Review of The Ancient Tripod of Peace (A Teen Thief-Catchers Novel) by Kalen Cap

Welcome to the review tour for The Ancient Tripod of Peace by Kalen Cap. It's the first book in the Teen Theif-Catchers series and is designed for those who love history, artifacts, and mystery. Please tune in to the blurb and excerpt, followed by my review. You can also follow the tour for more excerpts and reviews, plus have bonus chances to enter the giveaway. Please be sure to leave the author any comments or questions you may have!

Please note that affiliate links are present. Should you make a purchase through one of these, I may earn a small commission to help support my websites at no additional cost to you. I only share those books that I feel will interest my readers. Also, I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The Ancient Tripod of Peace

Teens Lexi and Gil face relic-thieving secret societies.

Plagued by loneliness in her Lake Erie Islands community, vegan Lexi hopes to make like-minded friends in high school. But her dad’s job is jeopardized when relics are stolen from his museum, changing her priorities. And she finds her new teachers’ eerie dislike of her troubling.

His dad in jail, cipher enthusiast and bacon-loving Gil hopes freshman year will provide a clean slate. Soon, he discovers secret codes within a Shakespearean play while paired with Lexi, pulling him into an ancient mystery.

With the official museum burglary investigation stalled, the mismatched teen sleuths join forces to try and crack the case. Lexi’s inquiries and Gil’s codes capture their teachers’ attention. But these teachers have the stolen Tripod of Peace, a powerful relic sought by rival secret societies. Caught in these societies’ crossfire as thieves wield an instrument of astounding power, Gil and Lexi are in danger.

The Ancient Tripod of Peace is the first book in novelist Kalen Cap’s Teen Thief-Catchers Series. If you like stories with artifact treasures, fighting secret societies, and spirited protagonists, you’ll enjoy this novel.

Buy on Amazon

Read an excerpt:

“Mom knows one of my high school teachers, called him an odd duck. Said she worked on a fundraiser for his bird sanctuary.”

Brandon spewed the protein shake across the counter.

“Dude! That was classic! What gives?” Gil couldn’t help snickering, although his brother looked like he might be truly sick.

“Ah. Nothing. Went up my nose is all.” Brandon grabbed a dish towel and wiped up the mess. “So, you said this bird sanctuary guy is your teacher? What’s his name?”

“Some old guy named Saffron.”

“Nick Saffron is not old.”

“If you say so. He’s at least in his fifties, older than Dad. You know him?”

“I know him to see him. He’s gotta be the only Saffron at the gym,” Brandon said. “Listen, I need some shut eye. Are you going to walk Cyclops this morning or should I?”

Blind in one eye, their dog Cyclops was originally Brandon’s responsibility. But, when Brandon left for college, Gil cared for the doberman mix. A handful at 105 pounds, Cyclops was one of the biggest dogs in the neighborhood.

“I’ll walk Cy.” In many ways, the dog had been Gil’s best friend the past year.

“Thanks. I’ll catch some Z’s. Later.” Brandon left the kitchen while wiping his face with his hands. He quickly reappeared, stepping back into the kitchen. “I wouldn’t tell Saffron about my being your brother and him knowing me from the gym.” Without further explanation, Brandon left again.

“Okay,” Gil answered. He shook his head. Why does he care about that?

Want more? Read another excerpt here. 

**My thoughts**

I am always a sucker for a book that takes place in the state of Ohio, as that is where I was born. I almost relate better to the setting, because I am familiar with it. Add in the idea of a mystery with artifacts and secret codes, and I was completely intrigued.

This story is akin to National Treasure and The DaVinci Code in that ancient codes and secrets are hidden right in front of our faces, and only certain people are able to find them and use them. The difference here is it involves a group of people called the Enlightened Pythagoreans and connections to Shakespeare. It's a totally fascinating idea that I never would have thought of on my own. It's also quite complicated, and I feel like I need to do some additional research to totally understand what is going on here. 

The group of kids involved in this mystery are definitely not a group that would normally be hanging out together. Each one of them has their own quirks. They couldn't be more different. And yet they have to work together. Brandon is very much a scaredy-cat. Gil is a massive know-it-all.  Lexi is caught up in trying to please everyone and making her mark, while also being concerned about her father's job, and having all kinds of other interesting connections to the stolen artifacts. 

Then there are the adults. Dozens of secrets abound and you almost don't know who you can trust. I had a hard time keeping all of the adults and their relationships straight, as well. I found the story both interesting and confusing all at the same time.

The intense knowledge that one must have about the history and these secrets feels like something that most people, let alone teenagers, would know anything about, let alone understand. I sometimes forgot that I was reading about teenagers here and there. Yet for those of you who are really into these quirky conspiracies and history, it won't matter how old you are. You'll want to dive into the mystery and see if you can figure it all out for yourself. It will be interesting to see where these kids go in the future.

About Kalen Cap

Kalen Cap is a writer living in Ohio and regularly commutes back and forth between Columbus and Port Clinton residences. Set among the Lake Erie Islands, “TheAncient Tripod of Peace” is his second novel, first of the Teen Thief-Catcher series. His first novel, “Tangled Ties to a Manatee,” was published in 2012.

Author website \ Amazon Page \ Series Facebook Page

Kalen Cap will be awarding a $40 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway