Click Here to Start A Novel, Denis Markell
Click Here to Start A Novel, Denis Markell
1 Rating(s)
List: $23.00 | Sale: $16.10
Club: $11.50

Click Here to Start (A Novel)

Author: Denis Markell

Narrator: Greg Watanabe

Unabridged: 7 hr 50 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 07/19/2016


Synopsis

Young fans of Ernie Cline's Ready Player One will love this classic video game inspired mystery filled with elements of Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library and From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. 

What if playing video games was prepping you to solve an incredible real-world puzzle and locate a priceless treasure?

Twelve-year-old Ted Gerson has spent most of his summer playing video games. So when his great-uncle dies and bequeaths him the all so-called treasure in his overstuffed junk shop of an apartment, Ted explores it like it’s another level to beat. And to his shock, he finds that eccentric Great-Uncle Ted actually has set the place up like a real-life escape-the-room game!

Using his specially honed skills, Ted sets off to win the greatest game he’s ever played, with help from his friends Caleb and Isabel. Together they discover that Uncle Ted’s “treasure” might be exactly that—real gold and jewels found by a Japanese American unit that served in World War II. With each puzzle Ted and his friends solve, they get closer to unraveling the mystery—but someone dangerous is hot on their heels, and he’s not about to let them get away with the fortune.

Praise for Click Here to Start:

"As addictive as your favorite video game. I couldn't put it down."-Adam Gidwitz, New York Times bestselling author of A Tale Dark and Grimm

"Humor, believable characters, and adventure...keeps readers in suspense to the end. A winner for mystery enthusiasts."-Kirkus Reviews

"In this clever debut, Markell takes readers on a clue-filled adventure...[and] maintains an energetic, entertaining balance of character-driven narrative and tricky challenges."-Publishers Weekly

"Markell's highly entertaining debut novel...is a well-paced read with fully realized and likable characters,...[and] should have strong appeal to gamers, fans of video game-based stories, and reluctant readers."-SLJ

"This book will appeal to a wide audience. Readers who enjoyed Schreiber's Game Over, Pete Watson will enjoy the video game component; fans of Fitzgerald's Under the Egg will enjoy reading more about the Monuments Men; detective story aficionados will revel in the inclusion of The Maltese Falcon story. This is a great book to hand to just about any middle grade reader."-YA Books Central
 
A School Library Guild selection
 
An Amazon Best Books of the Month Selection


About The Author

This is Denis Markell’s first novel, and he took writing it very seriously, playing hours and hours worth of escape-the-room games for research (or so he told his family). He also cowrote an award-winning Off-Broadway musical revue and wrote a few musical comedies for the stage; various and sundry sitcoms; a play with Joan Rivers; an episode of Thundercats; two picture books illustrated by his wife, Melissa Iwai—The Great Stroller Adventure and Hush, Little Monster—and Poser, a memoir of his years as a male model.  (One of these things is not true.) He lives in a small apartment in Brooklyn with Melissa; their son, Jamie; and a Shetland pony name Ronaldo.  (One of these things is not true.)


Reviews

Goodreads review by Melissa (Semi-hiatus for Work) on August 17, 2022

Really delightful book that will appeal to puzzle fanatics of all ages. As an adult, I appreciated the integration of history, computers, puzzles (I love escape the room games personally) and character interaction. The characters are relatable twelve-year-olds. The book is reminiscent of Trenton Lee......more

Goodreads review by Empress Reece (Hooked on Books) on May 10, 2017

A Gamer's Delight... This book was such great fun! It's a children's book but anyone that enjoys solving puzzles or playing video games will enjoy it. It's about a 12-year old boy named Ted who loves to play escape room games. When his Uncle dies, he leaves him everything in his apartment but unbekn......more

Goodreads review by Tonyalee on July 24, 2016

See this review and more on my blog, Lilybloombooks So, what's it about? 12-year-old Ted must use his knowledge of puzzle games, with the help of his friends, to find the treasures within his great uncle's apartment after his death. Unraveling the mystery behind his uncle's life, the treasure they fin......more

Goodreads review by Connor on February 28, 2018

Click her to start is about a boy named ted and 2 friends. Ted's great uncle has just died. His uncle last words where the box is only the beginning. Keep looking for the answers. Always go for broke. Promise me. Go along with ted and his friends to see how they figure out what that means.......more


Quotes

"As addictive as your favorite video game. I couldn't put it down."-Adam Gidwitz, New York Times bestselling author of A Tale Dark and Grimm

"Humor, believable characters, and adventure...keeps readers in suspense to the end. A winner for mystery enthusiasts."-Kirkus Reviews

"In this clever debut, Markell takes readers on a clue-filled adventure...[and] maintains an energetic, entertaining balance of character-driven narrative and tricky challenges."-Publishers Weekly

"Markell's highly entertaining debut novel...is a well-paced read with fully realized and likable characters,...[and] should have strong appeal to gamers, fans of video game-based stories, and reluctant readers."-SLJ

"This book will appeal to a wide audience. Readers who enjoyed Schreiber's Game Over, Pete Watson will enjoy the video game component; fans of Fitzgerald's Under the Egg will enjoy reading more about the Monuments Men; detective story aficionados will revel in the inclusion of The Maltese Falcon story. This is a great book to hand to just about any middle grade reader."-YA Books Central
 
A School Library Guild selection
 
An Amazon Best Books of the Month Selection