Friday is not running away. Yes, she did get on a train to Norway without telling anyone where she was going – but she had to help Binky. He may or may not have been attacked by a polar bear. Now he’s facing court-martial for dereliction of duty. Obviously, Friday had to drop everything and travel 3000 kilometres to solve the case.
The fact that it’s easier to handle her feelings for Ian Wainscott if there’s a continent between them is just a coincidence. When Friday arrives in Oslo, there are so many mysteries to solve. Is someone trying to keep Binky and Princess Ingrid apart? How can a painting leave a museum when all the doors are sealed? And will Melanie persuade Friday to go to the royal ball without wearing a brown cardigan?
If Friday survives her trip to the remote Global Seed Vault, we may find out.
Friday Barnes #10: Undercover seamlessly continues Friday’s fabulous mysterious mystery-filled adventures. I know plenty of our readers have grown up reading this bestselling detective series, and I must say… I think Undercover is the best book in the series so far!
All the things we love about Friday are featured in Undercover: mystery, adventure, friendship and even some romance. This new journey takes her to Oslo, where she uncovers cases to solve, but she also comes to realise things about herself; there’s trouble in Oslo but there may also be trouble in paradise…
Friday’s adventures in the series have highlighted her intellect and high-level sleuthing, but from book #9 we saw the series start to move in a new direction, focusing on Friday’s need to seek and accept help. Undercover continues in this important direction, showing a more mature side to Friday.
We can see that Friday’s methods are more calculated. She’s looking for stability and security, things that most girls her age would have. But Friday isn’t like most girls her age, and she doesn’t lead a normal life – which is starting to take its toll. Author R.A. Spratt perfectly presents this to readers by making Friday’s problems relatable, despite the extravagance of her profession.
Friday has bouts of overthinking, worrying, PTSD and anxiety but her triggers aren’t due to her irregular lifestyle. The key message in this book for me is that you are not alone – whether that’s dealing with normal, everyday life problems or trying to save the world.
Undercover reminds us why we love Friday Barnes so much! She’s a modern Nancy Drew, solving mysteries wherever she goes. Her super smart and quirky qualities show readers aged 9+ that they shouldn’t be afraid to be different from their peers. So buckle up and get ready to go on another adventure-filled, mysterious ride with Friday. I can’t wait to see what comes next!
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