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The Virginia Mysteries #7
Spies at Mount Vernon
Dead drops, cyphers, and invisible ink are all part of a mystery that even spymaster George Washington would love.
Sam, Derek, and Caitlin love solving mysteries, and when they visit Washington, DC, spies are lurking. What starts out as a fun game of pretend on the National Mall turns all too real when they follow a mysterious man to a meeting deep within the Capitol. To keep government secrets from falling into the wrong hands, the kids must work with federal agents and travel to historic Mount Vernon for a state dinner with the president and his son. Dead drops, cyphers and spy chases are all part of what might be their most dangerous adventure ever—if it isn’t their last. Spies at Mount Vernon is the seventh book in The Virginia Mysteries series, but it also makes a great standalone read. The story is the perfect complement to social studies units covering George Washington as well as field trips and family vacations to Washington, DC and Mount Vernon. If you enjoy mystery and adventure like the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Magic Tree House, or National Treasure, you’ll love author Steven K. Smith’s exciting middle-grade series. The stories are modern-day fictional mysteries with twists of real locations and events from Virginia history. These fast-paced books are popular with both boys and girls ages 7-12, appealing to even reluctant readers! Also by Steven K. Smith: The Virginia Mysteries
Book 1 - Summer of the Woods
Book 2 - Mystery on Church Hill
Book 3 - Ghosts of Belle Isle
Book 4 - Secret of the Staircase
Book 5 - Midnight at the Mansion
Book 6 - Shadows at Jamestown
Book 7 - Spies at Mount Vernon
Book 8 - Escape from Monticello
Book 9 - Pictures at the Protest
Book 10 - Pirates on the Bay Brother Wars Series
Brother Wars
Cabin Eleven
The Big Apple Final Kingdom Trilogy (Ages 10+)
The Missing
The Recruit
The Bridge
Sam, Derek, and Caitlin love solving mysteries, and when they visit Washington, DC, spies are lurking. What starts out as a fun game of pretend on the National Mall turns all too real when they follow a mysterious man to a meeting deep within the Capitol. To keep government secrets from falling into the wrong hands, the kids must work with federal agents and travel to historic Mount Vernon for a state dinner with the president and his son. Dead drops, cyphers and spy chases are all part of what might be their most dangerous adventure ever—if it isn’t their last. Spies at Mount Vernon is the seventh book in The Virginia Mysteries series, but it also makes a great standalone read. The story is the perfect complement to social studies units covering George Washington as well as field trips and family vacations to Washington, DC and Mount Vernon. If you enjoy mystery and adventure like the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Magic Tree House, or National Treasure, you’ll love author Steven K. Smith’s exciting middle-grade series. The stories are modern-day fictional mysteries with twists of real locations and events from Virginia history. These fast-paced books are popular with both boys and girls ages 7-12, appealing to even reluctant readers! Also by Steven K. Smith: The Virginia Mysteries
Book 1 - Summer of the Woods
Book 2 - Mystery on Church Hill
Book 3 - Ghosts of Belle Isle
Book 4 - Secret of the Staircase
Book 5 - Midnight at the Mansion
Book 6 - Shadows at Jamestown
Book 7 - Spies at Mount Vernon
Book 8 - Escape from Monticello
Book 9 - Pictures at the Protest
Book 10 - Pirates on the Bay Brother Wars Series
Brother Wars
Cabin Eleven
The Big Apple Final Kingdom Trilogy (Ages 10+)
The Missing
The Recruit
The Bridge
206 pages, Paperback
First published August 9, 2018
145 people are currently reading
127 people want to read
About the author
Steven K. Smith
27 books128 followersSteven K. Smith writes the middle grade series The Virginia Mysteries, Brother Wars, and Final Kingdom.
Steven lives in Richmond, Virginia, with his wife and three sons. Born and raised in rural northwestern New Jersey, he moved to Virginia in 2011 and quickly fell in love with its history and charm. Visit his website at www.stevenksmith.net.
When he's not writing, Steven enjoys coaching his boys in sports, hiking, kayaking, naps, and taking away his kids' screen time. Some of his favorite children's books include Where the Red Fern Grows, Rascal, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Bridge to Terabithia, and the Chronicles of Narnia series.
The Virginia Mysteries - Adventures with a twist of history
(Ages 7-12)
Book 1 - Summer of the Woods
Book 2 - Mystery on Church Hill
Book 3 - Ghosts of Belle Isle
Book 4 - Secret of the Staircase
Book 5 - Midnight at the Mansion
Book 6 - Shadows at Jamestown
Book 7 - Spies at Mount Vernon
Book 8 - Escape from Monticello
Brother Wars (Ages 7-12)
Brother Wars
Brother Wars: Cabin Eleven
Brother Wars: The Big Apple
Final Kingdom Trilogy (Ages 10+)
Book 1 - The Missing
Book 2- The Recruit
Book 3 - The Bridge
Steven lives in Richmond, Virginia, with his wife and three sons. Born and raised in rural northwestern New Jersey, he moved to Virginia in 2011 and quickly fell in love with its history and charm. Visit his website at www.stevenksmith.net.
When he's not writing, Steven enjoys coaching his boys in sports, hiking, kayaking, naps, and taking away his kids' screen time. Some of his favorite children's books include Where the Red Fern Grows, Rascal, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Bridge to Terabithia, and the Chronicles of Narnia series.
The Virginia Mysteries - Adventures with a twist of history
(Ages 7-12)
Book 1 - Summer of the Woods
Book 2 - Mystery on Church Hill
Book 3 - Ghosts of Belle Isle
Book 4 - Secret of the Staircase
Book 5 - Midnight at the Mansion
Book 6 - Shadows at Jamestown
Book 7 - Spies at Mount Vernon
Book 8 - Escape from Monticello
Brother Wars (Ages 7-12)
Brother Wars
Brother Wars: Cabin Eleven
Brother Wars: The Big Apple
Final Kingdom Trilogy (Ages 10+)
Book 1 - The Missing
Book 2- The Recruit
Book 3 - The Bridge
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
October 26, 2018
What a great day to be reading this book. It is pouring down rain, and we expect to get 4 inches along with flooding.
Just the other day I was thinking that I wished that Steven K. Smith would write another teen mystery because I was ready for a fun, light read again. One or two days later I got an email from him. He has a new Virginia mystery, and those of his who he emailed could get a free copy of it in exchange for a review. Yeah!
I have grown to love the kids in his Virginia mystery series. And you always get a history lesson that is pretty cool and not boring like they were in high school, that is, if you had a boring teacher.
So, now it is time to find out what kind of mystery they are solving this time. But first, I need to make myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wannabe wheat bread.
The Mystery.
The kids, Caitlin and Sam were sitting in their class room getting a history lesson from their teacher, Mr. Byrd. He was teaching them how to make invisible ink using lemon juice. This was the same method that George Washington’s spies used during the Revolutionary War. I remember as a kid being taught how to do this, but I don’t think any teacher taught me, so perhaps another kid I knew or my brother had. Next they were learning how to make and decipher codes.
So when they each got to their own homes, Caitlin and Sam decided to send a secret message to each other by using techniques that their teacher had taught them: During the Revolutionary War a message would be hidden in a certain designated place, and a spy would hang a brightly colored dress on a clothesline to indicate that a message had been left in that secret place. I liked that idea. Well, the two friends didn’t have clotheslines, as their parents only had electric clothes driers. What fun is that? Even I have a clothesline, because I wanted one, and I wanted one exactly like my grandmother’s, a pulley. I loved all clotheslines in my youth. I don’t use even my own, so I guess it isn’t that fun anymore. So, Caitlin and Sam dream up another method that I found just as interesting, although I like the idea of a pretty colored dress hanging on the line.
After all their playing, Caitlin and Sam head to Washington Mall with Sam’s parents, and Sam’s brother Derek. The Mall is actually a large park with a lot of government buildings and museums. They also bring along real walkie talkies. When I was a kid my brother made a walkie talkie out of two tin cans with a very long string tied at each end of the can. He had made them by taking a nail and making a hole in one end. The other’s end was cut out with a can opener. They then put the string through each end and tied knots to keep the string from coming out. Then you have to pull them taunt. They really worked, but I never learned why they did. My brother had his in his bedroom. He opened the window, and the other end of the can was at his friend’s, stretched across the two properties.
During the kid’s time at the Mall, they learn that there is a spy, and they want to find out what he is up to. No good, I imagine. So now this is where the real spying begins, and they now have to decipher codes and follow the bad guys.
And now the rain had stopped at 2 inches and not the 4 promised. So, I am going to make me something to eat and pick up this book again and find out what happens next.
Just the other day I was thinking that I wished that Steven K. Smith would write another teen mystery because I was ready for a fun, light read again. One or two days later I got an email from him. He has a new Virginia mystery, and those of his who he emailed could get a free copy of it in exchange for a review. Yeah!
I have grown to love the kids in his Virginia mystery series. And you always get a history lesson that is pretty cool and not boring like they were in high school, that is, if you had a boring teacher.
So, now it is time to find out what kind of mystery they are solving this time. But first, I need to make myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on wannabe wheat bread.
The Mystery.
