The Forbidden Stone by Tony Abbott (review)

Spring break with his astrophysicist father and stepbrother Darryl proves to be eventful for twelve-year-old Wade Kaplan; first, his cousin Lily and her friend Becca are dropped off on their doorstep, and then his father’s mentor mysteriously dies, but not before emailing an encoded message. Decrypting the code hints that the death may have been murder, and the four children and their reluctant chaperone fly to Berlin to investigate; there they discover a vast international conspiracy involving ancient artifacts with ties to Copernicus and a possible time machine. Using Wade’s sixteenth-century star map as their guide, the unlikely team races across the globe, solving puzzles and deciphering clues; time is running out to find the first hidden relic, though, and even if they succeed, eleven more must be found if Wade and his friends are to keep the world safe and Copernicus’ machines out of the wrong hands. The plot and its underlying secrets are ludicrous, but readers are unlikely to care as they get caught up in this fast-paced and diverting page-turner. The real draws here are the adventure, a James Bond–lite narrative complete with car chases and gun battles, and the puzzles, quirky brain-teasers that are ultimately explained in detail. Each young member of the team brings his or her own special talents and unique idiosyncrasy to the table, giving readers plenty of characters to like. The first of six interconnected novels, with six more interstitial novellas and a real-life treasure hunt attached, this lively escapade will suit fans of the 39 Clues series who are looking for a new puzzle to solve.