The 39 Clues

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The 39 Clues is a series of adventure books published by Scholastic. The main part of the series consists of ten books about the adventures of siblings Amy and Dan Cahill. They agree to the challenge in their grandmother Grace's will and search for 39 clues scattered around the world. Rick Riordan wrote the first book and the main story arc, but other authors will write the rest of the books in the series. As of 2009, six have been written by (in order) Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman, Peter Lerangis, Jude Watson, Patrick Carman and Jude Watson (again). The others are being written by (in order) Peter Lerangis (again), Gordon Korman (again), Linda Sue Park and Margaret Peterson Haddix.^[1]

The series combines online gaming and card collecting with reading, creating a unique, interactive experience. Six cards come with every book and more are sold separately in packs. There are also activities related to The 39 Clues online. There are prizes for children between the age of six and fourteen. It is possible to win prizes by buying the books and playing the online game.

The books are designed to teach history. The main characters are fictional but almost every historical person mentioned in the series belongs to the Cahill family. Because of this, Amy and Dan have to learn about these people to search for the Clues, thereby educating the reader.

Contents 1 The Cahill Family branches 2 The Madrigals 3 The Characters 3.1 Clue-hunting teams 3.2 Other characters 3.3 Other Online Characters 4 The novels 4.1 Book 1: The Maze of Bones 4.2 Book 2: One False Note 4.3 Book 3:The Sword Thief 4.4 Book 4: Beyond the Grave 4.5 Book 5: The Black Circle 4.6 Book 6: In Too Deep 4.7 Book 7: The Viper's Nest 4.8 Book 8 4.9 Book 9 4.10 Book 10 5 Audiobooks 5.1 Maze Of Bones 5.2 One False Note 5.3 The Sword Thief 5.4 Beyond The Grave 5.5 The Black Circle 5.6 In Too Deep 6 Games 6.1 Board Game 6.2 Cahill Commotion/Discover the Secrets Card Game 6.3 200 Piece Puzzle 6.4 Madrigal Maze 7 On the Books 7.1 Book Clues and prizes 7.2 Mission hints 7.3 Book covers 7.3.1 Elements from following and preceding books 7.3.2 Messages/code breakers 8 The Clues 9 The Cards 10 Online components 10.1 My Clues 10.2 My Cards 10.3 Missions 10.3.1 Arena 39 10.4 Secret Archives 10.5 Cahill Web 10.6 Inbox 10.7 Videos 10.7.1 Double-Dealing Tour 10.7.2 Find Dan and Amy 11 Grand Prize 12 Future releases 12.1 Books 12.2 Card Packs 12.3 Missions 13 Planned films 14 References 15 External links

The Cahill Family branches

The Cahill family is split into four family branches: the Lucian, the Ekaterina, the Janus, and the Tomas. The four branches are named after the four children who founded them, and fight each other to find lost Clues. Each branch has identified names, unique curves for their crests, and their own color.

The Ekaterina branch, founded by Katherine Cahill, is made up of famous scientists and great inventors, such as Abraham Lincoln, Galileo Galilei, Thomas Edison, Bill Gates, Howard Carter, John Flamsteed, Nikola Tesla, George Herbert, Elias Howe, Robert Fulton, Eli Whitney, Jr., and Marie Curie. The Ekats made many great inventions like the light bulb, but they also invented many harmful items, such as the atomic bomb. They despise members of the Tomas branch (mostly because of Thomas Cahill's betrayal of his sister, Katherine). Ekats are responsible for the Bermuda Triangle, the Loch Ness Monster, and CERN. They use Cairo, Egypt, the Bermuda Triangle, and CERN as bases. The Ekaterina symbol is a yellow dragon. It is said that Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla came close to finding all the 39 clues. The characters in the books that are Ekats are the Alistair Oh and his uncle, Bae Oh.

The Ekaterina branch is led by Alistair's uncle, Bae Oh.

The Janus branch, founded by Jane Cahill, is made up of the world's most famous and talented artists, such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Maria Anna Mozart, Thomas Jefferson, Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Emily Dickinson, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Percy Bysshe Shelley, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Isadora Duncan, Alfred Hitchcock, Damien Hurst, Giorgio Armani, Mark Twain, Walt Disney, Raoul Lufbery, Steven Spielberg, John Keats, Lord Byron, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, Mary Shelley, Ludwig Friedrich Wilhelm, Johhny Depp, and Michael Jackson. The Janus made some of the most beautiful pieces of art that exist and one of the greatest pieces of writing that has ever been written (usually classics). They have bases in Venice, Italy and Hollywood, California. The Janus symbol is a green wolf. The characters in the books that are Janus are the fictional rap star Jonah Wizard and his mother, Cora.

The Janus branch is led by Jonah Wizard's mother, Cora Wizard, as well as two people named Halima Amadi and Spencer Langendoen.

The Lucian branch, founded by Luke Cahill, are the descendants of the world's greatest leaders and spies, such as Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Benjamin Franklin, Isaac Newton, Napoleon Bonaparte, Ching Shih, Catherine the Great, Bernardino Drovetti, Marie Louise, Michael Bloomberg, Susan B. Anthony, Gustave Eiffel, and Sidney Reilly (The Ace of Spies). They are the most ruthless Cahills, like to use poison, and are extremely power-hungry. Most important leaders, such as some US Presidents, are Lucians. Lucians allegedly control secret bases such as Area 51 and Fort Knox. They also have a base in Paris, France, Moscow, Russia, and Nevada, USA. The Lucian symbol is two red snakes wrapped around a sword, which resembles the caduceus. It is said in book 5 that Nicholas I of Russia's brother, Constanstine, came close to finding all 39 clues. In the books, Ian, Natalie and Isabel Kabra, Irina Spasky, and Nataliya Radova are Lucians.

