This is the first book I read in 2022. It was a quick read for me as this is a middle grade book.

Rick Riordan has written this book really well especially as the authors change with each book written. Riordan has made this book flow on to make it readable for any age. As a 25 year old reading this, it did not feel like a children’s book because of the sense of adventure. 

This book is the first in its series where brother and sister Dan and Amy Cahill travel the world to solve the mysterious clues that their late grandmother set forth.

When their grandmother Grace Cahill died, the entire Cahill extended family gathered for her funeral and a select few were invited to the will reading where they were given the choice of $1 million dollars or a clue. If you chose to accept the $1 million dollars, you forfeit the chance to participate in a scavenger hunt to solve the 39 clues. If you accepted the clue, your $1 million dollar cheque is burned right before your eyes.

Dan and Amy are orphans, their parents died while they were still quite young in a house fire and are under the custody of their Aunt Beatrice. Though Aunt Beatrice lives in an upscale apartment that does not allow children, Dan and Amy live in a much smaller apartment with Au Pairs that their aunt seems to fire after a few weeks.

When Dan and Amy decide to hunt the clues, they realise that they can’t get far without an adult guardian so they enlist their current Au Pair, Nellie to help them try and solve the first clue.

The first book is related to Benjamin Franklin who is a Lucian (one of the 5 Cahill branches) and his inventions. Dan, Amy and their Au Pair Nellie travel to Philadelphia to try and unlock some hints towards the first clue and where to find the second clue. While this is happening, the other family members that decided to participate in the clue hunt try very hard to make sure that Dan and Amy do not succeed in their hunt for the next clue. When Dan and Amy solve a hint towards the first clue, it takes them to France.

While in France, they run into more family members that are also trying to solve the clues that seemed to have followed them or worked it out for themselves.

There is alliances, thievery, deceit and attempted murder throughout the book. The families that have joined the hunt seem to be much more well off compared to Dan and Amy who sold their collectables (Dan) and Graces jewellery (Amy) to be able to travel. They also have Grace’s Egyptian Mau with them.

This was an enjoyable quick read that leaves the reader wanting to know what happens next once the first clue has been solved and where it will take Dan and Amy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book and gave it a 4 stars on goodreads. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series – One False Note.

If you would like to pick up a copy of this book – The Maze of Bones

– R