The 39 Clues

The 39 Clues

Logo of The 39 Clues
The Maze of Bones One False Note The Sword Thief Beyond the Grave The Black Circle In Too Deep The Viper's Nest The Emperor's Code Storm Warning Into the Gauntlet Vespers Rising Cahills versus Vespers The Medusa Plot A King's Ransom
Country	United States
Language	English
Genre	Adventure Children's literature Historic Mystery
Publisher	Scholastic Corporation
Published	2008–2012
Media type	Print Audiobook

The 39 Clues consists of two series of adventure books, The Clue Hunt and Cahills vs. Vespers, combining reading, online gaming, and card collecting. Published by Scholastic, the main part of the series consists of ten books about the adventures of fictional siblings Amy and Dan Cahill trying to thwart the other Cahills to get 39 clues, which will make the finder "the most powerful and influential person(s) on the planet". Amy and Dan agree to the challenge in their grandmother Grace Cahill's will and search for 39 Clues scattered around the world. Continuing books will be about the rising of a new family, the Vespers. Rick Riordan wrote the first book and the main story arc; however, other authors wrote the remainder of the books in the series. All of the ten books in the first series have been published. The authors are Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman, Peter Lerangis, Jude Watson, Patrick Carman, Jude Watson (again), Peter Lerangis (again), Gordon Korman (again), Linda Sue Park and Margaret Peterson Haddix. Card packs are also being sold which contain 16 different cards that can be used in searching for clues. Each book contains six cards, and the total number of cards is currently 438. Also, the official website offers missions that will lead to clues.

Due to the series' integration of online gaming and card collecting with reading, the series creates an interactive experience. In addition, there are exclusive prizes for children, winnable by buying the books and playing the online game. The novels are designed to incorporate historical elements by placing famous people in the midst of the Cahill family. The background of the game is described, below, using in-universe tone.

Overview

Cahill family branches

The (fictional) Cahill family has influenced civilization more than any other family in the world. Almost every famous historical figure that has ever lived belongs to it: leaders, scientists, artists and athletes. The Cahill family began five hundred years ago, with Gideon Cahill and his wife Olivia. They had five children: Katherine, Jane, Luke, Thomas, and Madeleine. These five eventually became the founders of branches: Ekaterina, Janus, Lucian, Tomas, and Madrigal. The secret to the family's power lies in 39 Clues, which are ingredients, such as silk and tungsten, that add up to a mysterious chemical compound that will somehow empower its owner to be the most powerful human being on the planet.

The Cahill family is split into four main (five total) family branches: the Lucian (Luke Cahill), the Ekaterina (Katherine Cahill), the Janus (Jane Cahill), and the Tomas (Thomas Cahill), with the "outlying" group called the Madrigals (all described below). All branches are named as variations of the names of the five children who founded them. They constantly fight each other for clues, with the Madrigals trying to quell them and distribute power so one branch does not control others. Each of the four main branches has their own unique name (i.e Lucian), crest (i.e Two Snakes surronding at staff)<nowiki</nowiki>, and color.

Lucian

The Lucian symbol, similar to the caduceus, with two red snakes entwined around a sword.

The Lucian symbol, similar to the caduceus, with two red snakes entwined around a sword.

Founded by Luke Cahill, the Lucian clan comprises the world's greatest leaders and spies, such as Theodore Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, Benjamin Franklin, Isaac Newton, Napoleon Bonaparte, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, Ching Shih, Benazir Bhutto, Catherine the Great, Bernardino Drovetti, Glenn Beck, Bill O'Reilly, Christine O'Donnell, Grand Duchess Anastasia Nikolaevna of Russia, Ninoy Aquino, Marie Louise, Michael Bloomberg, Barack Obama, Nicolas Sarkozy, Herman Cain, Silvio Berlusconi, Susan B. Anthony, George Bush, George Bush Jr., Gustave Eiffel, Sidney Reilly, and Kim Jong II. The Lucians have produced some of the best leaders including Czar Nicholas II of Russia, King George V of Britain, King Peter I of Serbia, Raymond Poincare, president of France, Linda Sue Park, and Emperor Taisho of Japan. Most important leaders, such as some US Presidents, are members of the Lucian branch, including Lyndon Johnson, and Calvin Coolidge. In the novels, Lucians allegedly control secret bases such as Area 51 and Fort Knox, with strongholds in Paris, Delhi, Karachi and Moscow. Lucians have controlled seven countries which are Russia, France, Serbia, Japan, India, Belgium, and the United Kingdom. Lucians Constantine of Russia and Tsar Nicholas I came close to finding all 39 Clues. Lucians are known for being some of the greatest spies in the world. In the books, Ian, Natalie, and Isabel Kabra, Irina Spasky, and Nataliya Ruslanova Radova (who is a Lucian double agent for the Madrigals) are Lucians. They would do anything for the 39 clues. The Lucians are the most ruthless branch, as they use poison for almost everything. They are excellent liars and lie detectors. The Lucian branch is led by Vikram Kabra. When his wife, Isabel Kabra went to join her kids on the clue hunt, he stayed in London. Isabel got charged with murder and is now in jail. Her kids, Ian and Natalie Kabra, plan to take over the branch when Vikram lets them. Although they are half-Vesper, they are still going to be chosen as leaders. The Lucian symbol is a two-headed snake wrapped around a sword on a red background.

