Who Dares?

A junior novel aimed at readers aged 10-14 and is my 17th book.

A surfing competition, some serious skateboarding and several puzzling mysteries are the ingredients for an awesome beach holiday.

While Rhys is totally focused on winning the Junior Surf Championship, Toby just wants to win his dare with Rhys. But things have a habit of not working out as planned, and the boys learn that it doesn't pay to assume anything, about anyone, ever!

With plenty of surfing and skateboard action, this is a novel about keeping an open mind, making expected friends, and asking the right questions ...

Download the teachers' notes for Who Dares

Chapter 1 extract.

'Look at me! Look at me!' Rhys was fooling around on the second-floor verandah of the posh resort, but as he climbed up onto the raised planter-box he slipped. Falling forward, he lunged awkwardly at the metal railing and stopped himself.

'Whoa, take it easy!' Toby grabbed at Rhys's arm and pulled him back. 'We've only just got here. Try not to kill yourself in the first two minutes! Dad reckons you're so focused on surfing that you're sure to take out the Juniors — but hey, you won't have a chance at the surfing title if you fall off the building. Anyway, if you wanted to go base-jumping, you should've said so — and we could have brought a parachute.' Toby elbowed him to emphasise the joke.

'You kidding?' Rhys steadied himself. 'I'm here to surf. How good are those waves? This is awesome. And check out the new skate park.' He pointed along the foreshore in the gloomy twilight to show Toby what he was talking about.

'I've stayed in Lome since I was a kid, but never this close to the water. The grandparents' house is OK — except you know how far up the hill it is. But this, this is insane — it's almost on the beach. A whole week at the Cumberland — this is so cool. Your parents are brilliant, Toby. Thanks for bringing me.'

'Get real! We wouldn't have come here these holidays if you hadn't been so keen and signed us all up.' Toby lightly punched his friend's arm. 'You're the one who wanted to be here for the comp. You're the one who put our names down — and you're the one who hasn't stopped talking about it since. We could hardly come without you, could we? Besides, there's the dare. You made me a promise — and I'm going to hold you to it!'

Rhys didn't reply. He was mesmerised by the roar of the surf. Watching the huge waves crashing onto the sand, he reluctantly recalled his last trip to Lome, just months before. It had been Toby's first visit, and in lots of ways it had been a total disaster — but, then again, if they hadn't stayed together at Rhys's grandparents' holiday house last summer, they would never have become friends.