The World-Famous Nine

By: Ben Guterson

Narrated by: Elise Arsenault

In this thrilling mystery from an award-winning author, Zander is determined to do whatever it takes to save his grandmother’s nineteen-story out-of-this-world department store—perfect for fans of The Swifts and The Mysterious Benedict Society.

Zander Olinga’s grandmother is the owner of the fabled Number Nine Plaza, the spectacular nineteen-story skyscraper. The Nine, as it’s called, has everything imaginable, including a massive Ferris wheel on its rooftop, monorail tracks suspended from its ceiling, and twenty-five glass elevators. But there’s something evil looming in the shadows, and strange accidents start befalling the guests. When Zander and his friend Natasha come across a series of inscriptions hidden throughout the walls of The Nine, they discover that the clues will lead them to a magical object which protects the store’s very existence. With the future of The Nine on the line, the pair are determined to recover the mysterious object before the luxury plaza and its many guests are destroyed.

Featuring an unforgettable setting and a larger-than-life cast of characters, here’s a spellbinding mystery involving puzzles, art, and high-stakes adventure.

Critic reviews

Praise for The World-Famous Nine:

"Like Hogwarts, Narnia, or Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, the luxury department store The Nine is a place full of wonders and secrets. Add a kid with a brave heart, and this puzzly, page-turning mystery swept me away."—Elise Broach, award-winning author of Masterpiece and Duet

"A department store with doughnut machines, a Tiffany glass ceiling, and its own iceberg? A story with word puzzles, trick boxes, and a mystery as big as The Nine itself? There’s exactly one problem with The World-Famous Nine: you won’t be able to stop planning your own trip."—Cory Leonardo, author of The Simple Art of Flying

"A masterwork of original characters, tangled up in a mystery set in an otherworldly place. The World-Famous Nine reads like an instant classic."—Chris Baron, author of The Magical Imperfect, a Sydney Taylor Notable Book

"An imaginative, suspenseful story. Young readers will delight in exploring The Nine with Zander and puzzle over the cryptic messages he is determined to solve in order to save his family's legacy."—Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, New York Times bestselling author of the Book Scavenger series and Sisterhood of Sleuths

"A perfect blend of whimsy, humor, and adventure!"—R. M. Romero, author of The Dollmaker of Krakow

"Coded clues put two young sleuths on the trail of a magic mandala hidden somewhere in a huge, bustling department store…. The keys are a series of ingenious word and number clues, and Guterson provides enough hints along the way for savvy readers to decode them."—Kirkus Reviews

What stood out for me was that whenever there was a different voice she had amazing acting for each characters voice!

What I loved about this book is that it was such a great story and the person who's reading it has an a amazing voice with this book every voice fit the character. What I dislike is nothing! Because it is such an a amazing book!

Absolutely enchanting

If you loved the winter house series you’ll love this book just as well. I can’t wait for book two in the series. I felt as though I was in the famous store The Nines. Zander is such a fun and relatable main character. Please read this book