012 Ms. Rosas rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 112-in-2012, middle-school-5-8, fantasy, nook-books

Free Friday Barnes and Noble book.

Gerald is a young man who is mostly unexceptional. He has lots of day dreams, sometimes in the middle of class, and he doodles all the time. When suddenly he is swept away to England in a private jet to attend the funeral of a great aunt he has never met before. A great aunt who was worth 20 billion pounds and she's left it all to him. She left it all to him for a special reason and she knows that he will help solve her murder. Now there are big mysteries to so...more Free Friday Barnes and Noble book.

Gerald is a young man who is mostly unexceptional. He has lots of day dreams, sometimes in the middle of class, and he doodles all the time. When suddenly he is swept away to England in a private jet to attend the funeral of a great aunt he has never met before. A great aunt who was worth 20 billion pounds and she's left it all to him. She left it all to him for a special reason and she knows that he will help solve her murder. Now there are big mysteries to solve and it's up to Gerald and his friends to figure it out before someone else dies.

I give this one 2.5 stars because I can see it being popular with some readers in my library. For the most part it was an enjoyable read. The adventure was fun, and the mystery was sort of mysterious. There were a few things that bothered me that kept it from being a full fledged three or even a four.

First, there is the teacher in the opening scene. He is bullying Gerald. He isn't being hard on him he is flat out bullying him. Yes Gerald fell asleep in class but it's beyond reprimanding a student. He is making fun of his drawings and humiliating him in front of the entire class. It's awful. The teacher is just the first in a line of unreliable adults.

Which brings me to my second problem with the book. Children taking on all the adventure and danger by themselves. I know what you are going to say what about the Harry Potter and Percy Jackson books. In both Jackson and Potter children had some adults they could trust, could confide in and ask advice. There were reliable adults they could turn to when they needed. Gerald and his friends never once try to go to the police or other authority.

The last thing that really bothered me was I never found out the answers to many of the mysteries. Why did Gerald's aunt leave her fortune to him? What is so special about his family? What does King Arthur and the Holy Grail have to do with everything? The book felt like all prologue. It's okay to leave some mysteries for the second and third installment but give us some answers to hold us over.

That is not to say the book wasn't enjoyable. They mystery was fun. The younger characters were likeable.

The Verdict: Would fit well with reluctant readers and in places where adventure and mystery are big. (less)

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Jul 15, 2012 Norm Davis rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: 6-12 Year old boys

Recommended to Norm by: FREE FRIDAY at B&N

Shelves: young-adult, mystery, fiction, adventure-suspense

The whole Richie Rich mystery novel thing ought to appeal to Mr. Newsome’s target audience. Of course it IS a YA novel so don’t expect mouth swabs for DNA. If you’re at the age… great chance you’ll like this book. One thing I really like about YA novels, in particular, is they must get started right away and keep things happening as they race along. YA is a tough audience.

I’m actually reading a similar Science Fiction Series that incorporates many of the same themes as this novel used, so good l...more

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Jul 30, 2011 Jen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: junior

Lots of plot, not much character development. Should be just right for the reluctant male reader brigade. Gerald inherits a fortune from his British aunt, whom he has never met. As well, he inherits the mystery that surrounds her death (murder, she claims in a letter written before her demise). He is befriended by Sam and Ruby, who help him find a stolen diamond, in a secret crypt beneath an old house - all really likely of course. Lots of lucky chances help the plot gallop along, just ready for...more

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Aug 21, 2011 Sebastian C. rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Newsome, Richard. The Billionaire's Curse. New York: Harper Collins (Walden Pond Press), 2009. Print. pp344

How would you feel if you become an instant billionaire, get three houses and a private island and yacht from a great aunt you never knew? Well, Gerald a thirteen year old boy when he found that out, he was shell-shocked. The book The Billionaires Curse by Richard Newsome was an action packed mystery waiting to be opened. This book starts off when Gerald gets a mysterious letter from his au...more Newsome, Richard. The Billionaire's Curse. New York: Harper Collins (Walden Pond Press), 2009. Print. pp344

How would you feel if you become an instant billionaire, get three houses and a private island and yacht from a great aunt you never knew? Well, Gerald a thirteen year old boy when he found that out, he was shell-shocked. The book The Billionaires Curse by Richard Newsome was an action packed mystery waiting to be opened. This book starts off when Gerald gets a mysterious letter from his aunt Geraldine who was murdered and Gerald thinks the murder of his aunt has to do with a diamond that was stolen in London. So, when his parents found the news they took Gerald out of school and into a private jet to London. During this period of the story, Gerald was thinking about the letter and why he was flying in a private jet to London instead of a snow packed vacation with his friend Ox. Then he found out that her aunt was a rich wealthy woman and they were going to their funeral. When they headed out of the plane they were confronted with many reporters and paparazzi. Then a mysterious guy out of nowhere grabbed Gerald and said that he could be a big help to him. Then suddenly three reporters found him and he escaped the troubles from the weird man. Then when they arrived at his great aunts house in Chelsea, the next morning they went to the funeral service. When they arrived at the funeral service they read the will about her fortune, and then the attorney read who would get the fortune. He announced that her great 20 billion pounds, her three houses and a private island. In that part there was a quote that Gerald said that made me laugh, “Gerald was sucked into a clash the likes of which the church hall hadn’t seen since the Germans bombed it to its foundations in World War II”. So as the story goes on Gerald meets two twins Sam and Ruby who help him figure out the mystery and the diamond. There clues and research found them to places like the Rattigan Club, The Glastonbury Tor, and Beaconsfield. Finally with their clues they found an underground tunnel under Beaconsfield which led to a place called the crypt. Then they saw two guys who were the major and a deputy named Chesterfield whom Gerald knew since the funeral with the stolen diamond near a weird box called a casket which had many jewels. I can’t tell the ending of the story but some hints of it are a fake diamond, Sir Mason Green the stealer and a staff. This book is sort of the book called The Westing Game because both are most about murder and mystery.