Ekaterina

Ekaterina symbol, a yellow dragon.

Ekaterina symbol, a yellow dragon.

Founded by Katherine Cahill, the Ekat branch is made up of famous scientists, geniuses and great inventors, such as Franklin Delano Roosevelt Michael Dell, Galileo Galilei, Thomas Edison, Fazlur Khan, Shigeru Miyamoto, Tim Berners-Lee, Alexander Graham Bell, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Howard Carter, John Flamsteed, Albert Einstein, Alexander Hamilton, Orville Wright, Wilbur Wright, Leon Theremin, Nikola Tesla, Charles Darwin, Steve Wozniak, George Herbert, Elias Howe, Robert Fulton, Eli Whitney, Jr., Konrad Zuse, Philo Farnsworth, Henry Ford, Louis-Jacques-Mandé Daguerre, James Watt, Alexander Fleming, Stephen Hawking, Thomas Edward Lawrence, Milton S. Hershey, John Cadbury, Mitt Romney, Hisashige Tanaka, Jude Watson, Margaret Peterson Haddix, and Marie Curie. They are the branch of ingenuity, despising members of the Tomas branch, due to the fact that Katherine stole one of Thomas's clues when they went to Portugal to escape from their brother Luke. But before they could leave, Thomas married a Portuguese woman. Angry that Thomas had chosen love over duty, Katherine fled Portugal in the middle of the night, taking one of Thomas's clues with her. Thomas vowed revenge when he discovered his sister's treachery. Their branches have been bitter enemies ever since. Ekaterinas are responsible for the Kremlin, the Loch Ness Monster, and CERN, using Cairo, the Bermuda Triangle, and CERN as their strongholds. The Ekaterina symbol is a dragon with a yellow background. The Ekaterinas in the novels are Ned, Ted, and Sinead Starling, who are in Book 1 and Book 10, and Alistair Oh, and his uncle, Bae Oh. The current leader of the branch is Frank Starling, after Bae Oh was put in prison for murdering his brother, Gordon Oh.

Tomas

The Tomas symbol, as a blue bear.

The Tomas symbol, depicting a blue bear.

Founded by Thomas Cahill, the Tomas branch is made up of famous explorers, discoverers, and athletes, such as Jack Rowe, Pele, Shawn White, Neil Armstrong, Babe Ruth, Philip II of Spain, Jim Brown, Jackie Robinson, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Jean-Baptiste Tavernier, Henry Hudson, David Livingstone, Herbert Hoover, Usain Bolt, Edmund Hillary, Jackie Chan, Roald Amundsen, Lebron James, Lakshmi Mittal, Michael Phelps, John F. Kennedy, Dustin Pedroia, Julius Peppers, John Stockton, Deron Williams, Martin Brodeur, Robin Soderling, Rory McIlroy, Randy Couture, Nino Benvenuti, Gertrude Ederle, Tiger Woods, Wayne Gretzky, Manny Pacquiao, Cristiano Ronaldo, David Beckham, Lionel Messi, Shaquille O'Neil, Muhammad Ali, George Mallory, CC Sabathia, Prince Fielder, Hope Solo, Alex Morgan, Romelu Lukaku, Moussa Sow, Angel di Maria, Edinson Cavani, Felipe Caicedo, Xavi, Annie Oakley, Sir John Franklin, Simón Bolívar, Curtis Granderson, James Cook, Lisa Leslie, Michael Jordan, George Washington, Candace Parker, Alexander Ovechkin, Kobe Bryant and Sidney Crosby. With strongholds in Tokyo, Durban, South Africa, and Mexico City, Tomas members hate the Ekaterina branch. The Holts (Eisenhower, Hamilton, Madison,Reagan, Mary-Todd) are the only Tomas in the series. The symbol is a polar bear in fighting position with a blue background.

Janus

The Janus branch's symbol, a green wolf.

The Janus branch's symbol, a green wolf.

Founded by Jane Cahill, the Janus branch is made up of the world's most famous and talented artists, such as Greyson Chance, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Johnny Depp, Daniel Radcliffe, Rihanna, Bob Marley, Maria Anna Mozart, Thomas Jefferson, Pablo Picasso, Vincent van Gogh, Emily Dickinson, Ludwig Van Beethoven, Percy Shelley, Claude Monet, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Isadora Duncan, Jane Austen, Alfred Hitchcock, Damien Hurst, John Pinette, Richard Pryor, Markus Persson, Cee Lo Green, Giorgio Armani, Mark Twain, Matthew Bellamy, Harry Houdini, Walt Disney, Raoul Lufbery, Steven Spielberg, John Keats, Lord Byron, Ustad Ahmad Lahauri, Mary Shelley, Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, Josephine Baker, Okita Sōji, Naya Rivera, Adele, Eminem, Mike Posner, Justin Timberlake,Bruno Mars, Adam Levine, LMFAO, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, George Harrison, Ringo Starr, James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Cliff Burton, Lars Ulrich, Ludwig Friedrich Wilhelm, Scott Joplin, Frank Sinatra, Bill Cosby, Duke Ellington, Aileen Quinn, Shirley Temple, Billie Joe Armstrong, Mike Dirnt, Tre Cool, Betty White, Edgar Allan Poe, Jeff Kinney, Lincoln Peirce, Rick Riordan, Gordon Korman, Peter Lerangis, Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, John Bonham, John Paul Jones, and Elvis Presley, as stated in The Black Book of Buried Secrets. The Janus have produced some of the worst rulers including Franz Joseph I of Austria, Mehmed VI of Ottoman Empire, Kaiser Wilhem II of Germany, Ferdinand I of Bulgaria, Maximillian of Mexico, and Puyi of China. The Janus have controlled six countries which are Austria, Germany, Bulgaria, Turkey, Netherlands, and China. The Janus made some of the most famous pieces of art that exist and some of the greatest pieces of writing that has ever been written. They have strongholds in Venice, Hollywood, Bollywood and Beijing. Janus characters in the books are Jonah Wizard, the leader of the branch, his mother, Cora Wizard, and Sophie Watson, who will be in the new second series, titled Cahills vs. Vespers. (Jonah's father may be a Vesper.) The Janus symbol is a wolf in fighting position with a green background.

