9780545196925

Summary

A roaring, supernatural adventure that spans New York, and the globe! After their parents' plane goes down over the ocean, Leo and his brother Hollis are forced into the custody of their rich and enigmatic uncle Crane, a dealer of rare and probably illicit antiques. But almost as soon as he's settled--or as close to settled as he can get in the bleak Brooklyn mansion, surrounded by his uncle's dubious staff--Leo receives a mysterious package his father put together long ago, to be opened on his 13th birthday. With the package, Leo discovers he has an amazing ability. He can hear the history of any object by touching it. But when Leo finds a strange helmet buried among his uncle's artifacts, and hears a pained cry coming from it, a mystery unravels as to its origin.

Author Biography

LIN OLIVER is the co-author (with Henry Winkler) of the New York Times Best-Selling middle grade series, HANK ZIPZER: WORLD’S BEST UNDERACHIEVER and WHO SHRUNK DANIEL FUNK? Lin resides in Los Angeles, CA. THEO BAKER works for an independent record label where he spends his days pouring over obscure discographies and listening to countless records, all in the service of tracking down rare and forgotten music. Formerly a deejay and composer, he is currently continuing his studies at the New School in New York City.

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Excerpts

From Sound Bender

We were in front of a dilapidated one-story factory building. On its roof was a giant sign with a picture of a half-eaten salami that said "Finkelstein Family Salami Factory, Established 1931."

I was so busy staring at the place, thinking about all the disgusting things that must be going on in there, that I didn't notice our car had made a U-turn and pulled up in front of a filthy brick building that took up the rest of the block. It stretched seven stories into the sky with hundreds of windows that were so grimy they looked totally black. The only color at all came from a flock of ratty white seagulls perched in the crevices of the brick.Stump turned off the ignition and popped open the trunk.

Hollis glared at me. "Leo, you said . . ."

The rest of his sentence was drowned out by my own thoughts. Please, don't let this be the place. Please make this all go away. Please, Mom and Dad, come get us.

Now! Hurry! Please . . .

My mind was screaming but my face was still. The only movement I allowed myself was a sideways glance at the building. Painted in inconspicuous silver letters were the words, "Crane's Mysteries."

Crane. Uncle Crane. Oh no.

Stump got out and held the door open. "Out with you, kiddo. And get the little guy. The boss don't like to wait."

I took a deep breath. The smell of salami was everywhere. I held my hand out for Hollis and pulled him from the back of the limo.

"Come on, chief," I said to him, trying to sound reassuring. "We can do this."

This was it.

This was home.