Neil Peel
About the Books
Explore the wonder years of bullies, new schools, friends, crushes, sex education, evil-genius older sisters, extended family, holidays, school discos, Christmas, school plays, demonic cousins, birthdays and so much more!
On this page, learn about the books, the characters and read reviews.
The Books
The Heroic Truths of Neil Peel
“Neil Peel. What the hell?” snarled Ottilie. “Of all the sad sacks in this school, I get stuck sitting at a desk next to the saddest of them all…again!”
Neil Peel is about to start his first year at Titfield School, and this is his welcome.
Best friends Stephen and Grub will be at his sides as he faces bullies, takes part in a football match for the uncoordinated, tries to survive a visit from a devilish cousin who’s determined to ruin his Christmas, and even faces a brush with crime.
At least Neil’s evil genius older sister Lemony is on hand to trip him up and kick him when hes down.
Approaching adolescence is not easy for anyone, but life can be even harder when you always tell the truth. At least everybody knows where they stand with Neil, but will his honesty turn out to be a blessing or a curse?
This hilarious and heart-warming book is the first Neil Peel book by Ben Dixon. It was first published in 2020 and tells the tale of a boy who always tells the truth no matter what the situation. Sausage pranks on grandparents, fist fights with bullies, a school crush, Christmas shopping, the aftermath of a terrible haircut, Dad in love with another woman. Neil faces all of these situations in his first year at Titfield School, and the outcome of each one is hysterical and memorable.
Neil Peel's Holiday
Neil Peel's Rival
“Neil. If you ever leave Lower Piercing, then we’ll have to advertise for a new village idiot, and I doubt anyone could do that job as well as you.”
His older sister, Lemony, may be as despicable as ever, but Neil Peel is back and living his best life; he won’t let her spoil his fun.
He’s about to have a double birthday celebration before heading off on holiday to Majorca with his family and best friend, Stephen. Even with odious Ottilie Plank and demonic little cousin Nicolae around, what could possibly go wrong?
Stephen and Lemony both starting holiday romances, however, was not in Neil’s plan, and now he’s feeling left out. Not only that, he’s deeply suspicious that Lemony’s new boyfriend is up to no good.
A missing key, an unwanted visit to the Sugar Tots club, and a holiday mystery to solve are among the misadventures of Neil Peel, the boy who always tells the truth.
Our second Neil Peel adventure starts in Lower Piercing before his trip abroad with Stephen and his family. More hilarious antics abound with his school report, at Neil’s birthday party, and who would have thought that raising some holiday money could be so difficult?
“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.
Character Profiles
Explore the world of Lower Piercing and the oddballs who live there, from the sharp wit of the modern teen to the dull-witted.
Neil Peel
Our hero, Neil Peel, is not an ordinary young man because he always tells the truth, no matter what the situation. He is fiercely loyal to his friends and has a strong sense of what is right and wrong. He will stand up to injustice where he sees it to defend underdogs such as fellow Titfield School new boy, Wilberforce Pudge. He lives in Lower Piercing with his parents and sister, Lemony.
Lemony Peel is Neil’s older sister. She manages to ignore Neil as much as she makes it her mission to ruin his life. He is occasionally allowed to join in her mischief, but she rejects him quickly as soon as she’s had her fun. She enjoys tormenting her family with Neil’s help but hardly has a kind word to say to him. Lemony is usually found listening to her favourite band, Durty Dreamz.
Lemony
Stephen
Stephen Prince is the faithful, carefree, windy best friend of Neil Peel. Their fathers, John Peel and Mike Prince were best friends during their childhood too, and a natural, easy friendship has formed between Neil and Stephen. They can share anything together, and it is to Stephen that Neil will turn if he has a real problem.
Grub
Grub (real name James Grubman) may be small and bespectacled, but don’t be fooled; he’s a proper coward. He’s a great dungeon master when it comes to role-playing games, and he’s happy to be friends with Neil, Stephen and Cameron as long as his glasses aren’t under threat from any of their antics.
Cameron
Cameron is one of the last to join Neil Peel’s friendship group. He joined Titfield School from Princess Albertina Primary School and is a quiet soul. However, he has a strange power over Basher Walker that nobody quite understands. His family links will provide the key to tackling Lower Piercing’s worst bullies.