Madrigal

The Madrigals were founded by Madeleine Cahill, the fifth child of Olivia Cahill who was born after the other four set out to find the serum, which protected their family from the plague. Olivia raised Madeleine to believe that nothing is more important than family and taught her to keep her brothers and sisters from the Clues; to keep her identity secret she went under the name Maddy Babbit. Grace, Fiske ("the man in black"), Amy, and Dan are all descendants from Madeleine, therefore Madrigals. At the end of Storm Warning, Amy and Dan's au pair, Nellie Gomez, is initiated into the group after helping them, although she is not a Cahill. Madrigals are made up of people who want to prevent any type of war and want to create peace between the Cahill branches. This branch is made up of peacekeepers, such as Abigail Adams, Mother Teresa, William Shakespeare, Fredrick Douglas, Desmond Tutu, Mohandas Gandhi, Woodrow Wilson, Malcolm X, Florence Nightingale,Cory Aquino, Linus Pauling, Jimmy Carter, Elie Wiesel, Nelson Mandela, Al Gore, Harry S.Truman, Deng Xiaoping, Mary Pope Osborne, Barbara Park, Franklin Delano Roosevelt (Ekat Double Agent), James Preller, Suzanne Collins, Ronald Regan, Angela Lansbury, and Anthony Horowitz. The Madrigals have strongholds on Cahill Island, Grace's house in Madagascar, and Easter Island.

For the past 500 years the Cahills did not know that the Madrigal was actually a fifth branch of the Cahill Family, descended from Madeline Cahill, until recently. The other branches fear the Madrigals because The Madrigals would step in and prevent their success for ultimate power. But the branch has another objective, which is to reunite the Cahill family and stop the warring of the branches. The Madrigals would do anything to prevent the creation of an all-powerful Cahill, often sending double agents to infiltrate other branches in disguise. The Madrigal symbol is a C with a black background to represent the hope that they have in reuniting the family. The Madrigal colors, black and white, are the colors of the Yin-Yang, the Chinese symbol of balance.

Characters

Main article: List of The 39 Clues characters

• 'Amy Cahill: is the fourteen-year-old female protagonist. Amy is the daughter of Hope Cahill and Arthur Trent and the older sister of Dan. Amy enjoys reading and studying and likes visiting to libraries and museums. She is noted to have a crush on Ian Kabra especially in book 3, but after his betrayal to her, she lost her trust for him. She also tends to stutter when she's nervous. Amy has long reddish-brown hair and darkish-green eyes. She currently lives in Boston, Massachusetts, but she is also traveling the world to stop the Vespers and to find the 39 Clues. She has an aunt, Beatrice, who tries to send her to an orphanage, but throughout the whole series she is protected by Nellie Gomez - au pair.

• Dan Cahill: is the eleven-year-old male protagonist. He is the son of Hope Cahill and Arthur Trent and is the younger brother of Amy. He has a photographic memory, and is a great mathematician. He likes to fool around and make jokes, but mostly knows when to be serious. His hindrance is his asthma and accidentally sometimes talks without realizing. He makes a major alliance with Jonah Wizard in book eight after the Kabras kidnap him. He has dark jet-black hair and darkish-green eyes like Amy. He lives in Boston, Massachusetts but he is also traveling the world to find the 39 Clues and stop the Vespers with Nellie and Amy.

• Nellie Gomez: Nellie is Amy and Dan's au pair. She has blonde, pink, and black hair. Nellie lives with Amy and Dan in Boston, Massachusetts. She has amazing skills that very few 20 year old people have, for example, she knows how to fly a plane, race cars, and speak over 10 different languages. Nellie is out-going and had a crush on Theo Cotter in Egypt. She was trained by Grace Cahill for all of these reason in order to prepare herself for the clue hunt. She was accepted into the Madrigal Branch in book nine.

• Grace Cahill: Grace Madeleine Cahill is the grandmother of Amy and Dan Cahill. Her parents were James and Edith Cahill, but Edith died giving birth to Fiske. She is Beatrice and Fiskes sister, and she began her agent training at a young age, successfully retrieving Gideon Cahill's ring at the age of thirteen. She is from Attleboro, Massachusetts. Her cards are #59, #133, and #197. At the beginning of the first book she died of cancer, rekindling the search for the Clues. Grace Cahill was a skilled Madrigal.