The Lucian branch is lead by Ian and Natalie Kabra's parents, Vikram and Isabel Kabra.

The Tomas branch, founded by Thomas Cahill, is made up of famous explorers, discoverers, and athletes, such as Annie Oakley, Neil Armstrong, Babe Ruth, Philip II of Spain, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, David Livingstone, Herbert Hoover, Edmund Hillary, Roald Amundsen, Lakshmi Mittal, Michael Phelps, John F. Kennedy, Gertrude Ederle, David Beckham, and Simon Bolivar. They have been the first to go to the moon and climb mountains, explore unknown land and are in the best shape. Most Tomas members are very strong, but most are unintelligent though stupidity isn't necessarily to them (for example, Hamilton Holt is actually a computer genius despite seeming dumb). They have Tokyo, Japan, and Mt. Fuji as bases. Tomas members hate the Ekaterina branch (mainly because Katherine stole something incredibly important to Thomas). The Tomas symbol is a blue bear. The Holts and the Yakuza from Tokyo are the only Tomas' in the books so far.

The Tomas branch is lead by Ivan Kleister.

The Madrigals

The Madrigals are a mysterious group of people. They are deeply involved in the search for The 39 Clues. In the sixth book, In Too Deep, there is speculation that the Madrigals are rogue Cahills who have formed a secret society, however it is also believed that the Madrigals are the children of Madeleine, another child of Olivia Cahill. Certainly a prominent Madrigal in the series is William McIntyre who is also a member of the Cahill familly. Abigail Adams and Amelia Earhart are two other Cahills who are speculated to be Madrigals.

In the books the readers are led to believe that the Madrigals do not have good intentions, that they might make the quest to find the 39 Clues more difficult or even want to destroy the Cahill family.^[2] This is also implied by their apparent effort to destroy or steal the minor clues along the trail that lead to the Clues.

On card 61, Carnival, five circus characters dressed as a red snake, a yellow dragon, a green wolf, and a blue bear. However, another character dressed in black is shown in between the wolf and bear. He is believed to represent the Madrigals.

On card 35, there is a close-up of the Hope Diamond. When looking closely,you can see a mysterious black figure's reflection in the Hope Diamond. He is believed to be a Madrigal.

Also, the Cahill family crest is black. This may have to do with the Madrigals. On the part of the secret picture on the back of Card #6, there is a mysterious black figure that is suspected to be a Madrigal.

On card 67, there are branches of the subway for each branch, but there is also a stretch that is black. This may represent the Madrigals.

In the fifth book, The Black Circle, there are two puzzles which when decoded say "Olivia had another" and "Remember Madeleine." Olivia was the mother of the founders Thomas, Luke, Jane, and Katherine. This could mean that Madeleine was the sister (or half-sister) of Thomas, Luke, Jane and Katherine. This would mean that Madeleine was the founder of the Madrigals. The Madrigals are presumably trying to stop the other branches from getting the 39 Clues as mentioned in the folders in The Black Circle. This is due to the fact that all of the cards of Madrigals (like Amelia Earhart) are black. On the Cahill crest, there is a 'M' on the bottom, which can be translated into "The Madrigals are the keys to the Cahills or the 39 Clues."

In the Madrigal Aaze app, it is revealed that to join the madrigals,you have to get yourself out of a maze alive inside the stronghold located deep in the jungles of central America.

They have a stronghold deep in the jungles of central America.

The Characters

Amy and Dan Cahill: Amy and Dan are the main characters in the 39 clues. Amy has long, reddish blond hair and is fourteen years old. Dan has dark blond hair and is eleven years old.

Clue-hunting teams

When Grace Cahill gave her relatives a chance to search for the 39 clues, 6 teams (besides Amy and Dan) agreed. These are the teams:

• Ian and Natalie Kabra are ruthless Lucians. Their parents, Isabel and Vikram Kabra, are the heads of the Lucian branch. Ian is also known to have a crush on Amy Cahill. Natalie is known to be addicted to shopping and is said to be very cunning and ruthless.
  

--The Sword Thief--Made a temporary alliance with Amy and Dan Cahill; left them and Alistair Oh in a cave for dead after getting a false clue.
--In Too Deep--Isabel Kabra joins their team and tries to kill off Amy.

• The Holt Family are members of the Tomas branch who are strong, but aren't very bright. Throughout the books Reagan Holt proves to be the softest out of all the Holts. Hamilton, or "Hammer", proves to be a computer genius.
  

--Members--Eisenhower Holt(Father); Mary-Todd Holt(Mother); Hamilton "Hammer" Holt(Oldest/Son); Madison Holt(Twin Daughter); Reagan Holt(Twin Daughter); Arnold(Pit-Bull)
--The Black Circle; Book 5--Made an alliance with Amy and Dan Cahill.
--In Too Deep; Book 6--Hamilton saved Amy from Isabel Kabra before she was pushed into shark waters.
--Card #90; Hamilton Holt--suggests that Eisenhower is responsible for the death of Amy and Dan's parents but the books say the Lucians were responsible.

• Alistair Oh is a smart, older, Korean man who is an Ekaterina. He made a small fortune from his microwavable burritos. He has "helped" Amy and Dan throughout the series.
  

--The Maze of Bones; Book 1--Told Amy and Dan he knew the 'truth' about their parent's death and made a temporary alliance.
--The Sword Theif; Book 3--Fakes his death when trapped in the cave by Ian and Natalie Kabra.
--Beyond the Grave; Book 4--Recreates an alliance with Amy and Dan Cahill.
--In Too Deep; Book 6--Shows that he was one of the last 'visitors' of Hope and Arthur Cahill before their death.

