What do you think?
Rate this book
Billionaire #4
The Crystal Code
What would you do if you were a billionaire?
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.
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.
368 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2012
5 people are currently reading
262 people want to read
About the author
Richard Newsome
13 books130 followersRichard 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 Zealand's oldest literary award. The book is the first volume of a trilogy, and has been sold to publishers in the United States, Canada, Australia, Germany, Poland, Italy, Spain and Turkey. The book started as a bedtime story for his children and it took Richard ten years to get around to finishing it.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 24, 2014
What would you do for Christmas if you were a billionaire?
In Richard Newsome’s The Crystal Code, Gerald Wilkins – the world’s youngest billionaire – takes his friends Sam, Ruby, Alisha, Ox and Felicity on a dream vacation to his own private ski field in California.
Almost before they can hit the powder, balaclava wearing gunmen attack Gerald’s chalet and kidnap Ox, Alisha and the children’s parents. He immediately suspects the handy work of his nemesis (the recently escaped from prison) Sir Mason Green. But there’s more going on than meets the eye and the gang will travel to the USA, the Czech Republic and a tiny island off Sweden to find their friends, family and the mysterious Voynich Manuscript.
In the fourth book of his outstanding Billionaire series, Richard Newsome has again delivered a fun, funny and action-packed adventure for young readers (and the young at heart). Humour and description are features of Newsome’s writing and The Crystal Code provides plenty of laughs and transports readers to all the amazing locations that Gerald and his friends travel to on their adventure. The action is a little over the top at times but that’s part of the charm of this series and I was more than happy to suspend my disbelief and just enjoy the story.
With new friends, new villains and the beginnings of a new mystery, The Crystal Code will delight fans of the series and compel new readers to go and find out where Gerald's story began.
Great fortune is said to fall on those who buy multiple copies!
In Richard Newsome’s The Crystal Code, Gerald Wilkins – the world’s youngest billionaire – takes his friends Sam, Ruby, Alisha, Ox and Felicity on a dream vacation to his own private ski field in California.
Almost before they can hit the powder, balaclava wearing gunmen attack Gerald’s chalet and kidnap Ox, Alisha and the children’s parents. He immediately suspects the handy work of his nemesis (the recently escaped from prison) Sir Mason Green. But there’s more going on than meets the eye and the gang will travel to the USA, the Czech Republic and a tiny island off Sweden to find their friends, family and the mysterious Voynich Manuscript.
In the fourth book of his outstanding Billionaire series, Richard Newsome has again delivered a fun, funny and action-packed adventure for young readers (and the young at heart). Humour and description are features of Newsome’s writing and The Crystal Code provides plenty of laughs and transports readers to all the amazing locations that Gerald and his friends travel to on their adventure. The action is a little over the top at times but that’s part of the charm of this series and I was more than happy to suspend my disbelief and just enjoy the story.
With new friends, new villains and the beginnings of a new mystery, The Crystal Code will delight fans of the series and compel new readers to go and find out where Gerald's story began.
Great fortune is said to fall on those who buy multiple copies!
January 24, 2017
‘I loved this book. I really did. Ever since I got the first book in this series, I was on the lookout for more! The characters – Gerald getting tangled up in relationships – and the plots were just fantastic.’
YAAR-A reviews Corinna, age 13, Canberra, Australia
‘Filled with secret passageways and deadly booby traps, you’ll be on the edge of your seat!’
K-Zone
‘Weird dreams, kidnapping, attacks by bandits, hectic chases and eerie explorations in archaeological sites…slapstick humour, verbal wit and a pervasive spirit of youthful exuberance.’
Magpies
‘A rollicking good yarn.’
Weekend Herald
‘An irresistibly fun-tastic tale that’s virtually guaranteed to keep youngsters reading, chuckling and desperately waiting for the next book in the series.’
Independent Weekly
‘What do you get when you mix Tintin, James Bond, and The Famous Five together? You get Richard Newsome’s Billionaire series….The Crystal Code is Richard Newsome at his best.’
Christchurch Kids Blog
‘It has humour that is just off centre enough to appeal to children as well as a few pearls of wisdom thrown into the mix. Fans of the series will lap it up and those who haven’t read the earlier books will no doubt want to go back and read the rest. Good fun that could equally be enjoyed by anyone young at heart.’
OrangeDale blog
Plenty of plot twists to keep readers guessing and eager for Gerald’s next adventure.’
Magpies
‘Once the action begins, the novel becomes addictive to read.’
Read Plus Reviews
YAAR-A reviews Corinna, age 13, Canberra, Australia
‘Filled with secret passageways and deadly booby traps, you’ll be on the edge of your seat!’
K-Zone
‘Weird dreams, kidnapping, attacks by bandits, hectic chases and eerie explorations in archaeological sites…slapstick humour, verbal wit and a pervasive spirit of youthful exuberance.’
Magpies
‘A rollicking good yarn.’
Weekend Herald
‘An irresistibly fun-tastic tale that’s virtually guaranteed to keep youngsters reading, chuckling and desperately waiting for the next book in the series.’
Independent Weekly
‘What do you get when you mix Tintin, James Bond, and The Famous Five together? You get Richard Newsome’s Billionaire series….The Crystal Code is Richard Newsome at his best.’
Christchurch Kids Blog
‘It has humour that is just off centre enough to appeal to children as well as a few pearls of wisdom thrown into the mix. Fans of the series will lap it up and those who haven’t read the earlier books will no doubt want to go back and read the rest. Good fun that could equally be enjoyed by anyone young at heart.’
OrangeDale blog
Plenty of plot twists to keep readers guessing and eager for Gerald’s next adventure.’
Magpies
‘Once the action begins, the novel becomes addictive to read.’
Read Plus Reviews
March 26, 2018
Middle school detective story
Money may buy a lot but it comes with its own set of problems. A group of friends solve a mystery.
Money may buy a lot but it comes with its own set of problems. A group of friends solve a mystery.
July 28, 2014
Why did I feel like this one was anti-climatic? Maybe it was the lack of a clear-cut villain (so many villains thrown out as red herrings)? Maybe it was the lead-up and rush in the beginning with the doofus villain who everyone was afraid of even though he was so very inept (yes, I know, he did get the job done).
Maybe it was the bumpy writing and plot? If I rush my heroes all around the globe and rush my story, maybe no one will notice that the storyline is rather bumpy and rushed itself?
Maybe it was the idiotic nature of the boys? Between Sam being an idiot, par for the course as seen in last books, but then coming up with idiot savant moments--what? wait? Why does Sam have genius moments to save them? And then Gerald giving up ALL the TIME...enough all ready! Commit! Stick to a course of action! Yes, it's been rough, but by now you should be used to it after what has happened to you in the past three books. Man up already!
And then, with Gerald and the girls...oy! I am SO GLAD that they told him off. So many books have triangles and squares even, for pete's sake! And people acting all stupid and my world is ending over a relationship *deep sigh*, please, don't spoil this series with all of that nonsense. It is so rare to have girls written with sense and action and ability. I don't want to see them go all romantic and loony and weak because of Gerald. Please Mr. Newsome let them continue to be wise. And let Gerald gain a little sense before I totally want to throttle him or chuck your book against the wall. Seriously.
Anyway, will stick with the series for now. Like the play on history. Like that the action/violence isn't too much. Can recommend this to parents/caregivers. Language isn't too intense. Fun concept.
Maybe it was the bumpy writing and plot? If I rush my heroes all around the globe and rush my story, maybe no one will notice that the storyline is rather bumpy and rushed itself?
Maybe it was the idiotic nature of the boys? Between Sam being an idiot, par for the course as seen in last books, but then coming up with idiot savant moments--what? wait? Why does Sam have genius moments to save them? And then Gerald giving up ALL the TIME...enough all ready! Commit! Stick to a course of action! Yes, it's been rough, but by now you should be used to it after what has happened to you in the past three books. Man up already!
And then, with Gerald and the girls...oy! I am SO GLAD that they told him off. So many books have triangles and squares even, for pete's sake! And people acting all stupid and my world is ending over a relationship *deep sigh*, please, don't spoil this series with all of that nonsense. It is so rare to have girls written with sense and action and ability. I don't want to see them go all romantic and loony and weak because of Gerald. Please Mr. Newsome let them continue to be wise. And let Gerald gain a little sense before I totally want to throttle him or chuck your book against the wall. Seriously.