• Hope Cahill: Hope Cahill is the mother of Amy and Dan. Arthur Trent is the father of Amy and Dan. Hope is from Boston. They are confirmed Madrigals in the seventh book. Hope was deeply involved in the search for the 39 Clues. she found her first clue in Petra, Jordan. The clue was lily. They died in a house fire in Beacon Hill, Boston that was instigated by Isabel Kabra while trying to recover a poem Arthur and Hope had found regarding the hunt. It is rumored that Vikram Kabra had the idea, and told Isabel to light the match. Hope is also a topographer while Arthur is a mathematics professor. Hope Cahill hid a microchip in her arm and refused to get it out, because it contained a Clue, copper. You can see this on card 60. Arthur was originally part of a different family, the Vespers, and he was sent to Petra where Hope was working, but he fell in love with Hope and broke all his ties with the Vespers.

• William McIntyre: William McIntyre is Grace Cahill's lawyer and adviser. Card 137 shows that he has six toes on his right foot. In the 200th card, he is seen together with Amy, Dan, and Alistair. He does not hunt Clues himself. Together with the Man in black, he monitored Amy and Dan for the first two books until they discovered the microchip he put in Saladin's collar. He appears again in the last book, where he and Fiske give a letter from Grace to Amy and Dan about the Vespers and why it is important that the family is reunited. He used to have a dog named Oliver, and Saladin and him do not seem to get along very well.

• Alistair Oh: is the uncle of Amy and Dan Cahill. He is an Ekaterina and microwave burrito inventor. His business collapsed when he went bankrupt after 12 people became ill while eating his burritos. He lives in a mansion in Korea, and can seem nice, but mostly betrays. He was also there the night Hope Cahill and Arthur Trent died. He is Grace's cousin. Staged his death in a cave-in in book 3. He lived on. He always keeps a cane filled with weapons and clues with him.

• Bae Oh: Bae Oh is Alistair Oh's uncle. He is 87 years old. Like his nephew, Bae always carries a cane with him. He is also the boastful and ruthless leader of the Ekaterina branch. His card is #168. Years before the quest begins, he hired someone to kill his twin brother Gordon Oh. He is later taken by the UN in the Black Book of Buried Secrets. After Gordon's death, Bae took Alistair and raised him. Eventually, Alistair hated him and ran off.

• Beatrice Cahill: Beatrice Cahill is Grace Cahill's elder sister, from Boston. She took care of Amy and Dan Cahill before they started searching for the Clues, but did not treat them well. After abandoning them when they decided to join the hunt for the Clues, she employs an agent to look for Amy and Dan and send them to foster homes.

• Vikram Kabra: Vikram Kabra is the billionaire father of Ian and Natalie Kabra, and the husband of Isabel Kabra. He is an art dealer from London, UK. He was the ruthless leader of the Lucian branch, a position which he shared with Isabel. They lost this title when Isabel was charged with murder and imprisoned. He has a mansion in London, England.

• Isabel Kabra: Isabel Kabra is the wife of Vikram Kabra (a billionaire). At the beginning of the 6th book she acts nice to Amy. She tells her that Irina Spasky killed her parents to achieve her trust, but in reality it was really her. At the end Amy and Dan find out that it was her who killed her parents by Irina's sacrifice. In Book 10, she disowns her children for disobeying her and shoots her daughter in the foot. She lives in her mansion in London, UK. It is revealed that she was originally a Vesper, as her maiden name was Vesper-Hollingsworth.

• Nataliya Ruslanova Radova: Nataliya Ruslanova Radova, also referred to as NRR, is Anastasia Romanov's daughter. She is from Volgograd, Russia. She is a Lucian who suffers from hemophilia, a disease that was passed through the royal Russian bloodline. In the fifth book, she helps Amy and Dan Cahill in the hunt. She also reveals to them the truth about the four branches and their parents. She is half Madrigal.

• Robert Bardsley: Robert Bardsley is a music professor who lives in Pretoria, South Africa. He was made a member of the Tomas branch, but decided to leave once he discovered their true intentions and formed a resistance with other South Africans who were formerly recruited by the branch. He helped Amy and Dan Cahill escape from Ian, Natalie, and Isabel Kabra in the seventh book. He is currently a Tomas double agent for the Madrigals.

• Irina Spasky: Amy and Dan's cousin; a retired KGB agent and a Lucian. Her cards are 74, 107, and 150. Her trademarks are poison darts hidden in her nails. She had a son named Nikolai who died in hospital because of Isabel Kabra. She was killed in a fire set by Isabel Kabra in book 6.

• Ian Kabra: is the son of Vikram and Isabel Kabra and the brother of Natalie . He secretly has a major crush on Amy, found out in the 3rd book. He still has a crush on her throughout the series and is trying to gain her trust. Ian has jet black hair and amber eyes. In Book 10, he attempts to destroy the master serum. He says that he is going to "disown' his own mother because of her evil spirit. He lives in London, England, and in book 10 sneaks into the forbidden area of his house to try to find the secrets his mother has been hiding from him.
• Natalie Kabra: Daughter of Vikram and Isabel Kabra. She is the sister of Ian and cousin to Amy and Dan. She is popular and brags about being rich. In book 10, she gets shot in the foot by her mother, Isabel Kabra. She lives in London, UK. In Book 10, she sneaks into the forbidden area of her mansion to find Lucian secrets, and finds her brother, Ian, there.

• Jonah Wizard: Cousin of Amy and Dan; a famous rap singer from the Janus branch. In the eighth book, and continuing in the tenth, Jonah starts to doubt himself and question the ways of his mother and some Janus. In tenth book, Jonah breaks his legs and according to Sinead Starling, maybe even a few ribs. Has major alliance with Dan Cahill in book eight.

• Broderick Wizard: Jonah Wizard's father, husband of Cora Wizard. He is Jonah's manager and constantly texts on his Blackberry. In Book 8 it is revealed he is quite talented on the guitar, even though he was not born into the Janus branch.

• Cora Wizard: Jonah Wizard's mother, wife of Broderick Wizard, leader of Janus branch.

• Lester Dixon: In Book 9, Lester is shown to have a relation with Grace, though he is not a Cahill. He helps Dan and Amy find Clues because he is an archaeologist. However, his generosity and helpfulness was not extended throughout the whole book. Caught amidst a chaotic situation involving the Kabras, Lester selflessly places his life secondary to the Cahill siblings, much to Amy and Dan's devastation. Dan actually acquired shock because of it.

• Sinead Starling: An Ekaterina agent. In book one Sinead is forced to leave the competition because of a bomb at the Franklin Institute which the Holts placed there in an attempt to delete Amy and Dan from the race. She returns in the tenth book where it is revealed one of her brothers is blind and the others gets headaches frequently. Sinead hopes the master serum will heal her brothers completely but refuses to get it because she does not trust herself around the serum.

• Ted Starling: Also an Ekaterina agent. He is one of the Starling triplets, next to Sinead and Ned Starling. He lost his eyesight temporarily in the museum explosion.

• Ned Starling: The last of the Starling triplets, next to Sinead and Ted Starling. He has constant headaches that were caused by the museum explosion the Holts set off.

• Hamilton Holt: Oldest son in the Holt family, son of Eisenhower and Mary-Todd Holt, and brother of Reagan and Madison Holt. Appears to have an alliance with Amy and Dan Cahill, though not trusted with his father around. Hamilton loves sports (especially football)and is part of the Tomas branch. He originally bullied and bossed around kids, but it appears throughout the clue hunt that his heart softens. Throughout the series, Hamilton warms up to Amy and Dan, even calling Dan his "little buddy" in the 10th book. He lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

• Reagan Holt: Daughter of Eisenhower and Mary-Todd Holt. An eleven year-old girl who loves sports such as track and ballet. She is afraid to show her family that she is going "soft", so she keeps the latter secret from them. She lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

• Madison Holt: Daughter of Eisenhower and Mary-Todd Holt. She has a twin sister, Reagan. Madison loves playing soccer. She lives with her family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

• Eisenhower Holt: Dad of, Hamilton, Reagan, and Madison Holt, husband of Mary-Todd. Tomas, known to shout and appears to like purple in the books. He has a strong connection with his son, but he does not realize it until the tenth book. Eisenhower loves Vince Lombardi, and any of his quotes, and lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

• Mary Todd Holt: Mom of Hamilton, Madison, and Reagan Holt, holds the family together. She lives with her family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

• Arnold the Bulldog: Arnold is the pet bulldog of the Holts. He seems to get excited easily, and jumps a lot. According to Card #195, Arnold is a Clue hunter, too, and has a supercharged sense of smell.

• Saladin the Egyptian Mau: Saladin was the pet of Grace Cahill, and is now owned by Amy and Dan. He loves fresh fish (especially red snapper) and hummus (as shown in book 4). He seems to only be a spoiled pet, but in reality, he is an avid Clue hunter. Grace tried to take him on as many trips around the world as she could. She even taught him how to scuba dive! Saladin is recognizable by his beautiful coat, his diamond collar, and his signature "Mrrp!".

• Thomas, Katherine, Luke, Jane and Madeline Cahill: the five branch founders that were given the serum(except Madeline,she was not yet born) in this order: Tomas- greatly strong, agile, etc., Ekaterina-smart and inventive, Lucian- leadership, spy, skills (can be extremely dangerous), and Janus-artistic skills.

• Gideon Cahill: Father of Thomas, Katherine, Luke, Jane Cahill, and Madeleine Cahill, husband of Olivia Cahill, and creator of the Master serum.

• Fiske Cahill: Brother of Grace and Beatrice Cahill. it is revealed in the 9th book that he is Amy and Dan's great uncle. He ran away from home as a child and wanted no part in the clue hunt. Days before Grace's death Grace asked him to keep a eye on Amy and Dan . He is Amy and Dan's legal guardian along with Nellie Gomez, Amy and Dan's 'au pair'.

Secret serum formula

Some say the Cahill formula is the most powerful liquid on the face of the earth. Madrigals have been trying to stop the other branches from gaining to much power because they know that the power of the serum is too great for anyone to hold. The Madrigals already had bits and pieces of the serum formula. They never found the serum formula until Dan and Amy Cahill entered the hunt for clues that took them around the world. At the end of the tenth book "Into the Gauntlet", Amy and Dan get the serum and decide not to use it because of all the power it contains. They destroy the serum, but the Clues were written down and given to Dan.

Series One: The 39 Clues

The 39 Clues books and card packs as of August 2010.

Each book in the 39 Clues series includes six cards, which unlock one online clue, the same one Amy and Dan find in the corresponding book. Readers can unlock it by entering the code on one of the cards on their 39 Clues account. If eligible, they will also be automatically entered to win the Book Prizes, the largest being $100,000.

Book 1: The Maze of Bones

Main article: The Maze of Bones

The Maze of Bones is the first book in the series, written by Rick Riordan. It was released on September 9, 2008. At their grandmother's funeral, Amy and Dan Cahill find out about the 39 Clues. Seven teams are formed to hunt for the Clues: the Kabras, the Holts, Alistair Oh, the Starlings, Irina Spasky, Jonah Wizard, and Amy and Dan. Amy and Dan travel to Paris, France to search for a clue that Benjamin Franklin hid there. While on the journey, Amy and Dan discover that there is more to the Cahill family than they were led to believe. They find and activate a liquid only to have it stolen by Ian Kabra. The Clue is iron solute. Some hints are the black light reader, W.A.M, Richard S_________, coordinates in a box and Maze of bones. The strange markings in the pages say "Anne Cahill did not drown".

Book 2: One False Note

Main article: One False Note

One False Note is the second book in the series, written by Gordon Korman. It was released on December 2, 2008. After succeeding in obtaining the first clue, Amy and Dan (along with their competition) travel to Vienna, Austria to find a clue relating to Mozart and his sister, Maria Anna "Nannerl" Mozart, famous Cahills(Janus). Following a lead to Venice, Italy, Dan and Amy brush up with the other competitors, however, to secure the lead. The strange markings say "Look to India" and the music notes say Gideon. The clue is tungsten.

Book 3: The Sword Thief

Main article: The Sword Thief

The Sword Thief is the third book in the series, written by Peter Lerangis. It was released on March 3, 2009. They travel to Japan to find the next clue, focusing on swords stolen centuries ago by Japanese warrior Toyotomi Hideyoshi, and they make an alliance with Alistair Oh and later the Kabras. Amy and Ian start to like each other, but their relationship ends in an unusual way, because Ian shuts Dan, Amy, and Alistair in a cave in Pukhansan, Seoul, South Korea. The strange markings at the bottoms of the pages say "The competition is about hope". The clue is gold.

Book 4: Beyond the Grave

Main article: Beyond the Grave

Beyond the Grave is the fourth book in the series, written by Jude Watson. It was released on June 4, 2009. Amy and Dan go to Egypt on the next step in their quest and meet and old friend of their grandmother's, who gives them a hint left for them by Grace before she died. Amy is apparently not over Ian, as she often thinks about him. The pages that have strange markings saying "Alistair was there the Night they died." The clue is myrrh.

Book 5: The Black Circle

Main article: The Black Circle

The Black Circle is the fifth book in the series, written by Patrick Carman. It was released on August 11, 2009. After receiving a telegram from a mysterious person known as 'NRR', Amy and Dan travel to Russia. In Russia, Amy and Dan form an alliance with Hamilton Holt. They go through a series of clues that keep leading them to different places and they are being timed. The clue is one gram of melted Amber. The pages that have strange markings say "Olivia had another" .

Book 6: In Too Deep

Main article: In Too Deep (The 39 Clues)

In Too Deep is the sixth book in the series, written by Jude Watson. It was released on November 3, 2009. Amy and Dan arrive in Australia and meet up with their surfer uncle Shep Trent. Also, Isabel Kabra joins the hunt. Isabel tries to kill Amy and Dan by starting a fire and Irina dies saving them. It is revealed that Isabel Kabra was the one who caused Amy and Dan's parents to die. The clue is water. The hidden code is "Find the other Ekaterina scientist who came too close".

Book 7: The Viper's Nest

Main article: The Viper's Nest

The Viper's Nest is the seventh book in the series, written by Peter Lerangis. It was released on February 2, 2010. Amy and Dan, shaken up by their last encounter with Irina, travel to South Africa after discovering a note in Irina's boat. Their search leads them to a Tomas stronghold in the South African veldt. The secret of the book is: There is a Madrigal Watcher. The clue is aloe.

Book 8: The Emperor's Code

Main article: The Emperor's Code

The Emperor's Code is the eighth book in the series, written by Gordon Korman. It was released on April 6, 2010. Amy and Dan arrive in China, fresh from the shocking discovery that they are Madrigals. In this book, Dan releases the info that he is a Madrigal to the Wizards. At one point in the book, Dan is kidnapped by the Kabras. They continue to search for clues, though, and find a note written on silk from the Chinese emperor Puyi. They find out that the clue is hidden elsewhere. They travel to the top of Mount Everest to find the Clue. They find the Janus serum, but Amy drops it over a cliff to save Ian. The Clue is liquid silk. The encircled words say "Madrigals are behind everything. They lay out the path others will walk. The end is coming."

