Plot Summary: Sixth grader Petra Andalee is having a great school year so far. Her teacher, Ms. Hussey, is unlike any other teacher that she has ever had. Ms. Hussey enjoys mysteries and wants her students to really think about things. Ms. Hussey’s class is always very excited to learn about whatever adventure or investigation that she has cooked up for them. Enter Calder Pillay, her classmate and neighbor. They are not really friends, but know each other from school. Petra finds a discarded book at the local book store and finds it very intriguing since it contains files of unexplained mysterious events all over the world. This gets Petra thinking about a possible project for Ms. Hussey’s class. When a rare painting by Johannes Vermeer appears in the news because it has been stolen, Ms. Hussey decides that the class will work together to try to solve this mystery. The thief has written letters to the media explaining why the painting has been stolen and what needs to be done in order for it to be returned. The thief is demanding that certain circumstances surrounding the life of Johannes Vermeer be set straight and that the world needs to recognize that it’s probable that not all of the paintings attributed to Vermeer were actually painted by him.
Together, Petra and Calder team up to try and put together the clues. At times, it is really hard work and even dangerous following their leads. Petra and Calder are determined to discover the thief and the location of the painting, and no one can stop them. They will be challenged with puzzle after puzzle, but they will not give up until they have solved this mystery.
Genre: Mystery
Subjects/Themes: Art history, Vermeer, puzzles
Subjects/Themes: Art history, Vermeer, puzzles
Reviews: Great reviews from Booklist, Voice of Youth Advocates, Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal.
Age Group: Grades 5-8
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