Fleur Poucette joined Titfield school at the same time as Neil, and he has been in love with her since the very first day. She is more mature than those around her, not worried by what people think about her. Thinking for herself, she can stand up to strong characters such as Ottilie Plank, Damian Devlin and even Lemony!
Fleur loves acting and longs to play a lead role in the school play; she even has a secret hobby which might surprise Neil and his friends.
Fleur
Basher
Basher Walker is a mean old bully. He moved to Titfield School from Princess Albertina Primary School but took an instant dislike to Neil and his friends, giving them all sorts of cruel nicknames and not shying away from physical violence either. His peanutted tie is a trademark and typical of his lack of respect for authority. His treatment of Vijay Jayasuriya in PE lessons is one of his favourite moments of his first year at Titfield.
Batesy
Batesy is Basher Walker’s weaselly sidekick. He is in 7D, Mrs Deanus’s class, with Neil and his friends, but he only has any self confidence when he is with his bullying friend. He is a minion who will do whatever Basher tells him to do, but he is really a scaredy-cat underneath the bravado. He cannot stand Neil Peel and his group of friends who represent the camaraderie that Batesy doesn’t have.
Damian
Damian Devlin arrives in time for Neil’s second year at Titfield School. He has come from a prestigious private school in the south of England and has a smarmy way about him, trying to charm the teachers and other pupils into liking him at all costs. He excels at almost everything and cannot stand being second best.
As soon as he sees Neil, Damian recognises a rival and seems to develop a deep-seated hatred for him. How far will he go to humiliate Neil in front of the largest crowd possible, and who will come out on top in the end?
Stijve Tepels is a pool waiter at La Casita bar in Cala Plata’s finest hotel. He is keen to serve residents, particularly if they are pretty young girls like Lemony. He may come across as helpful, but Neil is deeply suspicious of his intentions. Is he really a helpful waiter or is there more than meets the eye with this young man?
Stijve
Shamone
Shamone Eehi is an Egyptian goddess. Not literally a goddess like Isis but definitely worthy of worship in the eyes of Stephen. Her parents, Michael and Lisa-Marie, sign her up for the Sugar Tots holiday club where she crosses paths with our heroes.
Not Forgetting...
Auntie Sue - She loves God before everything else but has a soft spot for Neil. She’s easily offended by anything remotely sacrilegious.
Uncle Peter - He loves a drink with Neil's dad and has been somewhat sideswiped by parenthood since his son was born.
Auntie Lexa - Uncle Peter’s Romanian wife, nicknamed Sexa Peel by Neil’s dad. Utterly devoted to her son, Nicolae, who can do no wrong in her opinion.
Nicolae - Neil’s only cousin. He is spawn of the devil in Neil’s opinion. Despite being very young, he is always trying to do horrible things to upset Neil.
Wilberforce Pudge - An overweight member of 7D who joined Titfield from Princess Albertina. He has over-protective parents and ends up as one of Neil’s good friends.
Ottilie Plank - A spiteful girl who knows Neil of old, having had to sit next to him at Prince Albert Primary School. She is devastated to have to sit next to him again at Titfield.
Reviews
A laugh out loud comedy that will delight even the most reluctant reader.
Reading The Heroic Truths of Neil Peel reminded me of my experience of reading Adrian Mole. Like Adrian, Neil is far from perfect, yet he is relatable and has an authenticity that will attract readers of all ages. Neil has an incredible knack of putting his foot in things and being a little too honest. He has neuroses like everyone and is constantly tormented by his evil older sister, Lemony. He has two good friends, Stephen and Grub, who attempt to help him navigate his way through the first year at his new secondary school, Titfield. Neil also has to deal with some worrying bullying incidents and there is a serious message here, which will undoubtedly help other young people going through a similar experience. All the characters are realistic and memorable, and the dialogue is particularly astute. The snippets of family life are pure genius. I feel that the main strength is the comedy, a cheeky and relatable comedy, which runs throughout the entire book, with much of it leading to laughs-out-loud.
Cheeky, fun read
This was a quick fun read that was exactly what I expected (which is a good thing!). All the elements were covered from best friends, school bully, love interest, embarrassing family members and annoying sibling. Although billed as YA there were plenty of hidden adult gags! I had to check that I’d read correctly that one of the schools was called Prince Albert in Lower Piecing!. The characters were fabulous- I’m sure everyone has an Auntie Sue in the family!
