How to read The 39 Clues books in order

The Maze of Bones was originally published in September 2008.⁠^[6]

In The Maze of Bones, Grace Cahill’s death leaves her grandchildren, Amy and Dan, with a challenge outlined in her will. At the funeral, they learn that they, along with other Cahill relatives, have the chance to unlock the 39 Clues—hidden secrets that promise unimaginable power.

Faced with the decision to take $1 million or pursue the clues, Amy and Dan choose the latter. As they follow the trail of the clues, starting with Benjamin Franklin and leading them to places like Paris and Vienna, Amy and Dan encounter fierce competition from rival families.

One False Note was originally published in December 2008.⁠^[7]

In One False Note, Amy, Dan, and Nellie arrive in Vienna and uncover that Mozart had a sister named Nannerl whose diary has been stolen from a museum. Suspecting Jonah, they break into his hotel room to retrieve the diary and reunite with Nellie, who translates it despite three missing pages.

Amy discovers a piece of sheet music online that leads them to Salzburg, where they follow Alistair Oh into the catacombs and encounter The Man in Black. Lost in the catacombs, they escape to St Peter’s Abbey, where a mistaken belief about a list leads them into conflict with monks.

The Sword Thief was originally published in March 2009.⁠^[8]

In The Sword Thief, Amy and Dan are separated from their sister Nellie when Ian and Natalie hijack their plane tickets. Stranded in Venice, the siblings encounter Alistair, who offers them passage to Tokyo on his private jet.

Upon arrival, they learn the history of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and uncover a series of mysterious symbols, only to be captured by the Holts who seize their lead. As Amy, Dan, and Alistair narrowly escape the Holts and the ensuing chaos, they are pursued by the Yakuza and reluctantly team up with Ian, Natalie, and Nellie.

Beyond the Grave was originally published in June 2009.⁠^[9]

In Beyond the Grave, Amy and Dan travel to Cairo, Egypt, with their au pair, Nellie Gomez, in search of a clue hidden by Ekaterina founder Katherine Cahill. They evade Irina Spasky and investigate a statue called the Sakhet, only to learn from Theo Cotter that it may be a fake.

Frustrated, they return to Nellie at the Hotel Excelsior, where its owner, Bae Oh, reveals vital information about the Sakhets. A friend of their late grandmother, Hilary Vale, steps in with a letter and a smaller version of the Sakhet, but soon reveals intentions that put Amy and Dan at risk.

The Black Circle was originally published in August 2009.⁠^[10]

In The Black Circle, Amy and Dan Cahill chase a missing Lucian document stolen by the Nazis during World War II. They are in Cairo when a telegram arrives, prompting them to slip away while their guardian, Nellie, rests.

On the way to the airport, they evade Ian and Natalie Kabra, who are also tracking the 39 clues. At the terminal, they unlock a locker containing a glass paperweight with a hidden key, a note with scrambled letters, and two Russian plane tickets that lead them to Volgograd. Upon landing, Amy and Dan join forces with the Holts to find a lead about Rasputin and the Romanovs.

In Too Deep was originally published in November 2009.⁠^[11]

In In Too Deep, Amy and Dan weigh how much they’re willing to risk, while new adversaries and uncertain allies complicate their effort to secure the 39 clues. The scheming Isabel Kabra, outraged by her children’s errors, joins the competition and summons the Cahills to a tense gathering at a dock in Australia.

Amy struggles with whom to trust—Isabel or the formidable Irina Spasky—yet Irina ultimately turns away from Isabel, haunted by her personal tragedy. When Amy faces danger near shark-infested waters, Hamilton Holt intervenes, recalling their past alliance.

The Viper’s Nest was originally published in February 2010.⁠^[12]

In The Viper’s Nest, events continue the morning after a fire that ended Irina Spasky’s life, an ex-KGB and Lucian spy who had once threatened Dan and Amy. The children discover that Irina might have been helping them all along, but any chance to reflect disappears when Isabel notifies the authorities of their location.

They flee on Irina’s boat, and Dan finds a notebook containing a coded phrase that points them to Pretoria, South Africa. Detained by the police, Alistair learns Bae Oh is the one framing them and escapes by feigning heart failure.

The Emperor’s Code was originally published in April 2010.⁠^[13]

In The Emperor’s Code, siblings Dan and Amy Cahill have a heated argument at a hotel, causing Dan to run away. He is taken by Ian and Natalie Kabra to Jonah Wizard’s lollipop factory, where he unexpectedly receives generous treatment.

Meanwhile, Amy and Nellie enlist Alistair’s help after learning Jonah’s plans point toward China. As Jonah switches his destination to a martial arts center, Dan stumbles upon items linked to Gideon and Madeleine Cahill inside a hidden tunnel. In parallel, Amy and Nellie investigate a locked chamber at the Great Wall.

Storm Warning was originally published in May 2010.⁠^[14]

In Storm Warning, Amy and Dan realize the Holts have tracked their movements while leaving China, which leads them to suspect Nellie Gomez leaked information. Tension rises when they learn Nellie was actually hired by Grace instead of Beatrice and that she might be working with Mr. McIntyre.

