The Unexplainable Disappearance of Mars Patel

By Sheela Chari

Book #1 in the Mars Patel series

Kids vanish from school. Can Mars Patel uncover the truth before it's too late?

3.9/5 Goodreads · 487 ratings

304 pages· 48,967 words· Est. 7 hour read

$17.99Save 6%

In stock. Also at Amazon or Bookshop.

Bookroo's summary

Mars Patel's friend Aurora vanishes, echoing his father's mysterious disappearance years ago. With his loyal friends—smart Toothpick, strong JP, and maybe-telepathic Caddie—Mars follows clues leading to tech genius Oliver Pruitt. As Pruitt's podcast eerily mirrors their quest, the group delves into his elite school, uncovering layers of deception. Can Mars outsmart the enigmatic billionaire and solve the mystery before more kids disappear? Dive into a world of slick science and corporate conspiracies in this thrilling sci-fi adventure.

From the publisher

Based on the Peabody Award-winning podcast, this tech-filled adventure series pits intrepid Mars Patel and his outcast friends against a brilliant, enigmatic billionaire as they race to figure out why kids are disappearing from their school. Mars Patel’s friend Aurora has disappeared! His teachers are clueless. His mom is stressed out about her jobs. But Mars refuses to give up–after all, his own dad disappeared when Mars was a toddler, before he and Ma moved to Puget Sound from India. Luckily, Mars has a group of loyal friends eager to help–smart Toothpick, strong and stylish JP, and maybe-telepathic Caddie. The clues seem to point toward eccentric tech genius (and Mars’s hero) Oliver Pruitt, whose popular podcast now seems to be commenting on their quest! But when the friends investigate Pruitt’s mysterious, elite school, nothing is as it seems–and anyone could be deceiving them. Slick science, corporate conspiracies, and an endearingly nerdy protagonist make this first book in the series a fresh, exciting sci-fi adventure.

At a glance