August 1, 2012
Gr 4-7-For generations, the Vespers and Cahills have sought to steal certain rare artifacts that contain one of 39 clues that will lead to ultimate power for anyone who has all of them. The Madrigal branch of the Cahill family has tried to protect them from discovery. Attending a boarding school in Massachusetts, Grace Cahill is a retired Madrigal Agent who longs to live an artifact-free life. Her dreams are put on hold when a Louvre employee contacts her for help with regard to a stolen altarpiece. Created by medieval artist Jan Van Eyck, it is believed to hold a secret map to the clues' locations. Throughout history, thieves have stolen parts of the masterpiece in search of the map, but have failed. Grace tries to ignore the request until a Vesper disguised as a teacher tries to kill her for information about the item's whereabouts. Can Grace find and the altarpiece and save it from falling into the wrong hands? Will she ever be able to quit getting pulled into her family's disputes? This is a fun prequel to the "39 Clues" series. The World War II setting, conflicts with the Nazis, and the references to the artist Van Eyck add a new level of believable intrigue without overwhelming the plot. Fans of the other Cahill stories or those who like mystery, suspense, and adventure will enjoy this book.-Kira Moody, Whitmore Library, Murray, UT
Copyright 2012 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
January 1, 2013
In this spin-off series, readers are made privy to Cahill family secrets. This story relates the family's involvement with Van Eyck's altar piece--a set of twenty-four paintings--through three generations, beginning in the sixteenth century, to World War II, and finally to the present day. Riley uses vivid language to create a narrative that series fans will enjoy.
(Copyright 2013 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)