New to the Cahill hunt
Begin with The Maze of Bones and follow the arc order shown on this page. Later arcs assume Amy and Dan's family history is familiar.
Book Series · 26 Books
The 39 Clues Books
In order from The Maze of Bones to Outbreak.
A multi-author adventure in which Amy and Dan Cahill race around the world, uncover family secrets, and face rival branches of a powerful family. The continuing story is divided into several separately numbered arcs.
Reviewed by the Bookroo Editors Updated
Reading order
How to Read The 39 Clues Books
Start with the original Clue Hunt books #1–10, then read Vespers Rising as book #11 and a bridge into the next conflict. Continue with Cahills vs. Vespers #1–6, Unstoppable #1–4, Doublecross #1–4, and finally the super special Outbreak.
Each arc restarts its numbering, so these are not officially books #1–26. The graphic novels retell the first three Clue Hunt stories and can substitute for those opening prose books rather than being added at the end.
Sources: Scholastic 39 Clues franchise guide, Scholastic Vespers Rising announcement.
For parents
What Parents Should Know
The series includes explosions, kidnapping, weapons, murder and dead family members, betrayal, threats, and repeated life-or-death danger. The international puzzles and fast action are aimed at ages 8–12, but the family peril is more intense than in a cozy mystery.
Different authors contribute volumes to one continuous adventure. Children should not treat an author change as a new, unrelated story, and later arcs reveal outcomes from the earlier Clue Hunt.
Where to start
Where Should My Child Start?
Prefers graphic novels
Start with The Maze of Bones graphic novel. The three published adaptations retell the first three prose books in the same order.
Where the story begins
First Book in the Series
Sale price
$1348
Book #1 · Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2008
The Maze of Bones
By Rick Riordan
Choose: a fortune or a clue to unlock a family's secret power.
220 pages· 46,184 words· Est. 5 hour read
$13.99Save 4%
Hardcover
Summary: Grace Cahill's deathbed decision leaves her descendants with a choice: a million dollars or a clue. Amy and Dan, young members of the powerful Cahill family, embark on a global quest to uncover 39 clues that hold the key to their family's mysterious power. As they race against time and rivals, they must decide whether to pursue the clues or uncover the truth about their parents' fate. Will they solve the mystery, or will the secrets of the Cahills remain hidden forever?
Main story · Clue Hunt books 1–11
The Original Clue Hunt
11 books · Published 2008–2011
Books #1–10 complete the hunt for the 39 Clues. Vespers Rising is numbered #11 and bridges into the next story arc.
#1
Sale price
$1348
The Maze of Bones
Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2008
Choose: a fortune or a clue to unlock a family's secret power.
#2
Sale price
$1348
One False Note
Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2008
A global chase for secrets tests loyalty and courage.
#3
Sale price
$1348
The Sword Thief
Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2009
Amy and Dan race to uncover a deadly secret that could change the world.
#4
Sale price
$1348
Beyond the Grave
Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2009
Siblings race to Egypt, chasing clues and facing betrayal, guided by a message from beyond the grave.
#5
Sale price
$1348
The Black Circle
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2009
A mysterious telegram sends siblings on a perilous quest in Russia, uncovering secrets and danger.
#6
Sale price
$1348
In Too Deep
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2009
Amy and Dan face betrayal and danger in their quest for the 39 Clues.
#7
Sale price
$1348
The Viper's Nest
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2010
A deadly secret threatens siblings on a perilous quest for power.
#8
Sale price
$1348
The Emperor's Code
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2010
A shocking discovery divides siblings on a quest for the 39 Clues.
#9
Sale price
$1348
Storm Warning
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2010
A shadowy figure closes in as siblings race to uncover 39 powerful clues.
#10
Sale price
$1248
Into the Gauntlet
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2010
A final secret threatens Amy and Dan's quest for the 39 Clues.
#11
Sale price
$1348
Vespers Rising
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2011
A hidden enemy rises, threatening the Cahills' quest for powerful Clues.