This book is a part of a series called the Archer Legacy, which rights now, consists of two books; this book and the second one called the Emerald Casket .I don’t know if the author is making a third one ,but that would be awesome!!!!! This book made me feel a variety of emotions. Sometimes I would feel excited of what would happen next or would get me thinking on the mystery. I was always eager to read what was next and I never put the book down until I finished it. I liked the book because it was always a part which would pass to another part which kept getting better and better, also the book ended in a cliff hanger. I recommend this book for people who like mystery and suspense books. I will read the second book to find out what happens next.
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Jun 18, 2011 Mundie Moms & Mundie Kids rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-100-book-challenge, books-i-own, mundie-kids-reviews

4.5 stars

An exciting read with a who done it, The Billionaire's Curse will engage young readers who love a fun, thrilling adventure. Thirteen year old Gerald Wilkins's world is turned upside down when he's jetted off from his home in Australia to attend the funeral of his late great aunt in England, a billionaire who's left her fortune to him. To make matters worse Gerald's greedy parents up and leave him for a get away in the tropics, he's started to receive death threats and he receives a lett...more

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Jan 29, 2012 Dan Rogers rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Gerald Wilkins, a 13 year old 8th grader is looking forward to a winter holiday spent snowboarding with his best friend only to have his plans dashed when his parents inform him that he will have to pass up the holiday to fly from Australia to England to attend the funeral of a Great Aunt he has never met. How boring is this going to be? Little can he imagine how much his life is about to change. At the reading of the Great Aunt's will Gerald learns that he has inherited $20 billion dollars, mak...more Gerald Wilkins, a 13 year old 8th grader is looking forward to a winter holiday spent snowboarding with his best friend only to have his plans dashed when his parents inform him that he will have to pass up the holiday to fly from Australia to England to attend the funeral of a Great Aunt he has never met. How boring is this going to be? Little can he imagine how much his life is about to change. At the reading of the Great Aunt's will Gerald learns that he has inherited $20 billion dollars, making him the richest 13 year old in the world. Add to the story the theft of the world's most valuable diamond, a murder, the search for an ancient casket, and a mysterious stranger who shows up unexpectedly, smelling like bleach, wanting to kill Gerald, and you have the makings of a first class mystery.
One of the things which makes this story so believable, and enjoyable, is the fact that Gerald is a typical, adventurous boy who quickly takes to making friends with twins who help him out of a tight spot. Together they embark upon an adventure to solve the mystery. The author has depicted these three, Gerald, Sam, & Ruby as typical young teenagers. Sam & Ruby, go back and forth between loving and caring for each other to fighting and name calling reminiscent of squabbles with my own siblings. Gerald quite often has to be the one who steps in between to get everyone to refocus on the task at hand. The adventures these three have along the way makes for edge of your seat, can't put the book down reading.
One of the ideas that the author is able to subtly interject into this story is the idea that some people are so caught up in wanting money and all that goes with it that they fail to see the enjoyment one should get out of life. It's almost as if having money will solve their problems when a lot of times the opposite is actually what happens. Gerald never gets caught up in the fact that he is rich. He just wants to go out and have fun. With this book the author has, in my opinion, written a story that will appeal to all, young and old, male and female. With two more books in the series I am looking forward to reading more of the adventures of Gerald, Sam & Ruby. (less)

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Oct 14, 2010 Robyn Hawk rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: childrens, reviews

Gerald Wilkins is your average kid, in an average family leading an average life when suddenly a bit of "good luck" takes over his life with the energy of a tornado! Whisked away in a private jet Gerald finds that he is the soul heir to a fortune bequeathed to him by an English aunt he hardly knew.

Here is where the story breaks down a little for me (but that is because I am an adult - kids will never notice). The immediate reaction of Gerald's parents is to take an extended Caribbean Cruise......more

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May 08, 2012 Ernest Barker rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

When I was growing up, I spent many happy hours reading a lot of "Nancy Drew" and "The Hardy Boys" mysteries. This book brought back those happy memories. I enjoyed reading it. It is centered around a thirteen year old boy who comes into a large sum of money that includes a murder, a stolen diamond, some mysticism an adventure that rivals The "Indiana Jones" ventures. The book is a early teenager's delight. I just never out grew this kind of book. If you are like me, than you will enjoy the book...more

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About Richard Newsome

Richard Newsome lives in Australia and has worked as a journalist for daily newspapers, radio and TV; as a consultant with one of the world’s foremost strategy consultancies; and as communications director of a multinational media company. Richard’s debut novel, The Billionaire’s Curse, won the inaugural Text Prize for Children’s and Young Adult writing, as well as the Esther Glen medal, New Zeala...more

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