While confronting Aunt Beatrice, Amy and Dan are taken by Nellie to Moore Town, where they meet a mysterious figure known as The Man In Black. Guided by a puzzling artifact, they obtain a crucial clue, revealing the man as Fiske Cahill, Grace’s brother.

Into the Gauntlet was originally published in August 2010.⁠^[15]

In Into the Gauntlet, siblings Amy and Dan Cahill arrive in London exhausted and with no lead. They attend a performance of Romeo and Juliet at The Globe Theatre and cross paths with rival teams, each desperate for a piece of the next clue.

Grabbing fragments of a critical lead, they escape the mayhem and trace its path to Stratford-upon-Avon, where a hidden message directs them to Shakespeare’s grave. Their findings then take them to an island off the coast of Ireland, where they reluctantly join forces with familiar opponents in a final challenge.

Vespers Rising was originally published in April 2011.⁠^[16]

In Vespers Rising, Gideon Cahill discovers a powerful serum, only to be deceived by his friend, Damien Vesper. As the plague ravages Europe, Gideon hopes the formula will preserve lives, but Vesper seeks it for personal power.

Gideon’s children flee with portions of the serum before a devastating fire, leaving their mother, Olivia, determined to reunite them with the help of her unborn daughter, Madeleine. Years later, Madeleine attempts to bring her scattered siblings back together, only to face threats.

The Medusa Plot was originally published in August 2011.⁠^[23]

In The Medusa Plot, seven members of the Cahill family are kidnapped at precisely 8:42 EST, while siblings Amy and Dan fend off masked attackers who leave them with a cryptic cell phone. Forced to comply with the demands of a group called the Vespers, they travel to Florence and steal Caravaggio’s Medusa, but the artwork is fake.

The kidnappers retaliate by shooting one hostage and giving Amy and Dan a strict deadline to produce the authentic painting. With Hamilton Holt and Jonah Wizard by their side, they track down the real Medusa from an art collector.

A King’s Ransom was originally published in December 2011.⁠^[24]

In A King’s Ransom, Dan and Amy Cahill arrive at a train station in Florence, where they realize they cannot board alone. They recruit a girl named Vanessa Mallory, only to discover that she is not who she claims to be, prompting them to hide until reaching Engelberg.

Upon contacting the Cahill Command Center, they learn that Vanessa is Vesper 6, Cheyenne Wyoming, and that they must locate the long-lost De Virga World Map. Their search takes them to an auction house in Lucerne, where they slip into a record room.

The Dead of the Night was originally published in March 2012.⁠^[25]

In The Dead of Night, Dan and Amy face an ultimatum from the Vespers, who have taken Atticus Rosenbloom hostage. Under Vesper One’s orders, they fly to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, to track down an artifact known as a stale orb.

Atticus breaks free, prompting Dan to suspect his own father of murdering William McIntyre and leading the Vespers. Meanwhile, Ian travels to New York, believing Isabel could be Vesper One, though her manipulations keep him in place. The group then hears rumors that the captives might be in Argentina.

Shatterproof was originally published in September 2012.⁠^[26]

In Shatterproof, Amy and Dan attempt to steal the Golden Jubilee diamond from Berlin’s Pergamon Museum to prevent Vesper One from harming a Cahill. Although the diamond is heavily protected, they slip away from security and learn that Vesper One used them as a distraction.

He then demands they locate the Apology, a Roman article written by a soldier, while their allies work on gathering more information about William McIntyre’s murder. Jonah, Hamilton, and Erasmus track down Luna Amato for clues.

Trust No One was originally published in 2012.⁠^[27]

In Trust No One, Vesper One directs Amy and Dan to visit Yale and obtain the Voynich Manuscript, Folio 74. Evan discovers that Sinead is Vesper Three, leading to a confrontation when she blocks his messages and clashes with Amy before escaping.

Amy apologizes to Ian, but they soon realize the folio is gone. Guided by an email clue shared by Dave Speminer, they travel to Iguazu Falls in Brazil, where they suffer multiple attacks tied to Isabel Kabra’s involvement. They proceed to the Mabu Thermas Hotel and Spa, where LaCher Siffright hands over Folio 74 and prevents another ambush.

Day of Doom was originally published in March 2013.⁠^[28]

In Day of Doom, Dan tests a serum developed alongside an Ekaterina scientist but soon discovers that Amy switched it with a harmless substitute. At the same time, they learn Isabel Kabra is Vesper Two, not Vesper One, and that she is heading to Washington, D.C.

Clues lead Amy and Dan to the National Museum of Natural History, where they inspect Lewis and Clark’s compass and spot a set of numbers and letters on its reverse. During this search, Atticus deciphers a video message from the hostages that identifies Riley McGrath as Vesper One, prompting the group to investigate further.