• The Starling Triplets: Ned, Ted, and Sinead are Ekats, according to a live chat with Patrick Carman.
  

--The Maze of Bones; Book 1--Injured early by a sonic detonator explosion made by the Holts. They survived, but weren't able to continue in the search.

• Irina Spasky is a ruthless Lucian who was trained in espionage by the KGB. She also hides poison in her fingernails.
  

--Beyond the Grave; Book 4--Revealed she had a Child.
--The Black Circle; Book 5--Her Child was revealed to be a young boy.
--In Too Deep; Book 6--Son's name revealed to be Nikolai, whom died from an illness which Irina feels guilty for because it happened while she was on a deep-cover mission, forced to accept by Isabel Kabra. Nikolai had wanted her to bring back a monkey from her trip; however, when she returned holding a stuffed monkey for her son, the babysitter ran up and told her about Nikolai. Also revealed that she was a champion pole-vaulter in her youth. Irina Spasky dies as well, saving Amy and Dan Cahill from a burning building, because she still felt guilty of Nikolai's death.
--Card #74--the contents of Irina's luggage at one point, including a photo of her child, Nikolai, amongst other things.

• Jonah Wizard and his father, Broderick. Jonah is a famous teenage actor and celebrity who is a Janus. His mother, Cora, is evidently training him to become a killer. His father is not a Cahill, but according to Mission 0, he knows the whereabouts of 5 clues, which was 4 more than the branch knew about.^[3] He has been seen the least of all the clue-hunting teams, appearing in only three books so far.

Other characters

• Arthur Trent and Hope Cahill were Amy and Dan's parents, and were deeply involved in the search for the 39 clues. They died in a suspicious fire that broke out in their home when Amy and Dan were very young. In book 4, Beyond the Grave, it was revealed that a shaky alliance caused the deaths. In card 433, Madrigal Down Under, it was revealed that Isabel caused their death.
• Grace Cahill was the grandmother of Amy and Dan Cahill, and the last matriarch of the Cahills. She was born in December 1929 and died in August 2008, due to cancer. Grace was involved in the search for the 39 Clues in many ways, and has explored the world.
• William McIntyre was Grace Cahill's lawyer and her most trusted advisor. He is working with The Man in Black to spy on Amy and Dan Cahill. In card 137, William's Heritage, it is revealed that McIntyre is of Cahill descent. And according to card 433, Madrigal Down Under, he is a Madrigal, possibly the leader.
• The Man in Black is a mysterious man in his late sixties^[4] who always wears black clothes, a confirmed Madrigal, and spies on Amy and Dan Cahill.
• Bae Oh is Alistair Oh's uncle and the leader of the Ekaterina Branch. He is ruthless, even though he is about 87 years old. Bae hired someone to kill Alistair's father (his twin brother), Gordon Oh, in 1948.^[5] He also wants to kill Alistair, and Alistair wants to kill him.^[6] In the end of The Sword Thief, Bae Oh was seen talking with The Man in Black when he thought that Alistair had died. Then, he also wanted to talk about this with William McIntyre. In Beyond the Grave, he captures Amy and Dan in the Ekat stronghold in Excelsior Hotel in Cairo. He then questions them about the whereabouts of Alistair, and was convinced they knew where he was, even though they did not.
• Gordon Oh was Alistair Oh's father and Bae Oh's twin brother. A killer hired by Bae Oh murdered him in 1948.^[5]
• Beatrice Cahill is Amy and Dan's great aunt, and Grace Cahill's sister. She took care of Amy and Dan before they started searching for clues, but did not treat them well.
• Nellie Gomez is Dan and Amy Cahill's teenage au pair (nanny). She travels around with them and helps them when she can, usually as a translator. Dan refuses to let her be called their "babysitter" though she technically is a babysitter. She's almost always listening to her iPod, and loves all types of music. She is much more than first thought, as in In Too Deep, she flies a plane and the siblings begin to suspect that she has been trained to take care of them. She also gets locked emails from someone whose username is clashgrrlwho told her not to let them out of her sight.
• Saladin was Grace's cat. He is an Egyptian Mau who likes to eat red snapper. He was being cared for by Amy, Dan, and Nellie for a short time. However they gave Saladin to William McIntyre in book 1. McIntyre gave him back due to the fact that he could not withstand the difficulties of caring for Saladin. The cat has stayed with the Cahills for the rest of the quest and has proved useful on more than one occasion (information on the 39 clues website seems to suggest that Grace trained Saladin to help in her clue-hunting). In Book 4, Grace used him as a lead to the Clue.
• Isabel and Vikram Kabra are billionaires and the current leaders of the Lucian branch. They are also Ian and Natalie Kabra's parents. Isabel started the fire that killed Amy and Dan's parents. In book six Isabel, after hearing of the repeated failures of her children, goes out into the field and joins them on their clue-hunting quest. It is revealed in the book how skilled and ruthless she is, even willing to risk the lives of her children for Clues.
• Cora Wizard is Jonah Wizard's mother, and the leader of the Janus Branch. Said she is turning Jonah into a killer. It is also said in card 433 Madrigal Down Under that she is a meglomaniac.^[3]
• Hillary Vale is a friend of Grace Cahill. Not much is known about her. She helped Amy and Dan in Beyond the Grave, but she also tried to rob them.
• Theo Cotter is Hillary's grandson. He helped Amy and Dan, but later tried to rob them.
• Sami Kamel is a seller in the shop Treasures of Egypt. Grace knew his father and grandfather. His grandfather was a crook. He helped Amy and Dan find the clue of Book 4.
• Nataliya Ruslanova Radova is Anastasia Romanov's daughter. In book five, it is revealed that she is NRR. She has a disease called hemophilia. Even though she is a Lucian, she helps Amy and Dan travel to Russia and discover the truth about the clues, and their parents.
• Katherine Cahill is the founder of the branch Ekaterina. In book 4, Beyond the Grave, she left a clue for the Ekaterinas. She is known to have stolen something of great importance from Thomas Cahill.
• Jane Cahill is the founder of the Janus. She is a composer, author, poet, and an artist. Her work includes "Hail Wolf"(musical piece),"The Muse and the Wolf"(painting),"The Right of Artist to Rule Mankind"(literary work),"The Four Quarters of My Soul"(musical piece), and "Farewell Brothers,Farewell Sister. Keep Thy Treachery to Thy Selves"(poem). Not much else is known about her though.
• Thomas Cahill is the founder of the Tomas branch. He is one of the four siblings of Luke, Jane, and Katherine Cahill. In book 3, it is said that he settled in Japan and was the father of a man named Toyotomi Hideyoshi.
• Luke Cahill is the founder of the Lucian branch.In card 115 it says he was a suspect in killing Guideon Cahill. Luke then went to England became a rising star in the court of king Henry vll and was the close advisor of king Henry vlll.
• Gideon Cahill is the father of Luke, Thomas, Katherine, and Jane. In book 3, it is said that he discovered how to turn lead into gold, but perished in a fire.
• Olivia Cahill is the mother of Luke, Thomas, Katherine, Jane, and another, possibly Madeleine.
• Shepard Trent is the cousin of Arthur Trent. He is an aviator and a surf bum. He helps Amy and Dan get to wherever they want using his own private plane in book 6, In Too Deep.

