“Damian turned his glance towards me, raising his left eyebrow twice before sneering. Had he spotted that I had a crush on Fleur within thirty seconds of being in the classroom? I was going to have to be on my guard right from day one.” Neil Peel’s back for his second year at Titfield School, but a new boy called Damian Devlin has taken an instant dislike to him. As if he didn’t have enough to manage with his new role as a sport prefect, his odious sister, Lemony, mocking him at every turn, and his growing feelings for Fleur, the girl he likes. Damian seems to be gathering allies among the cool gang at school while Neil relies on his Dungeons and Dragons playing underdog friends, Stephen, Cameron and Grub for support. The two go head to head over a Valentine’s Day card fiasco, the Year 8 disco and the dreaded sex education lesson, all while tangling over who will get the part of Fleur’s love interest in the school play. A bout of food poisoning, vivid, cheese-induced dreams, being very silly in town, the further vile acts of devilish cousin Nicolae, genuine miracles with religious Auntie Sue, and the aftermath of Lemony’s Durty Dreamz concert keep Neil’s life anything but boring! This lively year in Neil’s life will come to an unforgettable final showdown on a very public stage, but who will come out on top? Prepare for the hilarious and heartfelt antics of Neil Peel, the boy who always tells the truth.

The third episode in the Neil Peel series turns up the dramatic stakes in more ways than one. Neil’s rivalry with Damian Devlin dominates his life, and it’s all he can do to stay a step ahead. Join all your favourite characters in this hilarious and touching third book in the Lower Piercing trilogy.

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