Trust No One by Linda Sue Park (2012) – Book 5 of 6 in The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers spinoff

Note: this post includes Amazon affiliate links.

As we near the end of this spinoff series of The 39 Clues, we’re happy to see the story grow more intense and interesting. The kids are growing up, and their continuous brushes with death have taken their toll.

The story that began 16 books earlier with Maze of Bones by Rick Riordan (2008) almost feels cartoonish in comparison to where Amy and Dan are now, fighting for the lives of their kidnapped loved ones, while the evil Vespers threaten to set off an ancient “doomsday device” and take over the world.

Brief Summary of Trust No One

Vesper One has demanded that the Cahill kids and their partners steal the Voynich Manuscript from Yale University, but they then must chase the most important missing page down to Brazil.

Both kids nearly die in this book, and they discover the identity of the mole that’s been playing against from the inside all along. Many intense scenes play out, including a number of assassination attempts against the kids, one of which ends with a Brazilian BBQ skewer in the neck of a friend of their dead mother!

Not the Most Historical Books, but Still Great

I’ve mentioned in other reviews that, while this series certainly names countless historical figures and icons, and while it covers a whole world of important cities and museums, it is most definitely not a series designed to teach history. It’s on the level of The DaVinci Code for twisting fictitious mysteries and made-up codes into otherwise forgotten artifacts and historical personalities.

You’d learn more history from Nicolas Cage in the National Treasure movies than from The 39 Clues. That’s not to say the books are useless. I think it’s great that my kids get to hear names like Archimedes, learn about folios, and “visit” places like Iguaza Falls in Brazil. I don’t how they’d come across these things in any other context, so the books are at least boosting their vocabularies.

The Emotional Elements of Trust No One

As we’ve gone through these books, we’ve been able to watch Dan and Amy both battle their own internal selves. It seems like they seesaw—while Dan struggles depression in one book, Amy holds the line; while Amy fights doubt and confusion about her identity, Dan picks up the leadership mantle.

They’re a good set of siblings in this regard, each bearing the others’ burdens in one way or another. Exemplary for my own kids, actually, though obviously fictional.

In this book, Amy faces a heavy imbalance between her two selves: Scared Amy and Safe Amy. She becomes more and more detached from her brother, her team, and the reality of the war they’re in—a war that’s now not just for the family but for the planet. 

Her perpetual withdrawal threatens to break up the team—and her sudden teenage love triangle doesn’t help matters—but once again, Dan proves to be her anchor, and in his own way draws her back to reality and the loyalty that’s bound them together since the beginning of their adventures.

Conclusion

Once again, this book has entertained us all and we’re looking forward to the conclusion of this shorter six-book series with Day of Doom by David Baldacci.

Will the Vespers truly set off the doomsday device? Is Dan and Amy’s dad really alive and behind it all? If not, who is Vesper One?

Many questions still need answering—and we look forward to reading what those answers are.

©2025 E.T.