Addison Cooke has lost his panache. He's out of his element at British boarding school, he's mourning his Uncle and Aunt, and he's completely lost on the cricket field. He's returning to the old family mansion for the holidays and is overjoyed to see that Eddie and Raj have come for a visit. At least one thing is looking up. The family is having a funeral for his Aunt and Uncle over break, and he and Molly learn that they've been left notes from the Aunt and Uncle, and the contents of a safe deposit box. Through some sleuthing they figure out which bank it belongs to and decide to check out what the family thought needed to be kept in a bank. What they find is a bronze tablet, which is evidently of enough interest that someone kills the power to the bank and takes them on a wild chase through London then Paris and Istanbul! In Istanbul they find that the tablet is part of a map, a map to King Solomon's treasures, and of course Malazar wants it and them very badly.
This reads like Stokes was hoping to write at least 1 more book in this series. We get some resolution and more information about the Cooke family legacy, but the prophecy and some other things are still left hanging. I can't find any information on the series out there, whether it is done or not, so here's hoping there's at least 1 more book coming. This book in the series has all 4 kids wrestling through some of the trauma their adventures has brought into their lives. I liked that Stokes included that, because usually middle grade series have kids go on endless dangerous adventures with little reflection on how it has impacted them. Addison has lost his confidence. Eddie has given up piano. Raj has given up Boy Scouts. And Molly is sad, but coping better than the boys. Being thrust into another high stakes adventure makes them all confront the issues they've been trying to avoid. Because of their issues, this starts off and dips into the serious realm a little more than the other books, but it still has fun with word play, there are moments of humor (particularly Eddie giving Addison grief for how they always end up in cemeteries with him), and the book ends on a positive and hopeful note. Readers get to travel through London, Paris (mostly the underground parts), Istanbul, Cyprus, and the Arabah (in Israel/Jordan). An author's note in the back clarifies which parts are real locations you can visit. Another great pick for global armchair travelers and action/adventure fans who love treasure hunts.
Notes on content: No language issues. No sexual content. There are battles and it is possible some deaths or injuries happen along the way, but none are related to the readers other than soreness and scratches the main characters get.