The kids, Caitlin and Sam were sitting in their class room getting a history lesson from their teacher, Mr. Byrd. He was teaching them how to make invisible ink using lemon juice. This was the same method that George Washington’s spies used during the Revolutionary War. I remember as a kid being taught how to do this, but I don’t think any teacher taught me, so perhaps another kid I knew or my brother had. Next they were learning how to make and decipher codes.
So when they each got to their own homes, Caitlin and Sam decided to send a secret message to each other by using techniques that their teacher had taught them: During the Revolutionary War a message would be hidden in a certain designated place, and a spy would hang a brightly colored dress on a clothesline to indicate that a message had been left in that secret place. I liked that idea. Well, the two friends didn’t have clotheslines, as their parents only had electric clothes driers. What fun is that? Even I have a clothesline, because I wanted one, and I wanted one exactly like my grandmother’s, a pulley. I loved all clotheslines in my youth. I don’t use even my own, so I guess it isn’t that fun anymore. So, Caitlin and Sam dream up another method that I found just as interesting, although I like the idea of a pretty colored dress hanging on the line.
After all their playing, Caitlin and Sam head to Washington Mall with Sam’s parents, and Sam’s brother Derek. The Mall is actually a large park with a lot of government buildings and museums. They also bring along real walkie talkies. When I was a kid my brother made a walkie talkie out of two tin cans with a very long string tied at each end of the can. He had made them by taking a nail and making a hole in one end. The other’s end was cut out with a can opener. They then put the string through each end and tied knots to keep the string from coming out. Then you have to pull them taunt. They really worked, but I never learned why they did. My brother had his in his bedroom. He opened the window, and the other end of the can was at his friend’s, stretched across the two properties.
During the kid’s time at the Mall, they learn that there is a spy, and they want to find out what he is up to. No good, I imagine. So now this is where the real spying begins, and they now have to decipher codes and follow the bad guys.
And now the rain had stopped at 2 inches and not the 4 promised. So, I am going to make me something to eat and pick up this book again and find out what happens next.
October 12, 2020
Yes, it's in here: George Washington's Liberty Key!
I purchased this book to solve a mystery: Did it mention anything about "George Washington's Liberty Key: Mount Vernon's Bastille Key"? Yes, as I discovered, it did! As a matter of fact, one of the major characters in the book said that it -- George Washington's symbol of freedom -- was one of his favorite things! Well, it turns out that it's one of my favorite things, too, so much so I wrote a book about it. But that all aside, I found "Spies at Mount Vernon" to be well-written and highly interesting, with plenty of intriguing details about DC -- I hope to ride the Ferris wheel at National Harbor next time I'm in the area. I'll also be loaning this book to my grandsons. I'm sure they'll enjoy it as much as I did.
I purchased this book to solve a mystery: Did it mention anything about "George Washington's Liberty Key: Mount Vernon's Bastille Key"? Yes, as I discovered, it did! As a matter of fact, one of the major characters in the book said that it -- George Washington's symbol of freedom -- was one of his favorite things! Well, it turns out that it's one of my favorite things, too, so much so I wrote a book about it. But that all aside, I found "Spies at Mount Vernon" to be well-written and highly interesting, with plenty of intriguing details about DC -- I hope to ride the Ferris wheel at National Harbor next time I'm in the area. I'll also be loaning this book to my grandsons. I'm sure they'll enjoy it as much as I did.
December 30, 2021
Light on action for a good chunk of the middle of the book, with lots of history of Mount Vernon and George Washington crammed in. The kids are crazy dumb, and the way they are treated by adults is beyond belief. [spoiler]One of the bad guys dies (presumably) in a boat explosion at the end of the book, which is more violent than I would like for my kids. The statement of one character who later mentions being thankful that everyone is okay at the end is unbelievable since the one guy probably died...he is not okay![/spoiler] That said, my kids enjoyed it this as a read-aloud (7 y.o. and 9 y.o.).
September 26, 2018
Years ago, a friend posted about going to Maymont to meet an author of a children's book series of mysteries set in Virginia. I thought it was cool and meant to go find the books in the library, but didn't. Then, last year, I found out that the same author was coming to my daughter's classroom and I immediately sent him an email - he couldn't be more friendly!
I decided that if my daughter was going to read the Virginia Mysteries Series, then I should, too. I love them as much as my 4th grade daughter does!
Spies at Mount Vernon is FUN! Yes, there are some tense moments, but even my 1st grader enjoys the intrigue! I get so caught up in the story and I worry for the characters - who feel like real kids! I get concerned for their safety and I can't put the book down until I know what happens.
I've lived in Richmond, Virginia my entire life and have never been to Mount Vernon! After reading the history included in Smith's book - I'm hoping we can make a trip soon!
I decided that if my daughter was going to read the Virginia Mysteries Series, then I should, too. I love them as much as my 4th grade daughter does!