Anyway, will stick with the series for now. Like the play on history. Like that the action/violence isn't too much. Can recommend this to parents/caregivers. Language isn't too intense. Fun concept.
December 23, 2013
This is book #4 in the Billionaire's Curse series. I loved the first 3 books, was ecstatic that there was a book #4, and it did not disappoint me! This series ranks right up there with my favorite young adult series. The characters are so well drawn, and even though the action is over-the-top, it's exciting in an Indiana Jones kind of way. Gerald Wilkins is the boy in his early teens who inherited a billion dollar empire from his great aunt in England. The previous adventures have taken Gerald and his friends to various exotic (and not so exotic) locations around the world. This adventure starts with a Christmas ski vacation for a large number of friends, relatives, and friends of relatives in a private ski resort in California and ends in Czechoslovakia in the dead of winter. Throw into the mix a villain who supposedly died 400 years ago and a couple kidnappers.
Please, please let there be a book #5!
Please, please let there be a book #5!
Read
September 15, 2015Newsome, Richard. The Crystal Code. Melbourne, Australia: Text, 2012. Print.
Recently I read the book The Crystal Code by Richard Newsome. This is about a boy named Gerald who is the youngest billionaire ever on Christmas break in the snowy fields of California. He runs into a dead man, and his friends are kidnapped. Sounds fun, right? The genre is Fantasy, as it deals with immortality and a curse. This book is a rollercoaster filled with turn, twists and loop-de-loops as the story goes along, almost coming off the rails with excitement. He teams up with the friends not kidnapped, and go on a quest to get their friends back from the dead man. Gerald cannot wait to be back at his wonderful, snowy holiday resort with his parents, friends, and yes, even his butler.
Recently I read the book The Crystal Code by Richard Newsome. This is about a boy named Gerald who is the youngest billionaire ever on Christmas break in the snowy fields of California. He runs into a dead man, and his friends are kidnapped. Sounds fun, right? The genre is Fantasy, as it deals with immortality and a curse. This book is a rollercoaster filled with turn, twists and loop-de-loops as the story goes along, almost coming off the rails with excitement. He teams up with the friends not kidnapped, and go on a quest to get their friends back from the dead man. Gerald cannot wait to be back at his wonderful, snowy holiday resort with his parents, friends, and yes, even his butler.
November 20, 2012
I'm so glad this "trilogy" is continuing. In book four, The Crystal Code, there is a whole new adventure with new villains, a new teen character as well as our old favourites (including Gerald, Sam and Ruby). While the first trilogy was all action, in this book we get to know the characters better - albeit while they are in action at a cracking pace! I've loved reading this series out loud with my young daughter. I'd say it's a book for all ages.
December 21, 2015
This book was good, but it didn't keep me quite as interested while reading as the others. Some of the characters seemed kinda fake in the things they said, which made the book not as good as it could have been. Something about the book just wasn't quite as good as the others. It was a fun read, though, because of the mystery and the humor. :)
June 3, 2013
This book was good, but it didn't keep me quite as interested while reading as the others. Some of the characters seemed kinda fake in the things they said, which made the book not as good as it could have been. Something about the book just wasn't quite as good as the others. It was a fun read, though, because of the mystery and the humor. :)
September 26, 2014
Great book!! Absolutely loved it! This whole series just keeps getting better!
Read
April 14, 2013well when you thaught it was over
this cool book comes along
i think it is cool how all of his friends come together .. and then 2 get kidnpped and on almost dies, quite a few times acctually!
this cool book comes along
i think it is cool how all of his friends come together .. and then 2 get kidnpped and on almost dies, quite a few times acctually!
June 21, 2013
I can say I've enjoyed the whole series from the beginning! Some of my friends think I'm bonkers for liking the characters...hehe... But it's not bad...so you must read it, I recommend it, HIGHLY
October 10, 2014
Really enjoyed this book - the intelligent storyline and humour continues.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews