HORTEN’S MIRACULOUS MECHANISMS: MAGIC, MYSTERY, AND A VERY STRANGE ADVENTURE by Lissa Evans
Stuart Horten is devastated when his family moves back to his dad’s hometown right at the start of summer vacation. What will he do for months living in a strange place where he doesn’t know anyone? But soon after he arrives, he stumbles upon a family mystery. His great-uncle, the magician Teeny-Tiny Tony Horten disappeared decades ago, leaving behind the legend of a hidden workshop and magic wishing well. When Stuart discovers a secret stash of gold coins in the bottom of a trick box that Uncle Tony willed to Stuart’s father, Stuart begins to follow a mechanical trail to uncover the mystery. His only concern is that April, May, and June—three ten-year-old “investigative journalists”—seem to keep getting in his way . . .
If you liked The Mysterious Benedict Society and/or the new Lemony Snicket series, All the Wrong Questions, check out this new series! There are plenty of riddles to solve and puzzles to piece together in this gadget-heavy fantasy. Horten’s Miraculous Mechanisms is followed by Horten’s Incredible Illusions.
Susan the Librarian 