Just So Stories

Affirm Press

September 2026

Distributed by Simon & Schuster

ISBN13: 9781761636615

LIST PRICE: AU$ 16.99 / NZ$ 19.99

With a promo that offers the reader a ‘Australia’s answer to Alex Rider’ this will entice many thrillseekers. And, being a fan of Alex Rider myself, I was keen to read this ARC. Two swift sessions as the plot raced along and I was certainly impressed with Tim Alyiffe’s foray into YA thrillers, a departure from his adult books.

Ollie Speed’s dad has been missing for 10 months. As far as Ollie is aware, his father works for the government as some kind of ‘trade’ liasion in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, and has not been seen since a mishap on a boat in Germany.

When Ollie is out training for his school cross-country in Centennial Park, he happens upon a dead body. An unknown man has apparently been murdered. Ollie’s questioning by police is just routine really. Did he see anything unusual on his run?

But Ollie, along with his best friends George and Ellie, are more than curious and events unfold that reveal not only was this man important but that he was connected to Ollie’s missing father and a network of espionage that has been camouflaged as ‘trade missions’ and diplomatic relations.

With Ellie’s aunt, supposedly a police officer, being hauled in as prime suspect, a highly sketchy detective and the more than surprising implication of the American ambassador’s involvement, the three teens are in hot pursuit of the truth. Because, aside from anything else, Ollie’s instincts tell him that this whole ugly mess is somehow linked to his father’s disappearance.

This is taut and tense, and a complete rollercoaster as the clues pile up, the teens pool their combined talents along with George’s tech wizardry and brook no obstacles being thrown their way.

Any readers who loved the The Debt series, Conspiracy 365 or similar will fall for this series in a big way. I was also vividly reminded of Martin Chatterton’s outstanding The Tell and Tristan Bancks’ thrillers, particularly The Fall. This Sydney girl also loved all the geography as the kids race around the city in hot pursuit of their targets.

Absolutely 100% firecracker reading for around Upper Primary upwards 5 🧨🧨🧨🧨🧨rating. Loved it!