The 39 Clues - Series One: The 39 Clues

Series One: The 39 Clues

The novels revolve around Amy and Dan Cahill, two orphans who, upon their grandmother's death, discover that they are members of the Cahill family, whose members have shaped the history of their world. The ancestors of the Cahill family are Gideon and Olivia Cahill, whose children created the branches of the family. The branches constantly compete against each other in a hunt for the 39 Clues, ingredients to a serum, the source of the family's power. Amy and Dan, along with their au pair Nellie, enter the hunt for the Clues and become embroiled in the conflict between the Cahill branches. As Amy and Dan participate in the hunt, they unearth secrets about their Cahill ancestors, their parents, and the Madrigals, a mysterious organization. Each book chronicles one location Amy, Dan, and Nellie travel to and focuses on one historical character to which a Clue is linked. The main narrative focuses on Amy and Dan's pursuit of the Clues while evading the sabotage of their competitors, Cahills from other branches. The books also contain the perspectives of the other Cahills as their view of Amy and Dan changes. The environment Riordan and the other authors have created is an alternative reality in which influential historical figures are all part of a single family. The world of The 39 Clues exists in parallel with the real world; other than the Cahills, no one knows the Cahills exist or how much they have shaped the world.