Next story arc · Books 1–6
The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers Series
6 books · Published 2011–2013
Amy and Dan face the Vespers after the original Clue Hunt. Read this after Vespers Rising.
#1
Sale price
$1248
The Medusa Plot
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2011
A shadowy group kidnaps family members. Can two siblings save them before time runs out?
#2
Sale price
$1248
A King's Ransom
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2011
Siblings race against time to find a lost map or risk losing their family forever.
#3
Sale price
$1248
The Dead of Night
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2012
An innocent boy's life hangs in the balance. Can Amy and Dan outsmart the Vespers?
#4
Sale price
$1248
Shatterproof
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2012
Amy and Dan must steal a diamond or face dire consequences while uncovering dangerous secrets.
#5
Sale price
$1248
Trust No One
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2012
A hidden traitor threatens Amy and Dan's family. Can they uncover the mole before it's too late?
#6
Sale price
$1248
Day of Doom
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2013
A global treasure hunt turns deadly as siblings race to stop a catastrophic plot.
Third story arc · Books 1–4
The 39 Clues: Unstoppable Series
4 books · Published 2013–2014
A new four-book threat follows Cahills vs. Vespers and restarts the numbering at #1.
#1
Sale price
$1248
Nowhere to Run
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2013
A missing serum threatens global disaster. Can they recover it in time?
#2
Sale price
$1248
Breakaway
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2013
Siblings face betrayal and a powerful enemy in a race from heat to ice.
#3
Sale price
$1248
Countdown
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2014
Dan's life hangs by a thread. Will Amy unleash evil to save him?
#4
Sale price
$1248
Flashpoint
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2014
A girl races against time to find a global antidote and stop a rising tyrant.
Fourth story arc · Books 1–4
The 39 Clues: Doublecross Series
4 books · Published 2015–2016
The continuing Cahill story moves to another four-book conflict. Read it after Unstoppable.
#1
Sale price
$1248
Mission Titanic
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2015
A powerful family faces betrayal and danger. Can they survive?
#2
Sale price
$1248
Mission Hindenburg
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2015
A mysterious foe recreates history's worst disasters. Can the Cahills stop him in time?
#3
Sale price
$1248
Mission Hurricane
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2016
Siblings race against time to stop a relative from unleashing a man-made hurricane disaster.
#4
Sale price
$1248
Mission Atomic
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2016
A vengeful figure threatens global disaster. Can two siblings stop him in time?
Final published story
Outbreak
1 book · Published 2016
This unnumbered super special follows Doublecross and is the last published prose adventure in the sequence shown here.
Full-color adaptations · Books 1–3
The 39 Clues Graphic Novels
3 books · Published 2023–2025
These retell the first three Clue Hunt books. They are an alternate way to begin, not a separate sequel arc.
#1
#1 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$2374
The Maze of Bones (Graphic Novel)
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2023
A fortune or a clue? The race to uncover a family's secret begins.
#2
#2 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$2374
One False Note (Graphic Novel)
Chapter Book · Ages 9–12 · 2024
A race for secrets in Vienna tests loyalty and courage against relentless foes.
#3
#3 in Series
Graphic Nov.
Sale price
$1248
The Sword Thief (Graphic Novel)
Chapter Book · Ages 8–12 · 2025
Amy and Dan chase deadly secrets of a legendary warrior. Will their alliance lead to triumph or peril?
Good to know
Common Questions
How many books are in the 39 Clues series?
There are 26 books in the main 39 Clues story so far, organized into 5 story arcs. It begins with The Maze of Bones in 2008, and the newest published main-story book is Outbreak from 2016.
What order should you read the 39 Clues books in?
Start with The Maze of Bones and follow the story arcs in the order shown above. Book numbering restarts at #1 within each arc.
What ages are the 39 Clues books best for?
The series is best for ages 8–12, based on the age ranges of the individual books.
The people
The Creatives Behind the Books
The people who bring The 39 Clues to life.
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