The internet is gone. The phones are locked away. The adventure is just beginning.
For readers who love City Spies, The 39 Clues, and high-stakes mystery adventures filled with puzzles, conspiracies, and dangerous secrets.
Andy Wagner's summer collapses the moment he walks straight into a river-because he was too busy watching videos to notice it was there. His parents have had enough. Their solution? Camp Digi-Detox, a strange program hidden inside a crumbling college dorm. Devices are banned, and kids spend their days transcribing dusty handwritten documents into a secret database.
Andy expects boredom. What he finds is a conspiracy.
When he and three other campers hatch a daring plan to reclaim their confiscated phones, they uncover something far bigger: a clue to the Bedlam, a legendary ship that vanished centuries ago while carrying a powerful artifact within its hull.
Ruthless enemies are closing in on the artifact. To stop them, Andy must unite a team of unlikely allies:
- Dora, who spots patterns no one else sees
- Trish, whose acting skills make deception second nature
- Felix, a tech whiz itching to outsmart the system
If they can't crack the Bedlam's secrets in time, the artifact could rewrite history in ways that erase everything-including their very existence.
Cracking Time is the first book in The Uncrackables, a fast-paced mystery-adventure series packed with puzzles, danger, teamwork, and explosive discoveries-perfect for readers ages 8-14 who love solving secrets and uncovering the truth.
About the Author :
David Meyer writes middle-grade adventure stories filled with mystery, puzzles, and hidden secrets.He is the author of The Uncrackables series, which follows a group of kids as they uncover long-buried truths and unexpected dangers hiding in plain sight. His books are designed for readers ages 8-14 and emphasize curiosity, teamwork, problem-solving, and the idea that small choices can have big consequences.David enjoys creating stories that challenge readers to think, ask questions, and look at the world a little differently-while still delivering fast-paced adventures and plenty of surprises along the way.He lives with his family and spends his time reading, researching strange bits of history, and building stories one mystery at a time.
Review :
"I really enjoyed this story, and I look forward to reading more by David Meyer." Christen Oliver, Licensed Reading Specialist, Holding Steadfast
"The fast pace will appeal to readers as will the mystery. A nice stepping stone to a discussion about teamwork, idols, and understanding yourself ... well worth my time." Greg Pattridge, Teacher, Always in the Middle
"... David Meyer has a way of telling a compelling story while sneaking in some amazing life lessons, such as showing forgiveness, selflessness, and loyalty. All of the scenes were important to the story and all of the puzzle pieces added up to creating a phenomenal novel!" Brooke White, Reviewer, Write2Ignite
