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Capital Mysteries #1
Who Cloned the President?
From popular A to Z Mysteries author Ron Roy comes a red, white, and blue mystery perfect for the election season!
In the first book of the Capital Mysteries—an early chapter book mystery series featuring fun facts and famous sites from Washington, D.C.— KC Corcoran always watches the news. So it's no surprise that she notices right away when the President of the United States starts acting funny on TV. He's stiff and awkward. He's even signing papers with the wrong hand. There's only one explanation - the president has been cloned! And it's up to KC and her best friend, Marshall, to save him.
Each book highlights one of the famous museums, buildings, or monuments from the Washington area and includes a map and a two-page fun fact spread with photographs. Parents, teachers, and librarians agree that these highly collectible chapter books are perfect for emerging readers and any kid who love mysteries!
In the first book of the Capital Mysteries—an early chapter book mystery series featuring fun facts and famous sites from Washington, D.C.— KC Corcoran always watches the news. So it's no surprise that she notices right away when the President of the United States starts acting funny on TV. He's stiff and awkward. He's even signing papers with the wrong hand. There's only one explanation - the president has been cloned! And it's up to KC and her best friend, Marshall, to save him.
Each book highlights one of the famous museums, buildings, or monuments from the Washington area and includes a map and a two-page fun fact spread with photographs. Parents, teachers, and librarians agree that these highly collectible chapter books are perfect for emerging readers and any kid who love mysteries!
80 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
66 people are currently reading
661 people want to read
About the author
Ron Roy
249 books387 followersRon Roy has been writing books for children since 1974. He is the author of dozens of books, including the popular A to Z Mysteries®, Calendar Mysteries, and Capital Mysteries. When not working on a new book, Ron likes to teach tricks to his dog Pal, play poker with friends, travel, and read thrilling mystery books.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
February 12, 2016
I cannot possibly communicate to you how much disappointment this book brought me.
I adore Ron Roy's A to Z Mysteries series, and I have for as long as I can remember. The Super Specials are still being released, which I didn't realize until recently, so that's thrilling for me. A little piece of my childhood is still ongoing, and that's great.
He has also created Calendar Mysteries, a spin-off of A to Z Mysteries for younger readers, focusing on the A to Z characters' younger siblings. I've read every one of those books that has been released thus far, and they didn't disappoint, either. They're more juvenile than the A to Z books, but bearably so. It pleases me to think that there's another generation of youngsters learning to love reading through that series, as well.
A to Z Mysteries and Calendar Mysteries are both set in the small town of Green Lawn, Connecticut. Roy's Capital Mysteries series is set in the same universe as the Green Lawn books, as evidenced when the two sets of characters met in White House White-out. So I expected the Capital Mysteries series to be more of the same, in a good way.
I was wrong. While the Green Lawn books are very firmly rooted in reality, with all the fantastic elements being explained by the end of the mysteries, that is not the case with the Capital books--or at least not with Who Cloned the President?, which features science fiction elements that are absolutely jarring in the Green Lawn universe... And frankly, that deeply frustrates me.
You see, I went into this expecting the impossible scenario the title and blurb imply to be refuted by the facts as they unravel over the course of the mystery--like in every other Roy book I've ever read. That was not the case, unfortunately. In this expansion of the Green Lawn universe, human cloning has already been perfected and is actively being harnessed by a nefarious company with a grudge against the President. Somehow this company manages to kidnap the President of the United States and replace him with a clone--and no one notices besides an unrelated fourth-grade girl, who then breaks into the White House, figures out which President is the clone, and saves the real President. And her only assistance in this daring rescue mission is a fourth-grade boy. In the end, the bad guys are put away, the clone turns out to be a swell guy, and the President becomes eternally grateful to KC. I can only assume that off-screen, every single person tasked in any way, shape, or form with protecting the President has been fired. At least.
*sigh* A to Z Mysteries and Calendar Mysteries have run for years, and over their run have explored the world of Green Lawn and distinctly sets its boundaries of reality. Capital Mysteries is set in the same universe and yet flies past those boundaries without a second thought about the reader's suspension of disbelief.
