Time was swiftly running out for 13 year old Dan Cahill and Amy, his older sister, in their search for elusive clues to get the ransom to free their seven kidnapped cousins from certain death. They knew that the very powerful and cruel Vesper One, head of a centuries old sinister organization, would keep his electronic taunting threats to kill them all off if they could not fulfil the impossible task of finding certain documents that had been missing for decades.

Zigzagging across Europe and linking in to the support of their home team and genius friends when they can, Amy struggles to use her ability of connecting relationships to figure out the elusive clues along with Dan's help, but can the two of them outwit the mighty and vicious Vesters? Now with both Cheyenne and Casper, two evil and conniving twins who don't care who or what gets destroyed in their way, doing their up most to kill them of; how can Amy and Dan survive, let alone find the missing documents? Already branded as criminal art thieves, Interpol was close to capturing Amy and Dan as well. With scant time to figure out subtle clues left by a female spy back in the 1940s during World War II, was there no hope for them? Who is the mysterious G?

Jude Watson has created an action packed and suspenseful chase across Europe and into many of its castles and famous unusual landmarks. Watson's story will hold young readers of all ages enthralled until its cliffhanging ending. THE KING'S RANSOM, Book 2 is probably best read so far in the exciting series eleven book series, The 39 Clues, Cahills vs. Vespers. THE KING'S RANSOM comes complete with six game cards which link to even more clues and features in an interactive game at The 39 Clues website. A real treat for current and new "39 Clues" fans alike!

Book Summary

Amy and Dan are in a race for their lives . . . and the enemy may be even closer than they think. When seven members of their family were kidnapped by a sinister organization known as the Vespers, thirteen-year-old Dan Cahill and his older sister, Amy, vowed they'd stop at nothing to bring the hostages home. But then the ransom comes in and the Vespers demand the impossible. Amy and Dan have just days to track down and steal an ancient map.

The only catch? No one has seen the map for half a century. Now Amy and Dan are on a desperate search that will lead them to the Nazis, spies, a mad king and some of history's dirtiest secrets. It's the race of their lives . . . and one misstep will mean certain death for the hostages.