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May 13, 2025
21,000+ Reviews
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Description
A brilliant but solitary teenager must unlock ciphers, unearth buried clues, and reckon with the outside world as she pursues an ancient secret in this brainteasing, puzzle-filled mystery.
“A must-read for fans of puzzle books and intelligent suspense.”—Meg Shaffer, bestselling author of The Wishing Game and The Lost Story
“A delight for readers who enjoy sifting through clues and poring over evidence alongside the hero, racing to see which of you can crack the mystery first.”—Ernest Cline, bestselling author of Ready Player One
Seventeen-year-old Arizona’s favorite things include cryptography, geocaching, the writings of Jules Verne—and exploring the Sierra Nevadas on her Russian Ural motorcycle, with her dog Mojo riding shotgun in his sidecar.
She’s not, in other words, your average teenager.
So when she learns her mother’s been kidnapped and finds a cryptic test accompanying the ransom note, she’s not just horrified—but electrified. Solving puzzles and cracking codes are what she does best, and she knows exactly how to tackle the challenge the kidnappers are dangling in front of her.
What she doesn’t yet realize is that she’s been enlisted in a treasure hunt, on the trail of an occult, centuries-old secret her father supposedly took to his grave. And if the prize at the end is real, it could shake the world.
As Arizona chases the truth through fiendish puzzles and ancient texts, unearthing clues both buried underground and hiding in plain sight in the Western landscape, she’s forced to navigate the outside world in ways she never has before―and begins to forge connections she never dreamed she could.
Featuring an indomitable young heroine and a plot that ingeniously weaves together real facts into a treasure hunt of epic proportions, The Language of the Birds is an irresistibly quirky, endlessly surprising adventure that will leave readers wondering where the truth ends and fiction begins.
“A must-read for fans of puzzle books and intelligent suspense.”—Meg Shaffer, bestselling author of The Wishing Game and The Lost Story
“A delight for readers who enjoy sifting through clues and poring over evidence alongside the hero, racing to see which of you can crack the mystery first.”—Ernest Cline, bestselling author of Ready Player One
Seventeen-year-old Arizona’s favorite things include cryptography, geocaching, the writings of Jules Verne—and exploring the Sierra Nevadas on her Russian Ural motorcycle, with her dog Mojo riding shotgun in his sidecar.
She’s not, in other words, your average teenager.
So when she learns her mother’s been kidnapped and finds a cryptic test accompanying the ransom note, she’s not just horrified—but electrified. Solving puzzles and cracking codes are what she does best, and she knows exactly how to tackle the challenge the kidnappers are dangling in front of her.
What she doesn’t yet realize is that she’s been enlisted in a treasure hunt, on the trail of an occult, centuries-old secret her father supposedly took to his grave. And if the prize at the end is real, it could shake the world.
As Arizona chases the truth through fiendish puzzles and ancient texts, unearthing clues both buried underground and hiding in plain sight in the Western landscape, she’s forced to navigate the outside world in ways she never has before―and begins to forge connections she never dreamed she could.
Featuring an indomitable young heroine and a plot that ingeniously weaves together real facts into a treasure hunt of epic proportions, The Language of the Birds is an irresistibly quirky, endlessly surprising adventure that will leave readers wondering where the truth ends and fiction begins.
Product Details
| Publisher | Ballantine Books |
| Publish Date | May 13, 2025 |
| Pages | 368 |
| Language | English |
| Type |  Hardback |
| EAN/UPC | 9780593874523 |
| Dimensions | 9.5 X 6.4 X 1.2 inches | 1.3 pounds |
About the Author
K. A. Merson is a vaguely reclusive writer who lives in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada mountains, along with a patient spouse, a malevolent boxer dog, and an Airstream trailer.
Reviews
“A thrilling page-turner full of heart and unforgettable characters . . . The Language of the Birds is a must-read for fans of puzzle books and intelligent suspense.”—Meg Shaffer, bestselling author of The Wishing Game and The Lost Story
“A high-stakes treasure hunt and an intricate puzzle box of a novel filled with hope, history, and all kinds of heart . . . a delight for readers who enjoy sifting through clues and poring over evidence alongside the hero, racing to see which of you can crack the mystery first.”—Ernest Cline, bestselling author of Ready Player One
“K. A. Merson has created a wondrous mystery that unlocks the mind and the heart. . . . A refreshing, unstoppable read, knitted with bookish ciphers and puzzles, alchemy and poetics, all starring a brave, funny, unfiltered young woman whose differences are her greatest gifts—and the keys to deciphering some very dark secrets.”—Matthew Sullivan, bestselling author of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore
“A mind-bending dive into the power of the puzzle . . . Sweeping across the American West, the story takes in ancient mythologies, classic literature, and sinister conspiracy theories to weave its own shade of magic. . . . A mystery, crime, adventure, and coming-of-age tale all wrapped up in a treasure of a book.”—Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Twyford Code and The Appeal
“This taut, engaging thriller has charm to burn, thanks to its literature-obsessed teenage codebreaker, Arizona, and her faithful hound, Mojo. . . . A puzzle box of delights.”—Simon Wroe, author of Chop Chop
“A high-stakes treasure hunt and an intricate puzzle box of a novel filled with hope, history, and all kinds of heart . . . a delight for readers who enjoy sifting through clues and poring over evidence alongside the hero, racing to see which of you can crack the mystery first.”—Ernest Cline, bestselling author of Ready Player One
“K. A. Merson has created a wondrous mystery that unlocks the mind and the heart. . . . A refreshing, unstoppable read, knitted with bookish ciphers and puzzles, alchemy and poetics, all starring a brave, funny, unfiltered young woman whose differences are her greatest gifts—and the keys to deciphering some very dark secrets.”—Matthew Sullivan, bestselling author of Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore
“A mind-bending dive into the power of the puzzle . . . Sweeping across the American West, the story takes in ancient mythologies, classic literature, and sinister conspiracy theories to weave its own shade of magic. . . . A mystery, crime, adventure, and coming-of-age tale all wrapped up in a treasure of a book.”—Janice Hallett, bestselling author of The Twyford Code and The Appeal
“This taut, engaging thriller has charm to burn, thanks to its literature-obsessed teenage codebreaker, Arizona, and her faithful hound, Mojo. . . . A puzzle box of delights.”—Simon Wroe, author of Chop Chop
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