The saddest part of it all is that it didn't have to be this way. Had the cross-over A to Z installment never existed, there would be nothing (that I've read yet, at least) to imply that these three series were set in the same universe, and that would have given Capital the leeway for this ridiculous plot. But instead, they opted for what I had assumed to be a fun crossover--until I read Who Cloned the President?, at which point I've been forced to realize that it's less "fun" and more "grating".
But I have the entire series sitting unread beside me on the desk, so I assume I'll be reading onward. I can only hope that the later books in the series can somehow make up for this installment, because at the moment, I'm actually kind of miffed.
I adore Ron Roy's A to Z Mysteries series, and I have for as long as I can remember. The Super Specials are still being released, which I didn't realize until recently, so that's thrilling for me. A little piece of my childhood is still ongoing, and that's great.
He has also created Calendar Mysteries, a spin-off of A to Z Mysteries for younger readers, focusing on the A to Z characters' younger siblings. I've read every one of those books that has been released thus far, and they didn't disappoint, either. They're more juvenile than the A to Z books, but bearably so. It pleases me to think that there's another generation of youngsters learning to love reading through that series, as well.
A to Z Mysteries and Calendar Mysteries are both set in the small town of Green Lawn, Connecticut. Roy's Capital Mysteries series is set in the same universe as the Green Lawn books, as evidenced when the two sets of characters met in White House White-out. So I expected the Capital Mysteries series to be more of the same, in a good way.
I was wrong. While the Green Lawn books are very firmly rooted in reality, with all the fantastic elements being explained by the end of the mysteries, that is not the case with the Capital books--or at least not with Who Cloned the President?, which features science fiction elements that are absolutely jarring in the Green Lawn universe... And frankly, that deeply frustrates me.
You see, I went into this expecting the impossible scenario the title and blurb imply to be refuted by the facts as they unravel over the course of the mystery--like in every other Roy book I've ever read. That was not the case, unfortunately. In this expansion of the Green Lawn universe, human cloning has already been perfected and is actively being harnessed by a nefarious company with a grudge against the President. Somehow this company manages to kidnap the President of the United States and replace him with a clone--and no one notices besides an unrelated fourth-grade girl, who then breaks into the White House, figures out which President is the clone, and saves the real President. And her only assistance in this daring rescue mission is a fourth-grade boy. In the end, the bad guys are put away, the clone turns out to be a swell guy, and the President becomes eternally grateful to KC. I can only assume that off-screen, every single person tasked in any way, shape, or form with protecting the President has been fired. At least.
*sigh* A to Z Mysteries and Calendar Mysteries have run for years, and over their run have explored the world of Green Lawn and distinctly sets its boundaries of reality. Capital Mysteries is set in the same universe and yet flies past those boundaries without a second thought about the reader's suspension of disbelief.
The saddest part of it all is that it didn't have to be this way. Had the cross-over A to Z installment never existed, there would be nothing (that I've read yet, at least) to imply that these three series were set in the same universe, and that would have given Capital the leeway for this ridiculous plot. But instead, they opted for what I had assumed to be a fun crossover--until I read Who Cloned the President?, at which point I've been forced to realize that it's less "fun" and more "grating".
But I have the entire series sitting unread beside me on the desk, so I assume I'll be reading onward. I can only hope that the later books in the series can somehow make up for this installment, because at the moment, I'm actually kind of miffed.
February 1, 2018
I really liked this book. "Who Cloned the President" was about when KC saw something on TV, it was the president giving a speech. When he wrote the bill he wrote with is right-hand, not his left-hand. And KC knew that the president writes with his left hand. So when he walked away, he did not walk away like the real president. So then she brought her friend Marshall to the White House. That had to hide yo not get seen and then, they found the CLONED president! Sot then they went in a secret room and the real president was in there. Then they left the White House and the president was saved!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2017
KC Corcoran and her best friend Marshall Li "save the day" when something as simple as the use of the wrong hand solves the mystery of "nobody-even-knows- the-president-is-missing". Using ingenuity and the element of surprise (spiders, no less), the two young sleuths brave the White House at night to rescue the leader of the free world.
Delightful, easy reading!
Delightful, easy reading!
January 22, 2022
I kept wondering if this book’s plot would have seemed more plausible 20 years ago when it was written, but I don’t think so. My kids pointed out that the main characters, KC and Marshall, have a toxic relationship. KC is frequently emotionally manipulating Marshall into doing things he is uncomfortable with (like committing crimes). The mystery was also super simple. They solved it in like 5 minutes.
