Cirrus@Austlit

'Riz Chester is an average 10-year-old girl. She can’t do anything special and is average at school. But Riz is particularly picky, she notices when the teacher is 2 minutes late, or when the food brand used in the cheese sandwiches changes. She also notices when money doesn’t feel quite right.

'Spotted by a police officer, Riz gets called in for questioning. She demonstrates she does notice the difference between the normal notes and the counterfeit ones, even though before her interaction with the officer she had never heard of counterfeiting.

'The officer explains that there is a ring of counterfeiting occurring locally, but they haven’t been able to pinpoint the criminal source. Mum cannot remember where the notes came from, but something sticks out to Riz when she thinks about it later.

'She recruits her friends to help her investigate, carefully planning a course of action to track down the counterfeit notes. With the help of Riz and her friends, the police uncover the counterfeit operation.'(Publication summary)

'After Riz and her friends successfully led the Counterfeit Bust, Riz has discovered her passion for forensic science. One day at school, she finds the perfect opportunity to break out her new forensics kit and solve a new mystery. On their way to class in the morning, Riz and her friends notice a commotion outside the music room and hear that something has been stolen! They head off to class, but Riz’s observation skills allow her to notice the principal, deputy, office staff, and their music teacher speaking with removalists outside the classroom window. Riz tries to lipread their conversation and deciphers it at break with the help of her friends and Peiter from Grade 6. Instruments have been stolen from the music room in the midst of its renovations! They start their investigation by sneaking into the music room and finding some fingerprints. Riz and her friends collect the fingerprints of all their classmates and compare the patterns, promising their teacher to give the class a presentation on their findings. They break off into teams to collect even more fingerprints at break, from other Grades, and even from their principal! They finally find their match, but before they can bring the information to anyone else, the deputy principal pulls them in for a stern chat. Will they solve another mystery? Another forensic science inspired story for young readers.' (Publication summary)

'After Riz and her friends successfully led the Counterfeit Bust, Riz has discovered her passion for forensic science.

'Riz Chester loves mysteries, and with an interest in forensics she keeps finding crime. But nothing has happened for months. With Riz and her friends itching for a mystery to solve, Riz organises the perfect ‘match-the-tracks’ party for her friends. She prepares moulds and muddy prints ready for everyone to work out what’s what. How could an innocent party get them into trouble?

'Will they solve another mystery? Another forensic science inspired story for young readers.'  (Publication summary)