The Curse of the Smoky Mountain Treasure - Marty Kay Jones

Published independently, September 12, 2024.
eBook edition.

My third LibraryThing prize, The Curse of the Smoky Mountain Treasure is the most professional-feeling read I've received so far. The version I read may not have had a cover attached to the pdf file, but - I mean, look at that! That looks pretty profesh too, right??

The story is well written and lightly-comedic; Kevin's mother has just remarried, and he now has a step-dad and step-sister, Anne. However, the celebrant at the wedding stumbles over the fact that Kevin has kept his old last name, and Kevin inadvertently becomes "and uh, um... Kevin." This, sadly, fits with Kevin's persona. He is a little bit glass-half-empty, and isn't quite sure what he thinks about the new family dynamic.

He is even less sure about the 'familymoon' vacation the newly formed quartet are going on, considering it is camping and hiking, something that neither Kevin or his mum have any experience with, but that Kevin's step-dad and step-sister love. The trip gets even more intense when Kevin's mum accidentally books the family into a cell-phone free tent-site, rather than the cabin they had anticipated.

All of this is set-up, however, for the true 'adventure'; when the family stop to buy tents and supplies for their unexpected camping experience, Kevin and Anne stumble (literally) across an old book containing a map to what appears to be treasure. At the camp-site the duo befriend two other kids, and the four plot how to follow the map and find the treasure.

Despite what sounds like a lot of plot, the story is actually quite straight-forward, and suits the fact that our heroes are all actual children - Kevin is ten. There is a mystery, but not too much mystery, there is peril, but not too much peril, and despite some worrying moments, everything wraps up well, and is not too unbelievable. 

A fun book for older children.

Completed 6 November 2024.



(LibraryThing Prize Books)

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