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Book Summary

Reviewed by Matt Berman

Orphans Amy and Dan belong to a rich and powerful family related to nearly everyone important in history. When their grandmother dies, she leaves 39 clues, spread across the planet, to a treasure that will make the finder immensely powerful. So all the relatives, none of them decent or honest (except Amy and Dan, of course), compete to find and solve the clues while trying to eliminate their competition. This proposed 10-book series (10 physical books followed by 29 online-only installments), each by a different author, includes cards plus a code for a Web site with an online game with cash prizes.

Is It Any Good?

3

Book by Book

The 39 Clues, Book 1: Maze of Bones
We rate it on for kids 9 and up four stars
Taken simply as a story, this is pretty good. Sure, you have to park your disbelief at the door and give up on any expectation of realism. That done, it's loads of fun, with action, mysteries, and clues. It's clearly intended to make money, and a little more baldly than most. But as long as the writing is good and the story is fun, who cares? And Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson series, knows how to pace a story.
The 39 Clues, Book 2: One False Note
We rate it on for kids 9 and up three stars
This installment keeps moving like the first -- from Vienna to Salzburg to Venice this time. And it keeps you guessing about how the clues will fit together. But the brother-sister team seems less likable here. Dan won't stop whining about how boring he thinks Mozart is and the two won't stock bickering. It overshadows their talents and makes you wonder how they're able to stay ahead of the competition.
The 39 Clues, Book 3: The Sword Thief
We rate it on for kids 9 and up three stars
This installment sends the Cahills to Japan and Korea and teams up Amy and Dan with ruthless relatives Ian and Natalie Kabra. The book starts and ends with fun flourishes and twists but it also gets to the heart of what the four Cahill branches are really fighting over -- and it's not all that original. Also, the puzzles leading to the clues are confusing and the romantic subplot feels clumsily put together.
The 39 Clues, Book 4: Beyond the Grave
We rate it on for kids 9 and up two stars
Dan and Amy Cahill work their way through Egypt in this installment. Lucky for them their grandma has left numerous hints around Cairo and the tombs. Once again this installment doesn't hold a candle to the first in the series. There's no logical flow from one clue to the next and the way the kids figure out some of the puzzles makes no sense. It's too bad because Egypt is such an exciting place for a treasure hunt.
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