National Archive Hunters 1: Capitol Chase

Ages 8 to 12, Grades 3 to 7

Twins race to find the thief stealing valuable historical artifacts before their family’s framed for the crimes in this high-octane middle grade action-adventure series starter for fans of City Spies and Alex Rider.

Ten-year-old Ike Carter has committed large chunks of American history to memory. That’s what happens when you’re a genius who loves the past. His twin, Iris, prefers the present (aka reality). She’s an elite athlete, dominating the competition thanks to her wicked-sharp spatial awareness.

During the opening night of a new exhibit at their mom’s boutique museum in Washington, D.C., Ike and Iris inadvertently stumble onto a robbery in progress. A girl not much older than them is stealing a miniature portrait of George Washington from the collection. It's only the first in a string of crimes, all focused on items that were once gifted by the Marquis de Lafayette to his American friends. With some help from the National Archives Research Center, the twins puzzle out the culprit’s next targets, and are soon hot on the trail of the mystery girl.

But their efforts also put them in the crosshairs of the FBI’s Art Crime team, who suspect their family is involved. If the twins can’t catch the real perp as they target the final item, it’ll be game over.

An action-packed series opener from highly-acclaimed author Matthew Landis, Capitol Chase introduces a new secret agent team sure to engross fans of National Treasure, City Spies, and Alex Rider with plot twists and turns that make this one unputdownable from first page to last.

A Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection

Series Overview: Ten-year-old twins Iris and Ike Carter investigate the disappearance of historically significant artifacts throughout the world.

About the Author

Matthew Landis is an eighth-grade social studies teacher (the one you wish you had). His middle grade books The Not So Boring Letters of Private Nobody, It’s the End of the World As I Know It, and Operation Final Notice have won many awards and accolades, including being named an ILA Teacher’s Choice and a Bank Street’s Best Book. He is also the author of the YA novel League of American Traitors. He lives in Pennsylvania with his wife, four kids, 35 chickens, and 3 cats. He hasn’t slept well since 2015.

Author Residence: Doylestown, Pennsylvania