One False Note: 04/05/13

One False Note by Gordon Korman is the second of the 39 Clues series. Amy, Dan and Nellie are en route to Vienna and Venice, following a clue buried in KV617 — a piece composed by Mozart for Benjamin Franklin.

Anytime there's a musical clue in a mystery aimed at children, I'm brought back to Scooby Doo where Velma figures out a clue left in a music score. As this clue, though, involves some danger, there's also a hint of Goonies and the TNT booby trapped piano that shows up in a couple different Looney Tunes shorts.

Mixed in the caper, there are a few geography and history lessons. For a short books, the lessons aren't that deep but they're more detailed than the Magic Tree House books. They are interesting enough to inspire curious readers to head to the nonfiction section of the library.

But as entertainment — they're fun. They have a similar pace and mixture of clues and danger as a Clive Cussler book. Except, they are about half the length of the average Dirk Pitt mystery.

Four stars

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