Steven K. Smith. The Virginia Mysteries, Book 7. ISBN 978-1-947881-04-Softcover 204 pages. Copyright 2018. Dead drops, cyphers, and invisible ink are all part of a mystery that even spymaster George Washington would love. Sam, Derek, and Caitlin love solving mysteries, and when they visit Washington, DC, spies are lurking. What starts out as a fun game of pretend on the National Mall turns all too real when they follow a mysterious man to a meeting deep within the Capitol. To keep government secrets from falling into the wrong hands, the kids must work with federal agents and travel to historic Mount Vernon for a state dinner with the president. Dead drops, cyphers and spy chases are all part of what might be their most dangerous adventure ever—if it isn’t their last. Spies at Mount Vernon is the seventh book in The Virginia Mysteries series, but it also makes a great stand alone read. The story is the perfect complement to social studies units covering George Washington as well as field trips and family vacations to Washington, DC and Mount Vernon. If you enjoy mystery and adventure like the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Magic Tree House, or National Treasure, you’ll love local author Steven K. Smith’s exciting middle-grade series. The stories are modern-day fictional mysteries with twists of real locations and events from Virginia history. These fast-paced books are popular with both boys and girls ages 7-12.
