This is a children's mystery with no murder, just clues that lead to a treasure. The mystery starts when a family heads out on their children's school break so the Mom can research a book she's writing. Their first stop is actually in the Blue Ridge Mountains at a craft school where an old friend teaches. From there, they go into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where they encounter bears and other creatures while enjoying the beauty of the park. While I probably would have enjoyed this book (and series) as a child because of the chance to learn about new places, this particular adventure fell a little flat for me as an adult. I have a couple of others in the series checked out. I'll continue to read them to see if the entire series falls flat or just this installment. ( )

Great book that is a kid's myserty involving real places, all taking place in the Great Smoky Mountains. My kids loved the adventure. This will be a great one for them to read on their own in the next few years. ( )