Other Online Characters

These are the characters found on cards and online missions, but not in the books.

• Paul Addison may be a Tomas Agent. His card is #49. He is obsessed with the Loch Ness and is in Mission 1.
• Charlie Wallace is an Ekat Agent. He does not have his own card. He has something to do with Anne Cahill’s (aka Nella Chain) disappearance. He guards the Mission 1 Clue Phosphorus with the Loch Ness story as a cover-up.
• George McClain is a Tomas Agent. His card is #5. He is obsessed with the “Lost Clue” found in Mission 1.
• Ophir Dupham is a Janus Agent. His card is #8. He is seen at the Taj Mahal looking for the Mission 2 Clue.
• Lan Nguyen is a Janus Agent. Her card is #21. She is looking for the Mission 2 Janus Clue King Cobra Venom. Another Janus looking for that clue is Ophir Dupham.
• Maria Marapao is a Janus Agent. Her card is #7. She is a Filipina eskrimador searching for a diamond in the Tower of London in Mission 3.
• Lilya Chernova is an Ekat Agent. Her card is #24. Her family is hiding a piece of diamond that used to be part of the Hope Diamond before they were broken. The diamond hides the Mission 3 Tomas Clue Zinc.
• Chrissy Collins is a Lucian Agent. On the back, her card, #113, shows her back flipping through laser beams. She is the agent that has come close to breaking in to Fort Knox to get the Mission 4 Clue Clover. Her "after-school job" is to make sure that Fort Knox is secure.
• Mateo Sanchez is a Tomas Agent. His card number is #122. He tries to protect the Mission 5 Clue Lead in Venezuela.
• Victor Wood is an Ekat agent. His card number is #23. He is a chemist, and works undercover underneath Dr. Ken.
• Yasmeen Badawi is an Ekat agent. Her card number is #97. She invents robots and is a friend of Alistair Oh.

The novels

Book 1: The Maze of Bones

Written by :Rick Riordan

The Maze of Bones is the first book in the series. It was published on September 9, 2008, and was written by Rick Riordan. It covers the death of Grace Cahill and the aftermath of her will. It also introduces the characters, mostly the seven teams that take the challenge to find the 39 Clues. All of them except Amy and Dan are either very rich and powerful, or famous. Every team gets the first Clue of the 39 Clues, but it is hidden in the code "Resolution". Grace's mansion is burned down by the Holts in an attempt to stop Amy and Dan. Also, a sonic detonator explosion made by the Holts injures the Starling triplets, forcing them to withdraw from the race. To find the second clue, Amy and Dan learn about Benjamin Franklin, and go to Paris, France. There, they break into a Lucian stronghold, and Irina Spasky sets a trap to kill them, but they escape. They also discover that they need to go to the Paris Catacombs. There, they find directions to the location of the next Clue, hidden in a group of bones in the shape of a Magic Box, which is a version of Sudoku. These directions tell Amy and Dan to go to a church, where they find a vial of liquid that is wrapped in a page of Mozart’s music. The Kabras steal the vial, but Amy and Dan have the sheet of music. Mozart lived in Vienna, Austria, so they book train tickets to go there. They also find out what the first Clue really is.

Book 2: One False Note

One False Note is the second book of the series. It is written by Gordon Korman (who will also write book #8) and was released on December 2, 2008. In it, Amy, Dan, and their au pair, Nellie, have to learn about Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart to search for the next Clue. First they go to Vienna, Austria, where they steal a journal from Jonah Wizard. Then they go to Salzburg, Austria, where they see The Man in Black. Later, they go to Venice, Italy, where they break in to a Janus stronghold, and steal some valuable pages from there. They eventually end up in a mansion belonging to Fidelio Racco, a friend of Mozart and fellow Janus. There, they encounter the Kabras, but defeat them. Then they find the second Clue, and two ancient Japanese swords. Because of that, Amy and Dan book a flight to Japan to search for the third Clue.