January 29, 2023
This book was so gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooood !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
May 18, 2020
ghghhg
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ghgghghgghhggg bbbbv bb b bb b bb b bb n b b bb bb bb b b bb bb bb bb bbb bb bb he j
February 29, 2020
Okay, even if you pretend that you could actually clone someone with hair follicles, the lack of security/secret service is not believable at all. Maybe something less lofty for the first book in the series? Also there isn’t much investigating, really, so it’s not that great if a mystery IMO.
June 20, 2023
OK OK… So most of this was hugely unrealistic. For example, two little kids getting into the White House in the way that they did is definitely not realistic. In real life, Casey and her friend would've had to go through way more security checks.
Also, The security guards in this book were too easily overtaken. I mean, this wasn't really meant to be a realistic story. The dialogue could be considered cheesy, but hey, it's a kid book, and it was fun to read. It does kind of make me wonder what would happen if someone did clone a president for real… Especially our last president. One of him is more than enough.
Anyway, fun! I think I will continue through the capital mysteries series.
Also, The security guards in this book were too easily overtaken. I mean, this wasn't really meant to be a realistic story. The dialogue could be considered cheesy, but hey, it's a kid book, and it was fun to read. It does kind of make me wonder what would happen if someone did clone a president for real… Especially our last president. One of him is more than enough.
Anyway, fun! I think I will continue through the capital mysteries series.
January 12, 2024
Interesting relationship between KC and Marshall; definitely different than the relationship between Dink, Josh, and Ruth Rose in Ron Roy’s other series - A-Z Mysteries, I’d say maybe not as positive, yet I have to remember that this is the first book and my feelings could change. I thought the concept was interesting with human cloning, yet the story overall felt rushed; maybe this is to be expected within a <100 page book. I will continue to read the series because my kids and I enjoyed his other series.
December 21, 2020
Pretty out there logically (the title was a hint about that), yet it does mostly make sense. You can tell this was written a while back, since I think security would look a little different now at the White House. I'll keep suggesting this for young mystery readers, though I liked the Ballpark Mystery I read by Adler more.
July 16, 2018
The start of the series. I read the fourth book during RtII with my 3rd grade students. I wish I could share this part of the adventure with them, too! Can’t wait to recommend the entire series to future students. Level N per Scholastic.
June 28, 2020
I discovered this short story series in the gift shop of the National Archives. Any time there is stories using American history (fictional or otherwise), I snatch them up. I highly recommend them to early readers and above. I look forward to reading the rest of this short story series.
January 9, 2019
What a crazy story , but It's interesting. Clever brats.
December 8, 2020
A fun, silly mystery from the author of the A to Z mysteries. The kids are great and daring and save the day.
February 8, 2021
I like that it was about the president.
August 21, 2021
I had to read this book for a reading program, it was alright
March 1, 2022
Great for 3rd graders! Clear plot and a fun mystery along the way.
December 7, 2022
3 1/2 stars by 8 year old.
February 24, 2023
What a surprise! There is K.C. and Marshal in this story, and I've known them already! They were in A to Z mysteries Special Edition #3 as well. I love both books!
February 26, 2023
My favorite part is when they found out who cloned president.
March 3, 2023
Preposterous, sweet and funny!
March 24, 2023
450L for lexile.com.
It was definitely one of the easy read that I had.
I know for sure that I can read higher level and im excited to move up!
Story was interested though.
It was definitely one of the easy read that I had.
I know for sure that I can read higher level and im excited to move up!
Story was interested though.
August 22, 2023
If you read the A to Z mystery series these books are surprisingly short😌
January 9, 2024
Great beginning adventure, mystery.
November 13, 2024
Fun to read during election week and the week after elections.
Read
July 1, 2025you wouldn’t clone a president
July 4, 2017
I would have adored this series as a kid. I want to be KC Corcoran. This is the first in a series of sci-fi/mystery stories set in DC—from the author of the "A to Z Mysteries". Ages 6 and up.
April 6, 2024
Quick easy to read. My goal is to read the whole series of 14. All quick, fun and easy. This one seems to set up the future books. I’m going to include multiple books here numbers 2,3,4, & 5.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews