School Library Journal Review
Gr 4-6-This curiously old-fashioned mystery involves attempts by teenager Case and his younger sister, Colophon, to help save their family's publishing business. The extremely confusing beginning melds newspaper articles, events told by people centuries prior, and modern viewpoints. While the tale occurs in 2005, the line drawings contribute to the overall disorientation in the mix of past and present. The story is told from a number of perspectives as the Letterford siblings strive to overcome their mutual loathing and help their father find a way to keep the business afloat. If he cannot accomplish this, the company reverts to ownership by an odious relative. The plot is a bit far-fetched and the mystery is solved in a facile manner. The humor can be slapstick and silly but might appeal to some readers. Because the pacing is fast, this book may be enjoyed by reluctant readers looking for a traditional mystery. The author ends on an enigmatic note, presaging a sequel. One might have wished for more information about Shakespeare, who plays a key role in the whodunit.-B. Allison Gray, Goleta Public Library, CA (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Publisher's Weekly Review
In a prologue set in 1616 on the island of Le Mont Saint-Michel, publisher Miles Letterford secures a mysterious treasure, and Hicks establishes an aura of old-fashioned mystery in his entertaining debut. To ensure both the integrity of the publishing house and his family's well being, Miles ordained rules of governance for future generations and left clues in a grandiose portrait regarding a treasure available in time of need. The present-day story, which opens in the U.S., takes place between Thanksgiving, when 12-year-old Colophon realizes that a relative seeks to unseat her father as Letterford president, and Christmas Eve, when her father must prove his ability to sustain the publishing house. After prevailing on her 15-year-old brother, Case, to help their father sign up a trio of eccentric authors, Colophon enlists her oddball adult cousin Julian on a wild treasure hunt that takes her to London. The narrative alternates between Colophon and Case's transatlantic adventures and the conniving shenanigans of the power-seeking relative. Geyer's ink illustrations convey both humor and thrills, while a partial resolution sets the stage for another mystery. Ages 9-12. Agent: Steven Chudney, the Chudney Agency. (Sept.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
Kirkus Review
Twelve-year-old Colophon Letterford deciphers clues in an old portrait that lead her and her father's oddball cousin Julian to a literary treasure. From the elegant family home in Georgia, Colophon travels to England, where she and Julian visit Shakespeare's grave, are nearly trapped in a mausoleum and find a family strongbox in a private bank. At the same time, in the United States, her brother Case accompanies his father to a series of farcical meetings with peculiar and particular authors on whom the future of the family publishing company depends. The combination of humor and suspense works well to keep readers turning the pages of this modern-day mystery. Each chapter begins with a quotation from Shakespeare, and the atmosphere is posh. The action is fast-paced and cinematic, with sudden cuts from one scene to another. Colophon frankly enjoys books and school and the natural world; she's contrasted with her obnoxious older brother, who appears to care only for his iPod but turns out to be both sympathetic and supportive of his father. This is Georgia inspector general Hicks' first novel; a sequel continuing the tale of family treasure is promised for the fall of 2013. Readers who enjoy watching puzzles be solved will enjoy the entertaining revelations. (Mystery. 9-13)]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Booklist Review
Twelve-year-old Colophon lives a quiet life in Manchester, Georgia, with her down-to-earth mother, her smirking older brother, and her kind father, who directs the family firm, a distinguished publishing house established in England more than 400 years ago. When a malicious distant relative threatens to seize control of the business, Colophon swings into action. Aided by her father's eccentric cousin, Julian, she follows clues found in family artifacts and hunts in England for the elusive family treasure, hidden since the 1600s. A brief epilogue lays the groundwork for a sequel, and an appendix identifies the Shakespearean plays and poems referred to in the chapter headings. The always-entertaining narrative deftly switches back and forth between high-tension drama (Colophon and Julian searching a centuries-old English graveyard) and scenes of broad comedy (her brother helping her father woo best-selling authors). Geyer's many handsome pen-and-ink illustrations help establish the tone of Hicks' appealing first novel, a fine traditional mystery with a modern sensibility.--Phelan, Carolyn Copyright 2010 Booklist