Spies at Mount Vernon is FUN! Yes, there are some tense moments, but even my 1st grader enjoys the intrigue! I get so caught up in the story and I worry for the characters - who feel like real kids! I get concerned for their safety and I can't put the book down until I know what happens.
I've lived in Richmond, Virginia my entire life and have never been to Mount Vernon! After reading the history included in Smith's book - I'm hoping we can make a trip soon!
August 1, 2023
Number 7 in the Virginia Mysteries series, this one, I felt was the best one yet! The author has come into his own with writing this series. The books are also getting longer than the first number of books and the story is feeling more rounded.
This series is the Hardy Boys that I used to read growing up, except these books go a little further in bringing education into it and best yet, in a fun way, even for the reluctant child who doesn't like history.
Sam, Derek, and Caitlin find themselves visiting Washington, DC's National Mall and playing a game which leads them to their next mystery, at the Capitol and Mount Vernon.
Having lived in Leesburg for 8 years and now Richmond for the last 2, we've been to all these places over the years. It's always fun when the author describes the places I've been and I can see it in my head while I read about it.
I'm looking forward to reading the rest in the series.
This series is the Hardy Boys that I used to read growing up, except these books go a little further in bringing education into it and best yet, in a fun way, even for the reluctant child who doesn't like history.
Sam, Derek, and Caitlin find themselves visiting Washington, DC's National Mall and playing a game which leads them to their next mystery, at the Capitol and Mount Vernon.
Having lived in Leesburg for 8 years and now Richmond for the last 2, we've been to all these places over the years. It's always fun when the author describes the places I've been and I can see it in my head while I read about it.
I'm looking forward to reading the rest in the series.
August 13, 2020
This middle-grade series of 8 books is perfect for reluctant history readers in grades 3-6. Written with nonstop action and funny sibling squabbles that kids will like, these books introduce history in a way that is accessible and interesting. By including a current mystery element to the historical sites, even kids who aren’t fans of learning about “boring” history will fly through the books! Bonus for those who live in Virginia - all of the sites are easily visited and many have been reviewed on The History Mom!
Another one of my favorites in the series. This book will take you from Mount Vernon to the Capitol in Washington, DC. The plot is perfect for kids who like non-stop action but it also does a great job at incorporating history into the story.
Another one of my favorites in the series. This book will take you from Mount Vernon to the Capitol in Washington, DC. The plot is perfect for kids who like non-stop action but it also does a great job at incorporating history into the story.
September 8, 2018
I’ve read all of the books in this series, and this was hands-down my favorite one. The characters are well developed and you can see how much they’ve grown and matured from book one, the same way you can when you work with kids in real life. The storyline kept me hooked the entire time and I never wanted to stop reading. I’ve already previewed this book with my students and I’m pretty sure there will be a long line of students waiting to read it as well!
September 5, 2022
Another great yarn for young adults in the Virginia Mysteries series by Steven K. Smith. Only repetitive language denies a full score. All in all a nice read that my eight-year-old boy enjoyed immensely, maybe because it was a spy thriller of sorts. Not going to reveal at this time, except that much of the action takes place in Washington, DC.
August 15, 2023
I bought this book at Mount Vernon in April,2023. My grandson and I were touring Tennessee, Virginia and DC. This book is a quick read and would be perfect for 5-8 grade students. It definitely needs to be in school libraries!
November 30, 2023
For the genre that these books are -- children's cozy mysteries -- this series is so spot on. The books are fast-pasted, fun and exciting. I may not be a kid, but I really enjoy these. And since I moved to Virginia a number of years ago, it's an added perk to "visit" these historical sites.
September 17, 2025
Exciting spy adventures for the crew!
This is a wonderful mystery with spies, traitors, and American political history, and a big helping of action. Fun reading for myself and the patient I read it to.
This is a wonderful mystery with spies, traitors, and American political history, and a big helping of action. Fun reading for myself and the patient I read it to.
April 14, 2020
Miriam read this one. She loves the series.
May 24, 2020
I like this series quite a bit. They boys are curious and believable for their ages. The local history is great, and overall I just enjoy it!
January 26, 2021
My girls loved, loved, loved it!!! I did too!
It was a kids thriller that kept my girls wanting to hear more each night. I found myself reading extra chapters each night,
It was a kids thriller that kept my girls wanting to hear more each night. I found myself reading extra chapters each night,
January 22, 2024
Great Middle grade series I started when I was younger !! I picked this up because I want to finish outthe newer books !!
June 10, 2024
Very fun for the kids with some exciting spy action.
June 21, 2025
Another winner.
July 27, 2025
Just okay.
September 10, 2025
Had a different feel to it in that the kids weren’t quite as recklessly independent as usual. I enjoyed the setting and the unexpected characters.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews