Review by Booklist Review
If The Da Vinci Code had a YA cousin, it would be Codebreaker. This debut novel explodes from the beginning, and a twisting plot leads readers through Washington, DC, at breakneck speed while solving codes themselves along the way. Mia's seventeenth birthday is one for the history books, literally; if she can't solve her father's annual birthday scavenger hunt, the country may dissolve into revolution. Unlike on her other birthdays, her father is on the run from the government agents who killed her mother. While a certain suspension of disbelief is required, the story progresses quickly, occasionally flashing back to explain how Mia's father taught her about codes. Mia's love interest, Logan, shows up out of nowhere and gives a few too many white-knight vibes for such a strong protagonist. That being said, their banter is fun and develops their characters nicely, and as Mia f inds out her parents' secrets, she learns to trust herself along the way. With a lot of heart, especially regarding how Mia's grief manifests itself, this propulsive novel will appeal to fans of puzzles and spy stories.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
When 17-year-old Mia Hayes finds her parents in their living room with a bald man in a black suit, she doesn't anticipate that the encounter will end with her mother dead and her father missing. Now on her own, the teen struggles to understand what happened and how her father is involved. Three weeks later, attending a protest in D.C., she meets cute, funny Logan, 18. The two plan a date for that night, but Mia is abducted shortly after Logan leaves the protest. Upon arriving at an undisclosed location, Mia is interrogated by a woman called Mary Surratt, who questions Mia about something her father is purported to have stolen. Though Mary releases her, Mia knows that the only way to uncover the truth about her father is to follow a series of clues he left behind. Clever codes, puzzles, and ciphers form the base of this intricately designed codebreaker mystery that's enlivened by page-turning action and Mia and Logan's sharp banter and magnetic chemistry. A beginning author's note instructs readers on how to participate in the codebreaking and investigating alongside Mia, injecting a playful interactive element to Martel's propulsive debut novel. Mia has olive skin. Ages 13--up. (July)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 8 Up--Mia Hayes's life has never been boring. As the daughter of a journalist and a renowned history professor, she has traveled the world. Each year, she spends her birthday solving the intricate puzzle games that her father creates, learning all she can about his passion for codes and ciphers. Adventure takes on a whole new meaning, however, when government agents arrive at her home, accusing her father of stealing something and shooting her mother in retaliation. This year, the stakes of Mia's scavenger hunt are higher than ever, as she seeks to uncover a government plot of deadly proportions. Author team Andy Bennett and Katy Helbacka debut under the Martel pen name with an exciting adventure that is a blend of National Treasure and The Inheritance Games, with a tame teen romance subplot. This uniquely engaging thriller features an interactive format which alerts readers when to pause and attempt to solve the puzzle themselves. The cast of characters is not overtly diverse; racial representation is ambiguous. Possible triggers include gun violence and death. VERDICT This book will appeal to tween and teen readers seeking an engrossing, adrenaline-packed mystery. Recommended for fans of Jennifer Lynn Barnes, Holly Jackson, and Kayvion Lewis.--Lauren Hackert
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
In this debut, a young woman must traverse Washington, D.C., and decipher clues left by her father. Seventeen-year-old Mia's globetrotting family has always been close, despite their busy lives. Her father, a history professor and cryptography specialist, has moved them around the world through his various jobs in academia; her mother's work as a freelance journalist focusing on "political unrest and social injustice" has also been well suited to travel. When her dad accepts a position at Georgetown University, the Hayes family returns to the States. Mia is trying to decide on college prospects when a night of unexpected violence upends her entire world. Set against a backdrop of fictional yet meaningfully realistic political unrest over societal wealth disparities, the story follows Mia as she finds herself on her own, trying to solve the clues in a scavenger hunt designed by her father that takes her across the city. Along the way, readers encounter ciphers that they can try to solve on their own. By chance, Mia meets Logan, a guy about her age who accompanies her through various twists and turns--and she must quickly decide whether she can trust him. The propulsive plot is peppered with their clever banter, which balances the weightier themes of social justice and Mia's sympathetic struggle with disillusionment as she suddenly makes disorienting discoveries. Mia and Logan present white. A smart, gripping thriller with engaging interactive elements. (content note, note to readers)(Thriller. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