Book 9: Storm Warning

Main article: Storm Warning (The 39 Clues)

The ninth book, Storm Warning, was written by Linda Sue Park and released on 25 May 2010. Amy and Dan go to Jamaica, where they meet a friend of Grace and her nephew, Lester, who helps them, then dies. Nellie is then confirmed to be connected to the Madrigal's in this book. The clue is Mace, as in the spice. Fiske, the man in black, however in this book became the man in gray & Graces brother, gives Amy & Dan his clues

Book 10: Into The Gauntlet

Main article: Into the Gauntlet

Into The Gauntlet, the one before the final book in the first series, was released on August 31, 2010, written by Margaret Peterson Haddix. In the book, all the teams come to the island of the original home of Gideon Cahill. Isabel Kabra captures them, and forces each of them to say their clues, by threatening to kill their loved ones. Amy saves them by smashing the serum over her head and knocking Isabel out cold. Amy and Dan are left with a list of everyone's clues in their hands, which each team gave them, "because they don't trust themselves around the serum, and the great power it wields." Dan and Amy end up winning the clue hunt the way Grace wanted them to, with everyone else wanting them to win. Also, secrets are revealed to Amy and Dan that are letters from Grace. The Clue was the recipe for the master serum.

Book 11: Vespers Rising

Main article: Vespers Rising

Vespers Rising serves as a transition between the first and second series. It is separated into stories of different Cahills (mostly Madrigals). It was written by Rick Riordan, Peter Lerangis, Gordon Korman, and Jude Watson. The book was released on April 5, 2011. It explains the history and the cause of the rivalry between the Vesper Family and The Cahills. It also shows the night of the fire and who caused it, then talking about the life and mission of Madeline Cahill and her encounter with her brother Luke and Damien Vesper, the man who killed Gideon Cahill. It also fills in details about Grace Cahill's childhood and how she took the responsibility of a Madrigal by going on a dangerous journey during World War Two to retrieve Gideon Cahill's ring before a Vesper beats her to it. She had to steal it back from George S. Patton. It is mentioned in the story General Patton was a Vesper and he chose to battle at Casablanca for Gideon's Ring. The last story returns to present day with Dan and Amy. Fiske, Amy and Dan travel to Switzerland together to retrieve the ring of Gideon Cahill. They find the ring in Grace Cahill's chalet, but there were two Vespers trying to rob it from her. Their names are Casper Wyoming and Bruno. After they got the ring back for the Cahills, Amy becomes the new guardian of the ring, per Grace's instructions. She decides to leave it in plain sight, melting the gold ring for a gold circle on her watch, made by the best watchmaker in Geneva.

Series Two: Cahills vs. Vespers

The first book in the second series, The Medusa Plot, has been released August 30, 2011, and was written by Gordon Korman, who was also the author of Books 2 and 8 of the original series. Jude Watson was the author of Books 4 and 6 of the original series, and will write A King's Ransom which is to be released December 6, 2011. Peter Lerangis was the author of Books 3 and 7 of the original series, and will be writing book three The Dead Of Night which will be released March 6, 2012. Roland Smith is a new author to the series, who will write book four, to be released August 2012. Linda Sue Park was the author of Book 9 from the original series, and will write book five, to be released December 2012. The final book is by David Baldacci, a best-selling author known for his legal thrillers, and is set to be released in March 2013. After two years, thirteen-year-old Dan Cahill and his sixteen-year-old sister, Amy, thought they belonged to the world's most powerful family. They thought the hunt for 39 Clues leading to the source of that power was over. They even thought they'd won. But they were wrong. A powerful new enemy, the Vespers, has emerged from the shadows, sending Dan and Amy on a dangerous journey that will take them from Rome to the ancient city of Timbuktu. If Dan and Amy do not stop the Vespers in time . . . the whole world will pay.

Book 1: The Medusa Plot

Main article: The Medusa Plot

All over the world, Cahills are being kidnapped by Vespers. The kidnapped Cahills include Fiske, Nellie, Phoenix Wizard (a new character and Jonah Wizard's cousin), Reagan Holt, Natalie Kabra, Alistair Oh, and Ned Starling. After the kidnappings, the Vespers, using a type of phone that only government related people can use, send a strange message to Dan and Amy. The message demands a famous painting, the Medusa, to be stolen in exchange for freeing the hostages. They accept and break into an art gallery, stealing what they think is the painting and flee. However, they very soon learn that they stole a fake painting and that the Vespers want either the real thing or nothing. Nellie gets shot in the shoulder because the painting was a fake. The Vespers even sent the video to Amy and Dan to watch. It was their way of making a hostage pay as a consequence due to the painting being a fake. Nellie is okay and lives. They then receive another message, this one saying that the deal will be called off in 96 hours unless the real painting is stolen. Amy and Dan figure out the real deal is in possession of A. Sudem, (MEDUSA backwards), a Mud Angel. They steal it using Sinead's smoke bomb and a chariot. At the end, Nellie gets her bullet removed. Also, Vesper 1 is pretending to be a cab driver as he drives off with the Medusa, feeling his burn on his arm. The code(s) of the book are: Damien is alive and the mother was murdered.

Book 2: A King's Ransom

Main article: A King's Ransom

A page of the book is shown after finding a website, the39clues.com/damien, hidden in The Medusa Plot

Amy and Dan are in a race for their lives... and the enemy may be even closer than they think.

When seven members of their family were kidnapped by a sinister organization known as the Vespers, thirteen-year-old Dan Cahill and his older sister, Amy, vowed they'd stop at nothing to bring the hostages home. But then the ransom comes in and the Vespers demand the impossible. Amy and Dan have just days to track down and steal an ancient map. The only catch? No one has seen the map for half a century.

