The Viper's Nest facts for kids
The Viper's Nest
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| Author | Peter Lerangis |
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| Country | United States UK Canada |
| Language | English |
| Series | The 39 Clues |
| Genre | Children's novel Adventure novel |
| Published | February 2, 2010 Scholastic |
| Media type | Print (hardcover) |
| Pages | 190 |
| ISBN | 978-0-545-06047-9 |
| Preceded by | In Too Deep |
| Followed by | The Emperor's Code |
The Viper's Nest is the seventh book in The 39 Clues series. It was written by Peter Lerangis and came out on February 2, 2010. This series is an exciting adventure story for young readers, told across 10 books. It follows a brother and sister, Amy and Dan Cahill, as they try to find clues left by their powerful grandmother, Grace Cahill, after she passes away.
The Viper's Nest picks up right after the last book, In Too Deep. Amy and Dan are shocked by the death of Irina Spasky, a former spy. They find themselves in danger again. At first, they start to wonder if they can really trust their au pair, Nellie, who helps take care of them. But later in the book, she proves herself and earns their trust back.
Inside the book, there are secret messages! If you alternate letters from the front and back covers, you can spell out "MADRIGAL LEADER=GRACE". Also, the dashes and dots in Morse code along the page margins in the middle of the book spell out: "THERE IS A MADRIGAL WATCHER".
The Story So Far
The book starts the morning after a fire that killed Irina Spasky. She was a former spy who worked for the KGB (a spy agency from Russia's past). Amy and Dan are shaken by what happened. They couldn't believe Irina was on their side, especially after she tried to harm them earlier in the series. They soon realize that Isabel Kabra has told the police about them. So, they quickly escape using Irina’s boat.
Dan finds a notebook in Irina’s bag. Inside, they find a strange phrase: "I'm with you and you're with me and so we are all together." Using their amazing decoding skills, Dan and Amy figure out that these words are actually a song! This clue leads them to Pretoria, South Africa. But before they can get there, the police find them, and their relative Alistair is captured. Alistair discovers that the person who set them up is actually Bae Oh. He manages to escape by pretending to have a heart attack. Amy, Dan, and Nellie safely board a plane to South Africa.
Adventures in South Africa
In South Africa, they receive a postcard that hints at a connection with Shaka Zulu. Shaka Zulu was a famous leader of the Zulu nation in South Africa. As they learn more about Shaka's history, they discover that he was part of the Tomas branch of the Cahill family. He was also connected to Winston Churchill, a famous British leader.
Amy and Dan manage to sneak into a Tomas family hideout. They steal what they think is a clue, which turns out to be diamonds. However, as they try to leave South Africa, the Kabra family captures them. Isabel Kabra offers Dan and Amy a chance to join her family. When they refuse, Isabel orders them to be tied up and put in a very dangerous situation with a spinning propeller.
A Daring Escape
Luckily, they escape with the help of Professor Bardsley. He is a Cahill family member who is not involved in the clue hunt. They also take a small bottle of green liquid. They thought this liquid was their first clue back in The Maze of Bones. They escape by flying Grace Cahill's old plane, called The Flying Lemur.
During the flight, Dan and Amy accidentally break the bottle. Some of the green liquid spills onto Dan's arm. It's then revealed that the liquid is a dangerous poison from the Lucian branch of the family! To get the antidote, they have to fly to Grace Cahill's home in Madagascar.
Shocking Family Secrets
At Grace's home in Madagascar, they find a letter with a code. It says: "TOMAS CLUE IS UMHLABA." They also find a page in her journal where she wrote: "I am feeling melancholy today, thinking about my dear A & H and missing them so. I cannot even bear to listen to my beloved di Lasso, because of the reminder..." On another page, it says: "I have written Deng Xiaoping, who has agreed to grant to visit to A & H when he discovered that they, like him, are 'M.'" This makes Dan realize something shocking: he and Amy are part of the Madrigal family branch!