Book 3:The Sword Thief

The Sword Thief is the third book in the series. It was written by Peter Lerangis (who will also write book #7) and was released on March 3, 2009. In the book, Amy and Dan track the life of one of the world's most fearsome warriors in Tokyo, Japan, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, in a bid to uncover whether he is a Cahill, and if he possessed a Clue. Alistair Oh, on some unknown promise that he kept to Amy and Dan's parents, helps them. They also make an alliance with Ian and Natalie Kabra. Later, they go to Korea where they find the third Clue. The Kabras try to kill Amy, Dan, and Alistair by trapping them inside a mountain. Amy and Dan escape, thinking that Alistair had died, but he somehow escapes. Amy and Dan then figure out that the next clue is in Egypt. In this book, Amy and Dan also discover what the main Cahill secret is: the philosopher's stone.

Book 4: Beyond the Grave

Beyond the Grave is the fourth book in the series. It is written by Jude Watson (who will also write book #6), and was released on June 2, 2009. It is about how Amy and Dan try to find an Ekaterina Clue left by the Ekaterina branch founder, Katherine Cahill. The setting of the story is Egypt, and in it, Dan and Amy learn about female Pharaohs and Goddesses. They discover how the Clues corrupt even the most brilliant Cahills and question Grace's love for them when they discover a secret Ekaterina stronghold at a Cairo hotel that they were staying in, the Hotel Excelsior. Along the way, Grace's best friend, Hilary Vale, gives Amy and Dan several items from Grace. They discover that Grace is helping them find the next Clue. Amy and Dan work together with Alistair at the end of the book to reach the original location of the Clue, which is underwater. But they discover that the Clue has been stolen by the Madrigals. Alistair leaves Amy and Dan to look at books at his library. Then Amy and Dan realize that Grace didn't want them to go to the original location of the Clue, but to a store in Cairo. There, they receive a picture of a leaf. Then they go back to the Hotel Excelsoir, the hotel which is the location of the Ekaterina stronghold. There, they discover what the Clue is. The book ends with Amy and Dan finding the Ekaterina stronghold destroyed by the Madrigals, and the place where Amy and Dan are headed next is not revealed.

Book 5: The Black Circle

Siblings Dan and Amy have found notes that lead them on another clue hunt. The Holts have decided to help them. The Kabras are on their tail again. The notes are signed by NRR. Who is to be trusted?

Book 6: In Too Deep

Are some secrets better left buried? As Amy and Dan track the next clue to a remote corner of the world, they make shocking discoveries about the source of the Cahills' power and the mystery of their parents' deaths. And as the threat of the mysterious Madrigals grows real, Irina Spasky dies to save Amy and Dan. Amy and Dan have to decide how much they're willing to risk, and what they are fighting for. Can they avenge their parents - or are they following their fatal path?

Book 7: The Viper's Nest

It's no longer a game. The body count is rising. Shaken by recent events, Amy and Dan flee to South Africa and trace the footsteps of their most formidable ancestor yet: a military leader of mythic proportions. Yet just as the siblings begin to master the art of ancient warfare, they confront a dangerous enemy that can't be felled with a sword: the truth. With the stakes higher than ever, Amy and Dan uncover a secret so devastating it changes everything..... their branch.

Book 8

The title of book eight is unknown, and it is to be written by Gordon Korman.^[7] Book eight is scheduled to be released on April 6, 2010.^[1]. As the race to find the 39 Clues builds to its explosive finish, Amy and Dan must steal a Clue guarded by thousands of the world's best soldiers. With their enemies closing in, the siblings are separated. Together, they almost have a chance, but alone...Could the search for this Clue spell the end of Amy and Dan? And while they are separated, could their Aunt Beatrice's detective find them?

Book 9

The title of book nine is unknown, and it is to be written by Linda Sue Park.^[8] Book nine is scheduled to be released on May 25, 2010.^[1][9]

Book 10

The title of book ten is unknown and it is to be written by Margaret Peterson Haddix.^[10] Book ten is scheduled to be released on August 31, 2010.^[9]

Audiobooks

These are the real books read with expression by David Pittu. Each one comes with the same 6 cards as the book is in 4 compact discs with the same bonus track each of that book

Maze Of Bones

This is on the first book, The Maze Of Bones, which is written by Rick Riordan, and the Bonus is a secret surveillance tape of Grace Cahill.

One False Note

Written by Gordan Korman, and has a whole secret transcript of Grace Cahill's arrest. You can not watch, only listen, however.

The Sword Thief

The Bonus material of this is an Ekaterina Meeting and you learn a secret ally in a phone conversation with a MADRIGAL!

Beyond The Grave

Listen to a kidnapping attempt on Grace Cahill when she was young.

The Black Circle

Listen to a phone conversation between Anastasia and Grace Cahill.

In Too Deep

Listen to a radio interview with Isabel Kabra about parenting. A mysterious man named Mr. Madrigal calls in on the radio show she's on...

Games

Board Game

Get the 39 Clues and unlock the hidden chamber. Comes with an exclusive card (412). (By University Games)

Cahill Commotion/Discover the Secrets Card Game

Playing card game. You may need help from the other agents, even the man in black! Betray them to get all the clues. Comes with an exclusive card (414). (By University Games)

200 Piece Puzzle

This 200 piece puzzle of Amy and Dan Comes with an exclusive card (413). (By University Games)

Madrigal Maze

This is an application for iPhone or iPod Touch. Complete 20 levels to unlock card 432. Which has the madrigal encryption key. Also, card 432 has no code,you need the app and internet connection to unlock it, plus you have to type your username and password when asked to in the app to unlock it. Also there is a secret message in the game that when encoded, says: the truth lies with the fifth guard the secret of madeleine. There is also a secret code in the top secret part of card 432.

