Melati has kept her head down the last year at school. Nobody knows the trouble she caused in Year 9, and Year 10 at her new private school was supposed to make up for it. At least, to her parents. Now in Year 11, with even her best friend believing butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth, the real Melati breaks free again.

A student named Libby Hartnett who is also the daughter of one of the school’s benefactors, is the school bully. It’s well known another student left the school the year before due to Libby’s attacks and when Melati sees Libby kicking another girl, she can’t stand by a moment longer.

She leaps to the other girl’s defence, only to find herself in trouble – again. Melati can’t believe it. Doing the right thing ended up being the wrong thing. Grabbing an opportunity to find some dirt on Libby, Melati discovers a diary in Libby’s school file. But it can’t be Libby’s as it is written in Indonesian. Although they both are in the Indonesian Language class, she knows Libby’s skills aren’t as good as hers and even she struggles to read it.

When she does begin to decipher the entries in the diary, she is horrified at what she sees. Who can she ask about it? She will be expelled if anyone knew she’d taken the diary. Keeping her secret and incredibly relieved to be still allowed on the upcoming school trip to Indonesia – Melati works hard at ignoring Libby’s constant and underhand tactics to get her to react.

Time in Indonesia is another melting pot of trouble. Melati meets a boy, breaks more rules and Libby is triumphant. However, the trouble Melati is in works in her favour. With a mystery to solve, a new friend to help her and the final reveal of the diary – Libby is far from her mind.

Now Melati knows for sure – the diary is a cry for help, but is she too late?

A bully, possible revenge and a strange diary, kicks off this tale that twists and turns. At least half way through the book I had as many questions as the main character, but all is slowly revealed. This isn’t a ‘They all lived happily ever after’ story either.

Perceptions of teachers, parents and even a bully are tested in a tale of private school privilege, doing what’s right, and caring for someone you’ve never met. The main character’s determination to save a girl from human trafficking is a long process and not easy. Just getting authorities to believe her is a struggle. All the while an expulsion hangs over her by a thread, but she perseveres knowing a 16 year old girl is a sex slave somewhere in Melbourne.

Author – Louise Bassett

Age – 14+

(2022, Walker Books Aust, Melbourne, Indonesia, School Trip, Diary, Repercussions, Suspended, School Counsellor, Bully, Bullies, Fighting back, Determination, Breaking Rules, Investigation, Secrets, Tracking down, Suspects, Human Trafficking, Sex Slave, Police, Crime, Mystery, Poverty)