My little boy is too young at the moment to appreciate this book but I’m quite certain it would appeal when he’s pre-teen. It definitely has fun Grange Hill vibes (if you can remember that? Probably showing my age there!). Although it’s light hearted it actually has a lovely friendship theme and demonstrates that you should stand up to bullies!
Laughs galore on every page
Book 1 was/is a really excellent read - plenty of smiles, giggles and belly-laughs too!
But Book 2 is even more inspired!
Neil's inability to tell a lie is much funnier than Jim Carrey blighted 24 hours in "Liar, Liar!"
I read this on holiday last week and I've no idea what the people around me on the hotel's sun-deck must have thought was the matter with me... At one point, one short paragraph took me over 5 minutes to read; the tears from my laughter prevented any progress.
How come?
Well, wait until you get to the point in the story where Neil and Stephen board the plane after "Ken and Barbie"...
Both books are a 'must-read' for ANYONE who's been 11+ years old!
But of course, 11+ or not, if you've had a SenseOfHumourEctomy then you're unfortunately a lost cause in any case.
Endearingly funny, adorably chucklesome
Neil Peel's Holiday is a follow up to the first book in the series and yet again is beautifully crafted with relatable and fully chucklesome situations. What I love about Ben Dixon's writing is that all the observations and character nuances are tenderly written even when the character is behaving out of hand. His subtle observations make all the characters really relatable and lovable. The humour too is never spiteful and the situations the family find themselves in resolve as real situations often do with an ability to look back upon them with a sense of humour. I also love that the way he writes means you spend much reading time thinking this must have really happened.. or, this is how you felt.
You feel the reflections even when really humorous must be true.
The humour is also stealth bomberesque in that halfway through a sentence, or reading through a list of names you suddenly realise it contains real humour.
It isnt predictable either and I love that.. a potential disaster becomes a gentle outcome and there is nothing fraught within these books..just a comforting slide into funny puns, clever writing and an array of characters that you feel you know!
Thoroughly recommend and look forward to 'watching' Neil Peel's life unfold.
A great way to finish the Neil Peel trilogy!
Neil Peel’s Rival is nothing short of captivating. From the very beginning, the book immerses readers in a world filled with suspense, mystery, and daring escapades. The character development is exceptional, allowing us to witness Neil’s growth as a hero and as a person.
What sets this book apart is the author’s ability to craft intricate plots that keep readers on the edge of their seats. Each twist and turn in Neil’s journey adds depth to the narrative, leaving us eager to turn the next page. The pacing is superb, ensuring that the story never loses its momentum.
The supporting characters in Neil Peel’s world are just as engaging as Neil himself. Their interactions and relationships add richness to the story, making it more than just a series of adventures. We see bonds forming, trust being tested, and friendships evolving, all of which contribute to the book’s emotional depth.
Moreover, the vivid descriptions of the various settings Neil visits transport readers to exotic and perilous locations. It’s a testament to the author’s skill!
In this book readers can expect a rollercoaster of emotions, from heart-pounding action to moments of introspection and self-discovery. This book is a testament to the enduring appeal of Neil Peel as a character and the author’s ability to deliver gripping storytelling.
This third installment of the Neil Peel series is an absolute must-read. It not only lives up to the high expectations set by its predecessors but also raises the bar for what a book can be. The Neil Peel books are a treasure trove of excitement and intrigue, and this book is no exception.
Hilarious!
Neil Peel is back for the third and final instalment of this hugely entertaining trilogy about ‘the boy who always tells the truth.’ Having returned from his Summer holiday which was featured in the last book and now entering his second year at Titfield School Neil has to cope with the arrival of the very dastardly Damian Devlin who seems to show up at every turn to put poor Neil down and to destroy his budding relationship with the lovely Fleur.
Ben Dixon is on top form and writes with great beauty as well as naughtiness in evoking scenes from Neil’s life. Hilarious episode follows hilarious episode with football matches, sex education lessons, food poisoning, the school disco and the teenage love all making an appearance.
The action builds towards the climactic face-off between Neil and Damian. The only question I was left with is that Neil still has a good few years to go before he leaves school and I wonder whether the author will be tempted to write more. If he feels that Neil has now lost his innocence perhaps there is some mileage in exploring the options of 3 prequels.
I loved this book. It had me laughing out loud on many occasions and I shall miss Neil if we do not see him again.