On the Books

Book Clues and prizes

Each book in the 39 Clues series unlocks one clue. Readers can unlock it by entering the code of the cards that came with the book online on their 39 Clues account. When they do that, they will also be automatically entered to win the Book Prizes; the largest one is $100,000.

Mission hints

Near the middle of each book, the page numbers are distorted or changed. These are codes that reveal a hint to online missions. The first book has a hint about Mission 1, the second about Mission 2, the third about Mission 3, etc.

The message in the first book, The Maze of Bones, is: Anne Cahill did not drown. A simple number code is used: 1=a, 2=b, 3=c, etc. and starts on page 129 and ends on 153(The message refers to Anne Cahill aka Nella Chain, who plays a big part in Mission 1)

The message in the second book, One False Note, is: Look to India. A simple letter code is used: a=b, b=c, z=a, etc. (This refers to the fact that Mission 2 takes place in India.)

The message in the third book, The Sword Thief, is: The competition is about Hope. (This could refer to hope, the feeling; Hope, Grace's daughter and Amy and Dan's mother; or Hope as in the Hope Diamond.) A code using alchemical symbols is used. (A code cracker is on the first page, opposite the inside cover, etched on the spikes of the shuriken in the center of the illustration).

The message in the fourth book, Beyond the Grave, is: Alistair was there the night they died. This refers to Amy and Dan's parents. A code using Egyptian hieroglyphs is used. A code cracker is on the inside cover, just like in the third book. Notably, this does not refer to Mission 4.

The message in the fifth book, The Black Circle, is: Olivia had another. A code using Russian symbols is used. The code cracker is on the back of Card 94, Anastasia, where the same key is used for the puzzle. This has to do with Olivia Cahill, one of the first Cahills. Olivia's children with her husband, Gideon, were Thomas (founder of the Tomas Branch), Katherine (founder of the Ekaterina Branch), Jane (founder of Janus Brach), and Luke (founder of the Lucian Branch). But Olivia also had a child with another, who may have been Madeleine, founder of the Madrigals. Similar to Book 4, this hint does not refer to Mission 5.

The message in the sixth book, In Too Deep, Is: Find the other Ekaterina scientist who got too close. This is referring to a character in book six who almost found all the clues. To decode this message, the numbers on the top of the plane are referring to the page number you should go to. Then look on the side where it would normally say the name of the book and it will give you a word.

Book covers

Elements from following and preceding books

The covers of the books tend to contain elements from the following and preceding books.

On the cover of The Maze of Bones shards of glass appear on the right of the cover and One False Note features a cover adorned with glass shards. One element in the covers changes from Beyond the Grave onwards; for the first three books the background of the book covers (behind any objects on the cover) was blank. Starting from Beyond the Grave, the covers have drawings of the globe with writing in different languages in the background. Similarly,

• Card 6 shows a dark figure in a ragged hood and cloak standing in a graveyard a short distance away from the fire.
• Card 19 shows a kitchen burning, smoke coming from the house, and lightning.
• Card 33 shows the middle of the roof. There is the sign of the Philosopher's Stone above the window.
• Card 78 lies beneath card 6, showing a blond woman believed to be Katherine Cahill holding a book with the symbol for phosphorus on it.
• Card 91 shows Katherine's pointing arm, a man believed to be Thomas Cahill, and an arm clothed in green, accompanied by a red braid. These most likely belong to Jane Cahill. A picture of an ousburous is visible.
• Card 111 shows another woman in shock of the fire. There is a book near her feet. The symbol of lead is on the book.The woman is Olivia Cahill, mother of the four branch founders and Madeleine.

In The Maze Of Bones, Amy and Dan stumble upon a mural of the four original Cahills. There they stand in front of a burning house. A mysterious hooded figure flees the scene. The secret picture is believed to relate to the mural on cards 82, 99, 115 and 124.

Messages/code breakers

On the first page of every book, there is an exact copy of the cover except for one difference: the 39 Clues logo is gone, and something else is there instead. This is either a secret message or a code breaker. There is also a copy of the cover without the logo on the last page of every book, but there is no message there.

In The Maze of Bones, there are skulls under the logo, just like on the rest of the cover. But these skulls have numbers on them. It is possible to make these numbers into a letters using a simple A=1 cipher (the same cipher that is used for the Mission hint). The letters are: IANREDL, which could potentially be IRELAND or, Ian Kabra Red Lucian. In book 3 it is mentioned that the first Cahills came from Ireland. Also, if you look, there are some numbers out of place in the middle of the book. The page numbers are replaced with what looks like random numbers, but actually, if you replace the numbers with letters, (1=A,2=B,3=C,etc.) you end up with the code "Anne Cahill did not drown".

In One False Note, there is a shard of glass under the logo. The glass has a musical staff with notes on it, similar to the surrounding shards on the cover, but there are also three letters on the staff. By substituting the notes for their respective letters it is possible to combine the given letters and notes into the word GIDEON, referring to the first Cahill. Also, if you look, the page numbers in the middle of the book are replaced with letters. If you move the letters up one spot in the alphabet (A=B,B=C,C=D,G=H,M=N,etc.) it says "Look to India".

In The Sword Thief, there is a shuriken under the logo, just like the rest of the cover. But this one contains the code breaker to the message inside the book, which when decoded says "THE COMPETITION IS ABOUT HOPE". which could mean Hope Cahill or the Hope Diamond that was connected to the mission following this book.

