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Marly loves a good mystery. She’s listening to THE WESTING GAME and just as she’s about to find out the truth about Sam Westing, the doorbell rings. A man, who does not identify himself, delivers an envelope addressed to: MARLENA MARIE DEAVER.

“What’s this about?” her mom calls to the man. But before she has a chance to get an answer, he hops in his red car and drives away.

Soon, Marly learns that her presence is requested at the reading of her eccentric next-door neighbor’s  — Mr. Harry Summerling’s — will. Mr. Summerling is known around town for his quirky ways and his walks sweeping the ground with a metal detector. Might he have left Marly money or buried treasure?

On Monday, Marly and her soon-to-be-new friends, Isla Thomson and Sai Gupta, gather in the attorney’s office to hear the reading of a single sheet of paper – a letter from Mr. Summerling:

” ‘If you’re hearing this letter, then I am missing, dead, or perhaps I’ve been abducted by aliens… It’s time to give away some of my  earthly possessions – ‘ “

Mr. Summerling has created a series of puzzles for the three kids to solve! And so the journey begins. Each of the kids has unique skills that they will have to use to solve the puzzle and find the treasure. Can they crack the code?

Mr. Summerling’s Secret Code  is the first book in THE TREASURE TROOP early chapter book series, by Edgar Award Winner Dori Hillestad Butler, illustrated by Tim Budgen. Sure to capture the attention of budding mystery enthusiasts, books #2-4 are already out, so readers can jump right into the next mystery!

• Readers will enjoy this Word Scramble game written in Mr. Summerling’s Secret Code!