Friday Barnes: Never fear by R. A. Spratt

Random House, 2018. ISBN 9780143784203
(Age: 9+) Recommended. Detectives, Boarding school. Friday Barnes is the youngest child of two scientists, and has been left mostly to her own devices growing up. With an immense IQ and a love of detective novels, she jumps at the chance to do some detecting. In the first of the series, she worked on solving a bank robbery, using the huge reward to get herself to the most exclusive of boarding schools. But here of course, it's not all plain sailing and she needs to put her sleuthing to good purpose.
In this book, number eight in the series, Friday is increasingly puzzled and not a little upset at the work undertaken by the new headmaster, Dr Belcredi, at her school, Highcrest Academy. He is turning everything upside down. But Friday manages to get off side with this person and is close to being expelled, when a rumour about stolen gold being stashed at the school emerges, impelling her to put her brain into action, and work out what is going on. But first she must get herself out of detention, not an easy task.
All of her usual flair continues in this funny outing for this wonderful quirky main character. This time a little romance sneaks into the equation, showing readers a different side of her character. She is self sufficient, daring and clever, and is sure to attract the most fastidious of readers.
Fran Knight