"THE GUARDIANS OF THE HIDDEN SCEPTER," by Frank L. Cole, Bonneville Books, $16.99, 281 pages
Frank L. Cole’s "The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter" is peppered with mysterious coded letters, gun toting thugs, howling creatures and magical hidden artifacts. Fourteen-year-old Amber and a spicy cast of archeology classmates set out to find their missing teacher in an Indiana Jones-style adventure.
Techno-savvy Trendon, athletic Joseph, and wealthy beauty Lisa help brainy Amber uncover an ancient mystery that keeps them running from clue to clue searching for their kidnapped archeology teacher Ms. Halcomb. Cole, who lives in Salt Lake City, uses his mastery of plot and intrigue to weave a refreshingly unpredictable tale.
Character development lags behind the adventurous pace of the story at first, but catches up quickly, meshing together for a perfect blend of personality and plot. Through ingenuity, courage and coordinated effort the tenacious classmates escape repeatedly from villains that would make Snidely Whiplash proud. Though the teens are often in perilous danger, Cole tones down anxious moments with light humor as they press forward to save the world from a powerful artifact that could endanger all humanity if it falls into the wrong hands.
This powerhouse mystery is full of natural dialogue and mannerisms that will bring characters to life for young readers. Mothers will enjoy 281 pages free of foul language along with the silence of children enraptured with the exciting storyline.