In Beyond the Grave, there is a gold wall which has a hieroglyph guide on it. When using it with the hieroglyphs in the book, it spells ALISTAIR WAS THERE THE NIGHT THEY DIED. This may refer to the death of Hope Cahill and Arthur Trent.

In The Black Circle, on the crest, it says REMEMBER MADELEINE which is the same as the morse code on the back of the Madrigals Journal that came with card pack #2. OLIVIA HAD ANOTHER which probably means she had another child named Madeline.

In In Too Deep, on the inside cover, opposite to the cards, there is a plane with different numbers down the roof. Each is a page in the book that has a different word than "In Too Deep" on the side. The words give the sentence, "Find the other Ekaterina scientist who came too close." This may be a clue for mission 6 online, leading to Thomas Edison and his inventing friend Nikola Tesla who were close to discovering all the clues.

)

The Clues

Clue	Location	Branch	How to Obtain	Quantity
Honey	USA	Janus	Combo (Cards 6, 44, 132)	one pot
Hydrogen	Switzerland	Ekaterina	Card 28: CERN	?
?	?	Ekaterina	?	?
?	?	Ekaterina	?	?
Mercury	Croatia	Ekaterina	Mission 6 (Cards 81, 98, 100, 106, 119)	one vial
Wormwood	USA	Tomas	Old West Combo (Cards 125, 128, 135)	one sprout
?	?	Cahill	?	?
?	?	Tomas	?	?
Cobra Venom	India	Janus	Mission 2 (Cards 8, 12, 17, 21)	?
?	?	Janus	?	?
Uranium	Caribbean	Ekaterina	Mission 0 (Cards 26, 29, 58)	?
Water	Indonesia	Ekaterina	Book 6: In Too Deep	one drop
Phosphorus	United Kingdom	Ekaterina	Mission 1 (Cards 4, 5, 15, 27, 49)	one vial
Copper	USA	Cahill	Card 60: X-Ray	?
?	?	Cahill	?	?
Gold	South Korea	Tomas	Book 3: The Sword Thief	one gold coin
?	?	Janus	?	?
Iron Solute	France	Lucian	Book 1: The Maze of Bones	one quantity
?	?	Janus	?	?
Myrrh	Egypt	Ekaterina	Book 4: Beyond the Grave	one-half gram
?	?	Cahill	?	?
Bone	Zimbabwe	Tomas	Combo (Cards 79, 83, 102, 126, 129)	one bone
Rosemary	USA	Cahill	Card 67: NY Subway	one sprig
?	?	Tomas	?	?
?	?	Janus	?	?
Calcium Carbonate	USA	Lucian	Combo (Cards 88, 116, 134, 136)	?
?	?	Lucian	?	?
Tungsten	Italy	Janus	Book 2: One False Note	?
Lead	Venezuela	Tomas	Mission 5 (Cards 89, 92, 121, 122)	one lead weight
?	?	Tomas	?	?
?	?	Cahill	?	?
Zinc	Russia	Tomas	Mission 3 (Cards 7, 24, 35, 37, 55)	?
Pearl	Germany	Janus	Combo (Cards 84, 87, 103, 104)	one pearl
Clover	USA	Lucian	Mission 4 (Cards 77, 113, 118, 120)	one sprout
Blood	France	Lucian	Eiffel's Masterpieces Combo (Cards 114, 117, 130)	?
?	?	Lucian	?	?
Amber	Russia	Lucian	Book 5: The Black Circle	one gram
?	?	Lucian	?	?
Lily	Jordan	Cahill	Combo (Card 141: The Sandstone City)	one fig

The Cards

Card collecting, aside from books and online gaming, is also included as part of the series The 39 Clues. At least 10 collectible cards will be released with this series. Every book will contain six. Cards are also available for purchase separately in Card Packs. It is possible to collect just the physical cards, but most people also keep virtual versions of the cards online, as part of their 39 Clues account.

The Clues can be found by reading the book or checking the site. There are now agent cards for you! During the Advanced Agent Training Broadcast live with all the 39 Clues authors from books 1–5, a code was released for a rare card. The code is MANINBLACK with no spaces, that reveals more about Dan and Amy's parents' death

Online components

On www.the39clues.com, fans of the series can make a 39 Clues account. Everyone can do it, but you can only win the prizes if you are between 6 and 14 years old. When somebody makes an account, they will become a member of one of the Cahill family branches, and will be able to see and do all the things shown here.

My Clues

This is a place where people can see the Clues that they have.

My Cards

This is the place where people can see the virtual versions of the cards that they have, and enter the codes from cards. Every card also has an article related to it, and you can see it here. My Cards is also the place where you can enter your answer for the puzzles on some cards.

Missions

Mission 0 is Agent Training. In it, players search for a Ekat clue that Grace gives them.

Mission 1 is The Lost Clue. In it, players search for a Ekat clue hidden in the Loch Ness. The search begins in Scotland.

Mission 2 is The Emperor's Secret. In it, players search for a Janus clue in Diwan-i-Khas. The search begins at the Taj Mahal.

Mission 3 is The Lost Diamond. In it, players look for a Tomas clue in Russia. The search begins in London, England.

Mission 4 Is The Lucian Fort. In it, players search for a Lucian clue that is hidden in Fort Knox. The search starts in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.

Mission 5 Is The General's Clue. In it,players search for a Tomas Clue that has something to do with Simon Bolivar. The search starts in Spain.

Mission 6 Is The Mad Scientist's Clue. In it,players search for a Ekaterina Clue that has something to do with the feud between Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison. The search starts in Hollywood.

Arena 39

Arena 39 is the training arena for all players acting as Cahills, containing games from Mission 0 and other games created afterwards.

