"The Maze of Bones" is book 1 in the 39 Clues series. This volume, written by Rick Riordan, introduces us to Amy & Dan Cahill and sets the stage for a very big mystery. Amy & Dan are 14 and 11 year old orphans when their grandmother dies. In the reading of her will, they, and 40 of their family members, are presented with a choice. They can either take a million dollars now, or they can get one clue. The clue is the beginning of a long mysterious quest to a lot of power and money, but it will be difficult and dangerous and only one person or team can win. Many of their relatives opt for the cash, but Amy and Dan choose the quest. They have to use their wits and knowledge to beat everyone else to the next clue, which leads to another clue, etc., however, their distant relatives are trying to win as well. They mislead the children, follow them, and try to kill them. Amy and Dan, with the help of their young au pair, manage to elude most of the traps on their world-wide hunt.
There have already been several volumes in the series published, which helps readers move through the series without needing to wait for the next edition. The story reminds me of the "National Treasure" movie, which mixes fiction with historical facts, so the reader doesn't realize they're learning while they're reading for fun. The quest is intriguing and has an online counterpart where the readers can login and help Amy and Dan find clues. There are some minor suspenseful scenes, but no sex or profanity. I would place this book in the 3rd through 6th grade range, although it would also be great for low level readers in middle school.
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