Nowhere To Run was originally published in October 2013.⁠^[42]

In Nowhere To Run, events begin at William McIntyre’s funeral, where it is confirmed that Jake and Amy are involved romantically. Meanwhile, Arabella Kessler and J. Rutherford Pierce emerge through Founders Media, indicating they possess the Master Serum.

Pierce demonstrates extraordinary feats, and Dan’s comments reveal enhanced abilities linked to his own serum experiment. After realizing that a Cahill researcher might have shared the remaining serum data with Pierce, Amy and Dan’s lives are threatened.

Breakaway was originally published in February 2014.⁠^[43]

In Breakaway, thirteen-year-old Dan Cahill is part of a renowned clan and has faced kidnappings and deadly creatures. Now, an opponent has discovered a way to use the Cahill family’s power against them, compelling Dan and Amy to attempt to protect themselves.

In London, J Rutherford Pierce dispatches mercenaries, coercing them with poison-laced candy by hoarding the antidote for himself. Meanwhile, false images in a Rome newspaper tarnish the Cahill name.

Countdown was originally published in May 2014.⁠^[44]

In Countdown, Dan and Amy Cahill remain targets of J. Rutherford Pierce, who seeks power and sees the siblings as an obstacle. While Pierce experiments with a serum granting extraordinary abilities, Dan and Amy flee from relentless paparazzi and armed operatives determined to silence them.

Their path leads them to Tikal in Guatemala, where they hope to secure the riven crystal needed to counter Pierce’s advantage. A sabotaged helicopter ride nearly ends in disaster, and trust within the group frays.

Flashpoint was originally published in September 2014.⁠^[45]

In Flashpoint, Dan Cahill is held captive by Galt and Cara Pierce after a chain of events leaves Pony dead, Pierce about to win the presidency, and Amy suffering from the effects of a dangerous serum. The siblings confirm that Angkor in Cambodia holds the next clue.

Meanwhile, Amy and the other Cahills travel from Guatemala to Cambodia, determined to secure the final ingredient, a rare snake venom, before Pierce’s plans escalate. Their efforts lead to confrontations in Cambodia’s ancient temples.

Mission Titanic was originally published in March 2015.⁠^[50]

In Mission Titanic, the Cahill family faces an attack led by the Outcast, who believes the family must be restructured under his leadership. After sabotaging the family summit and revealing traitors, he challenges Ian Kabra and his allies to stop four historical disasters.

As the team races to locate the target, the cruise ship Titanic II, they discover a plot involving biofuel, a murdered student, and a scientist named J.E.T. working for the Outcast. While some defuse the threat in the ship’s engine room, others are captured during a related investigation in Singapore.

Mission Hindenburg was originally published in August 2015.⁠^[51]

In Mission Hindenburg, Beatrice Cahill is murdered by the Outcast, who leaves behind a figurine and a poem referencing the myth of Icarus. When Amy and Dan Cahill trace a message to a blimp overhead, they discover it is rigged with explosives and serves as a distraction from the Outcast’s objective: sabotaging an airship race in Athens.

Multiple sabotage attempts follow as the team splits up to track airships. In Moscow, Nellie and Sammy discover evidence linking the Outcast to Grace Cahill’s past, while Amy, Dan, and Ian face betrayal aboard an MIT student ship.

Mission Hurricane was originally published in February 2016.⁠^[52]

In Mission Hurricane, Alek Spasky recovers a sunken Soviet submarine in the North Sea and claims its nuclear warheads. At the same time, Amy Cahill learns about her grandmother’s role in a family assassination and suspects the Outcast, her grandfather Nathaniel Hartford, is planning an attack.

Nellie Gomez and Sammy Mourad investigate a stronghold on Mount Fuji while Amy’s team discover a riddle pointing to the Netherlands. Dan deduces the Outcast intends to trigger a tsunami near Rotterdam using a stolen nuclear weapon.

Mission Atomic was originally published in July 2016.⁠^[53]

In Mission Atomic, Amy Cahill fakes her death during a reactor sabotage to gain leverage against Nathaniel Hartford. As Nathaniel designs a plan involving genetically engineered bees and a serum, Dan is captured and imprisoned at the Hive, his Alaskan base. Ian, Cara, Nellie, and Jonah split across global locations to track leads on Nathaniel’s plans.

Alek Spasky, initially Nathaniel’s enforcer, switches sides after learning the truth about his wife’s death. After Ian and Cara survive assassination attempts, and Nellie defeats a mutated bear at Nathaniel’s old lab, the teams reunite in Alaska.

Outbreak was originally published in 2016.⁠^[54]

In Outbreak, Dan Cahill leads the most powerful family in history, an unexpected role for a 14-year-old who aims to protect the world. When he learns that Sinead Starling, once a trusted friend, may be involved with a dangerous virus, he mobilizes the Cahills to investigate.

The search for answers sends Dan and his allies from Cuba to the Bermuda Triangle, where the release of the virus could lead to global catastrophe. With time running short and alliances uncertain, the Cahills must use every resource at their disposal to make the right call about a traitor whose true motives remain unclear.