Games in Arena 39:

• Lab Rat
• Decoder
• Stunt Pilot Training
• Dogfight
• Skeet Shoot
• NitPix
• Find it!
• Gridlock
• Photo Recall
• Follow Me
• Bryx
• Snake Charmer (also playable in Mission 2)
• Safe Cracking (also playable in Mission 3)

Games not in Arena 39:

• Agent Training (playable after adding Card # 406 or #410)
• Loch Ness Dive (playable in Mission 1)
• Safe Cracking 2 (playable in Mission 4)
• Grappling Hook Challenge (playable in Mission 5)
• Lightbulb Connecter (playable in Mission 6)

Secret Archives

Each branch of the Cahills (the Ekaterinas, the Janus, the Lucians, and the Tomas) have their own secret archives on the website, containing top secret information that can only be accessed by members of that branch (for example, a Lucian can access the Lucian archives, but cannot access the Ekat, Janus, or Tomas archives). Examples of said articles are reports on Grace Cahill's funeral by each of the main characters. Others are ancient texts concerning famous celebrities.

Cahill Web

This is a place where people can read articles about Cahills, and other people, organizations, and places related to the 39 Clues. Anyone can read these articles.

Inbox

This is a place where people receive top secret e-mails. Some of them are from the leadership of their branch, some are from agents of their branch, and some are from other people. They contain information about what is happening with the branches, what the agents are doing, and other interesting information.

Videos

Double-Dealing Tour

On March 3, 2009, a series of 5 videos made by Peter Lerangis were released to the website. They were made during his book tour about The Sword Thief. Now, it is only possible to see these videos if you go to the link http://www.the39clues.com/tour. Each video contained/s a puzzle or the possibility to unlock a new clue:

• New York City: If you own card 67 (NY Subway), add it to your gallery, unless you've already done that, then click on it to reveal a clue.
• San Francisco: Peter finds a code. Deciphered, the code says "Bring Back the Green Diamond" (A-B coded)
• Los Angeles: Peter receives a coded message from Janus HQ. Deciphered, the code says "Ivan Kulik. Chicago" (−3 letters)
• Chicago: Peter receives an intercepted message from retired Janus agent Ivan Kulik. Deciphered, the code says "Gem report in. Return diamond." (The words are backwards)
• Philadelphia: Peter discovers that the Dresden Green is not the Diamond holding the clue and tells us that he is going on a mission to England about the diamond. He is referring to Mission 3, which came out the same day.

Find Dan and Amy

On June 2, 2009, the first video of a series of six videos came out. In these videos, fictional news anchor William Michaels had tried to find out where Amy and Dan went after the end of Beyond the Grave. Also, in every video except the first one, a code was given to receive a free virtual version of a bonus card. Information in the five cards, along with the videos, helped readers discover Dan and Amy's whereabouts before The Black Circle was be released. Now, you can only see the videos if you go to the link: http://www.the39clues.com/wherenext ^[11]

• Video 1: In the first video, William Michaels interviews the author of Beyond the Grave, Jude Watson. But the interview does not go well.
• Video 2: In the second video, a video from a security camera is shown. On it, an unidentified male packs a box addressed to Dan and Amy, and put passports in it. Then, Patrick Carman talks with William Michaels via a satellite. In the end, William gives the code for the first card, which is LucianClue.
• Video 3: In the third video, Patrick Carman again appears via a satellite. He reveals that the picture the mysterious figure sends Amy and Dan (see video 2) is one of the few known surviving photos of Arthur Trent and Hope Cahill, Amy and Dan's parents. It is of them at the American Embassy in Moscow. It also has a combo key, which means it might unlock a clue when other cards are added At the end, William Michaels reveals the code for it, which is HopeCahill.
• Video 4: Michaels has another interview with Patrick Carman from an undisclosed location. Carman says that airline tickets were included in the package that was sent to Dan and Amy. He also reveals that there is an extremely high-profile Cahill that goes by the initials "NRR." Carman refuses to say any more, and William Michaels reveals the next code. The code for this interview is TheTickets
• Video 5: A mysterious book may be the key. The book is revealed to be a guidebook to Amy and Dan's next location. Patrick Carman has revealed that they will be going to a large country with a very complex history. A news reporter has disappeared in Budapest and there was and attempted break in at Fort Knox. (This is a reference to Mission 4, which was released the previous day). The code for this interview is Guidebook1.
• Video 6: Patrick Carman tells about the truckers delivering the books. The card code is August1109.

Grand Prize

People who find all 39 clues and become one of the top 39 point scorers can compete to win a $10,000 grand prize.

Future releases

Books

• Book 7: The Viper's Nest – February 2, 2010^[9][12]
• Book 8 – April 6, 2010^[9][7]
• Book 9 –May 25, 2010^[8][9]
• Book 10 – August 31, 2010^[9][10]

Card Packs

• Card Pack 3: The Rise of the Madrigals – February 2, 2010 (will cover books 7 and 8)^[13]
• Card Pack 4 – June 8, 2010 (will cover books 9 and 10)^[14]

Missions

• Mission 7 – March 2010 (e)
• Mission 8 – May 2010 (e)
• Mission 9 – June 2010 (e)
• Mission 10 – September 2010 (e)

(e) signifies an estimated release date.

Planned films

Steven Spielberg acquired film rights to the series in June 2008. DreamWorks CEO Stacey Snider believes the books can amount to three or four films. Spielberg and Scholastic Media president Deborah Forte will produce the series,^[15] while Spielberg is interested in directing the first film. It is expected to come out around 2011. Jeff Nathanson was hired to write in September 2008.^[16]

References

This article includes a list of references or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations where appropriate. (April 2009)

External links

• The 39 Clues (official page)
• The 39 Clues Database Project