What do you think?
Rate this book
Villain
Gaming fanatic Jay receives a strange phone call on a school trip to Titanium Tower. The voice on the other end calls himself Z. And he has trapped Jay’s classmates in the elevator at the very top of the skyscraper.
Jay finds himself with no choice but to try and solve Z’s deadly riddles. Not only that, he has the worst person possible helping him: Hudson Hamm, the school’s star athlete and resident tough guy.
Soon Jay and Hudson are on a high-stakes scavenger hunt around the city. Can they team up to beat Z at his own game? If not, their classmates and family members will pay with their lives.
Jay finds himself with no choice but to try and solve Z’s deadly riddles. Not only that, he has the worst person possible helping him: Hudson Hamm, the school’s star athlete and resident tough guy.
Soon Jay and Hudson are on a high-stakes scavenger hunt around the city. Can they team up to beat Z at his own game? If not, their classmates and family members will pay with their lives.
240 pages, Paperback
Published May 1, 2025
4 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 12, 2025
This reminded me so much of the television show The Unlisted. The pace, the action, the drama and the young leads having to take charge.
I needed a quiet lay down and cup of tea after finishing this book.
Each chapter was like a new round in a boxing ring, and honestly, I couldn’t always read straight on.
This would make a sensational television series.
Recommended reader: 10+ years old
I needed a quiet lay down and cup of tea after finishing this book.
Each chapter was like a new round in a boxing ring, and honestly, I couldn’t always read straight on.
This would make a sensational television series.
Recommended reader: 10+ years old
September 26, 2025
2.75 ⭐️
Was WAYYYY too YA—or whatever is under that—which is normally fine but this was for like… a YOUNG audience. I didn’t realise that, my bad. But it was totally bingeable. ALSO it’s set in my state so I found that weird.
Was WAYYYY too YA—or whatever is under that—which is normally fine but this was for like… a YOUNG audience. I didn’t realise that, my bad. But it was totally bingeable. ALSO it’s set in my state so I found that weird.
May 27, 2025
This new middle grade fiction book from Adrian Beck is packed full of action, adventure, and it is so much fun.
It is also full of observations about fake news, how we live in a world where we are under almost constant surveillance, and how much can be learnt about us from our online presence.
I can see this book being a big hit with upper primary school, lower secondary school readers who love their books to be fast paced and utterly gripping until the very last page.
Can't wait for Book 2.
Thanks to the Publisher for the review copy of this book.
It is also full of observations about fake news, how we live in a world where we are under almost constant surveillance, and how much can be learnt about us from our online presence.
I can see this book being a big hit with upper primary school, lower secondary school readers who love their books to be fast paced and utterly gripping until the very last page.
Can't wait for Book 2.
Thanks to the Publisher for the review copy of this book.
July 6, 2025
A great light sci-fi thriller! Kept the pages turning with all the cliffhangers. Made me super aware of how much technology I use. Block off a few hours to read this book in one sitting because you’ll be pulled in and “I’ll just read one more chapter” from the first chapter. Beware of the cliffy ending!
May 16, 2025
VILLAIN by Adrian Beck is a fast paced, action packed Middle Grade novel. The main action of the novel takes place all during one day and the pages flew by!
The last thing avid gamer Jay wants is to go on a school excursion to Titanium Tower. But what starts as a standard boring day soon turns into an absolute action packed thrill ride that he will never forget.
Jay and his school nemesis, Hudson, must answer a series of riddles if they want to save their classmates from the mysterious Z. What seems like a game soon turns very real and they boys must race against the clock to save their friends.
This is an exciting Middle Grade that I would recommend for upper primary school aged readers. I can’t wait for book two!
4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you Scholastic Australia for the gifted review
The last thing avid gamer Jay wants is to go on a school excursion to Titanium Tower. But what starts as a standard boring day soon turns into an absolute action packed thrill ride that he will never forget.
Jay and his school nemesis, Hudson, must answer a series of riddles if they want to save their classmates from the mysterious Z. What seems like a game soon turns very real and they boys must race against the clock to save their friends.
This is an exciting Middle Grade that I would recommend for upper primary school aged readers. I can’t wait for book two!
4 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you Scholastic Australia for the gifted review
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews