FIVE HIEROGLYPHS

A Chicago teenager runs afoul of a secret organization while touring world landmarks in Person’s debut thriller.

High school student Dante Rivera’s extensive knowledge impresses tour guide and substitute teacher Alison Fine. She invites him on a cruise over the summer—a tour not yet open to the public that will visit each site of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. Dante and Alison begin in Giza, Egypt. As it happens, Dante sees premonitory “pictures” in his head (“They were vivid and did not evaporate, and they presented themselves without any thought on his part, at any time of day, even if he was in midsentence. Sometimes they were troubling, but mostly they were benign. Always, they came true”). One picture is on the bottom of an ancient brick he couldn’t possibly have glimpsed. That’s how he knows it’s stamped with an I, possibly for Ibis, a shadowy group that collects artifacts. Ibis is likely the same organization that’s interested in the statuette that Dante convinces Alison to buy, which another picture identifies as a bona fide treasure. It becomes abundantly clear how determined the mysterious organization is when someone turns up dead. Person loads this tale with mysteries, from Dante seeking information about his long-absent father to the surprisingly helpful hieroglyphs that appear in the sky. Dante and Alison are immersed in a cast of shifty people, so finding an ally or two isn’t easy. These prickly characters give the story welcome energy; tour organizer Monica Deuss constantly criticizes the ongoing cruise, even cutting guest lectures short, and Dante impatiently seeks answers by deliberately provoking the clandestine organization with revealing blog posts. The exposition-heavy final act offers a resolution and a few genuine surprises. This all unfolds against a backdrop of richly detailed histories and descriptions of landmarks in Egypt, Greece, Iraq, and Turkey. Stovka’s black-and-white illustrations are simple and bold, particularly those of the memorable hieroglyphs.

A dense, gripping mystery built on real-world history and enticing characters.