Now Amy and Dan are on a desperate search that will lead them to the Nazis, spies, a mad king and some of history's dirtiest secrets. It's the race of their lives ... and one misstep will mean certain death for the hostages and their own life.

Book 3: The Dead of Night

The Vespers have Atticus, Dan's friend, and are planning to kill him if they don't get what they want.

The Cahills aren't the only family searching for the Clues... Amy and Dan have managed to rescue one of the Cahills kidnapped by the Vespers, but the remaining hostages are still in peril. The Vespers are far more dangerous than the siblings ever imagined, even worse, it looks like they have an undercover mole posing as a Cahill.

The Vespers have crossed a line. Amy and Dan were devastated when the Vespers kidnapped seven Cahills around the world, holding them hostage until Amy and Dan delivered an impossible ransom. But at least the hostages were Cahills - members of the world's most powerful family, trained to face all odds.

Now the Vespers have gone too far. They've kidnapped Atticus, an innocent 11-year-old boy and Dan's only friend. Now Dan and Amy are in the struggle of their lives. Because if they can't outwit the Vespers, the unthinkable will happen . . . Atticus will die.

Book 4

The fourth book of the series is scheduled to be written by Roland Smith and be released on August 28 2012.

Book 5

The fifth book of the series is scheduled to be written by Linda Sue Park and be released on December 4 2012.

Book 6

The final installment of the series is scheduled to be written by David Baldacci and to be released on March 26 2013.

Bonus books

The Black Book of Buried Secrets

The Black Book of Buried Secrets, written by Mallory Kass with an introduction by Rick Riordan, is a bonus book in the series, and was published on October 26, 2010. This book is about many of the secrets in the 39 Clues series never revealed before, including information about the four branches, the fire that split the original Cahill family, and the night Hope Cahill and Arthur Trent died. Mini-stories and reference stories are included, such as Isabel's trial and arrest, Bae Oh's assault on Alistair and Bae's arrest, as well as the time when Katherine stole Thomas's clue. It is the first 39 Clues book that uses color on its internal pages. Unlike the other books the book does not have a card pack inside. This book also gives some insight on the Vespers and the new book in the 39 Clues series: Vespers Rising.

Agent Handbook

The agent handbook is a look into the series that you can write inside of and has some additional information on characters, founders, and branches. The book also has places to fill out information that you have found while reading the series. It was supposed to be released together with Book Nine, but was released early at Barnes and Noble and is selling in Bogotá, Colombia and other countries.

Components

Mobile app

Scholastic offers a game called Madrigal Maze for iPad, iPhone and iPod Touch and also available on the Android Store. The app is currently only available on the Scholastic website. After finishing level 20 the player can enter their log-in information from the 39 clues website to unlock a Madrigal code card giving them the code and a coded message.

Cards

Collectible cards used in finding the Clues are included with hard cover books. Additional card packs are also sold and virtual ones may be obtained on the series website. Every book contains six different cards while card packs contain sixteen.

There are replicator cards, which on the website, you can redeem cards you do not have into your collection.

The cards have rarities: common, uncommon, rare, and ultra-rare. Ultra-rare cards can get you clues. Common cards can be found in books. The rare and uncommon cards can be found in card packs .

Website

On the official The 39 Clues website, fans of the series can create an account and win certain prizes if eligible. When a user creates an account, they become a "member" of one of the Cahill family branches, and will be able to interact with the online 39 Clues experience. They can also play "Missions" (games that are played by users to reveal clues) and load cards from the books onto their account by typing in the code from the cards. People can also play "games" at Arena 39. After playing games at Arena 39, medals can be won and transferred to the back of a members virtual personalised member card.

Film adaptation

Steven Spielberg acquired film rights to the series in June 2008. Spielberg and Scholastic Media president Deborah Forte will produce the series, while Brett Ratner, director of X-Men: The Last Stand, is interested in directing the first film. Screenwriter Jeff Nathanson, who worked with Spielberg on Catch Me If You Can, The Terminal, and Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, was hired to write in September 2008. The movie, titled The 39 Clues: The Movie, is going to be released in 2014. The film will be starring actor Gus Woeppel as Dan. It will be produced by Universal Studios, Spielberg's DreamWorks, and Walden Media, and distributed in North America by Universal and internationally by DreamWorks through Touchstone Pictures.

Awards

As of June 11, 2010, The 39 Clues series has been on the New York Times bestseller list of Children's Series books for 48 weeks. Books in the series have also appeared on the USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestseller lists.

Future releases

• The 39 Clues: The Movie is scheduled to be released in 2014.
• Cahills vs. Vespers Book 2: A King's Ransom will be released on December 6, 2011.
• Cahills vs. Vespers Book 3: The Dead of Night will be released on March 6, 2012.
• Cahills vs. Vespers Book 4: The Pirates Treasure will be released in August 2012.
• Cahills vs. Vespers Book 5: Recovering Confidence will be released in December 2012.
• Cahills vs. Vespers Book 6: The Mastermind Revealed will be released in March 2013.

External links

• The 39 Clues (official page)
• 39 – Various – A wiki devoted to The 39 Clues
• First Prize: World Domination
• Scholastic Plans to Put Its Branding Iron on a Successor to Harry Potter
• 39 Clues Wiki