To many youngsters, ciphers hold endless fascination, and for them, the fact that the solution of the mystery is found in unravelling the ciphers will override the fact that this is a pretty incredible story, leaving lots of loose ends. The setting is a Georgia town; an architect with a mysterious past loses his suitcase containing his plans just as he is going to redeem his reputation; his home is rifled, a crowd of children who set about being detectives are manhandled. But eventually, it is the children who solve the puzzle.