Audiobooks by Steven K. Smith

"A billionaire’s rocket. A dangerous truth. Three kids who know too much. When Sam, Derek, and Caitlin witness something they shouldn't at a high-stakes rocket launch at Virginia's Wallops Island Space Center, they stumble into a deadly conspiracy that reaches the highest levels of the space industry. A tech billionaire's hidden agenda, unexplained drone sightings along Virginia's Eastern Shore, and a brilliant engineer's mysterious disappearance all point to one chilling conclusion: someone will do anything to keep their secrets buried. As the young detectives dig deeper—from NASA's historic Langley Research Center to the corridors of power in Washington—they uncover a web of deception that puts their own lives at risk. With help from a determined investigative reporter, they race to expose the truth about the Helios rocket program before it's too late. But powerful forces are watching their every move, and the closer they get to the truth, the more dangerous their pursuit becomes. The twelfth installment in The Virginia Mysteries series, Conspiracy at the Launch sends readers into a heart-pounding adventure where cutting-edge technology meets old-fashioned detective work. Perfect for young readers who love solving mysteries while exploring real places and events in America's space program."

Steven K. Smith (Author), Tom McElroy (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Missing

"What if your favorite video game was much more than a game?Bryce would never have just left. Thirteen-year-old Zach knows that deep in his bones. Something terrible must have happened to his older brother. So when the green-eyed fox leads him to a hidden message from Bryce deep within their favorite game’s virtual universe, Zach knows he must act quickly. Teaming up with his best friend, a skillful classmate, and Bryce’s girlfriend, Zach races into a real-world mission to decode his brother’s mysterious warning. But when a deadly Ranger leaves the computer-generated landscape to come after Zach and his friends, they may run out of lives before finding the truth. Can Zach discover the bridge between the worlds and bring Bryce back before he’s lost forever? The Missing is the first book in the mind-bending Final Kingdom middle grade virtual adventure trilogy. If you like video-game heroes, Fortnite, edge-of-your-seat action, and electrifying mysteries, you’ll love Steven K. Smith’s suspenseful story. Final Kingdom Trilogy The Missing The Recruit The Bridge Also by Steven K. Smith: The Virginia Mysteries Book 1 - Summer of the Woods Book 2 - Mystery on Church Hill Book 3 - Ghosts of Belle Isle Book 4 - Secret of the Staircase Book 5 - Midnight at the Mansion Book 6 - Shadows at Jamestown Book 7 - Spies at Mount Vernon Book 8 - Escape from Monticello Book 9 - Pictures at the Protest Brother Wars Brother Wars Cabin Eleven The Big Apple"

Steven K. Smith (Author), Tristan Wright (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Recruit

"The offer he couldn’t refuse trapped him in a game he may never win…Bryce never meant to disappear. At the start of his senior year of high school, his focus was on getting into college, running track, and spending as much time as possible with his girlfriend, Maggie. But a cryptic invitation to join an elite computer programming unit at one of the world’s top high-tech gaming companies unlocks a level of intrigue and deception far beyond his imagination. Together with fellow recruits Charlie and Rachel, Bryce enters the shadowy realm of billionaire Ji Yao and his company’s secret project to bridge the virtual world. As the toll from late-night coding assignments mounts and other recruits begin disappearing, Bryce realizes too late that he’s made a terrible mistake. Can Bryce and his teammates survive to match wits with their treacherous captors, or will they be lost in the alternate universe of Final Kingdom’s digital world forever? The Recruit is the thrilling second book in the Final Kingdom middle grade virtual adventure series. If you like video-game heroes, edge-of-your-seat action, and electrifying mysteries, you’ll love Steven K. Smith’s gripping story."

Steven K. Smith (Author), Tristan Wright (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Bridge

"The race to return from the virtual world has never been more real.Bryce was so close to getting home. Now he’s back on the run, hiding from Rangers inside Final Kingdom waiting until the bridge reopens. But time is running out. Mysterious glitches tear at the virtual world’s fabric and could leave him permanently stranded. Zach, Andrew, Jess, and Maggie think they’ve located Bryce, but the military has taken over control of the JOSHUA Project from Professor Hendrickson and Tyler, and getting Bryce home may no longer be their top priority. Zach has been weakened by painful health attacks ever since his return from the virtual world. While Q2 has scattered and abandoned the Eden machine, Ji Yao is determined to build something even more powerful from his base in China. When Bryce discovers a secret underground laboratory inside Kingdom, it just might be the connection he needs to get back home to everyone he loves. Can he work with Zach and the others to reopen the bridge in time, or will Yao’s wild ambition to cross dimensions prevent Bryce’s return and jeopardize the world’s cosmic balance? The Bridge is the riveting conclusion in the Final Kingdom trilogy for middle grade readers ages 10+. Buy The Bridge and cross over into this exciting adventure today!"

Steven K. Smith (Author), Tristan Wright (Narrator)

Audiobook

Danger on the Stage

"Could the race to solve a mysterious on-stage accident spell curtains for Sam, Derek, and Caitlin? When the brothers join Caitlin and her parents on a weekend trip to the southwest Virginia town of Abingdon, they can’t wait to watch their favorite actor perform at the historic Barter Theatre. But in the middle of a performance of Red Riding Hood, something goes terribly wrong. When the theater is shut down, the kids must get to the bottom of a sinister plot. What’s the connection to the threatening letters? Was it the ghost of Robert Porterfield, who opened the Barter back in 1933 when he offered shows to local patrons in exchange for produce? Is the Martha Washington Inn, the Civil War–era hotel across the street, really haunted? Do wolves still roam The Virginia Creeper Trail, where Daniel Boone’s hunting party was attacked in 1760? Secrets from the past are hiding just off stage in the shadows. Can the kids uncover the truth before the theater’s final act, or will their names be next on the hit list? Danger on the Stage is the eleventh book in The Virginia Mysteries series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. The story is the perfect complement to social studies units, field trips, and family vacations related to southwest Virginia, early American pioneer Daniel Boone, The Virginia Creeper and Appalachian Trails, theater, trains, forestry, and more. If you enjoy mystery and adventure like the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Magic Tree House, or National Treasure, you’ll love author Steven K. Smith’s exciting middle-grade series. The stories are modern-day fictional mysteries with twists of real locations and events from history. These fast-paced books are popular with both boys and girls ages 7-12, appealing to even reluctant readers!"

Steven K. Smith (Author), Tom Mcelroy (Narrator)

Audiobook

Pirates on the Bay

"In the Golden Age of Piracy, none was more dreaded than Blackbeard. Sam, Derek, and Caitlin head for a week’s vacation at Virginia Beach, where three hundred years ago, pirates sailed the waters off the Atlantic Coast. As the kids explore the beach, they find suspicious activity from the neighboring military base that points to the discovery of a historic shipwreck—maybe even lost pirate treasure! When they meet a mysterious stranger named One-Eyed Jack, they’re captivated by the tale of Edward Teach, better known as the notorious pirate Blackbeard. Legend says he may have left valuable plunder buried in the nearby dunes before his final battle and violent death. Could the treasure still be out there, waiting to be discovered? But as the clues lead them on a perilous trip across the Chesapeake Bay, danger lurks at every turn. Will they find a hidden bounty, or will competing treasure seekers, or even Blackbeard’s ghost, send them to a watery grave at the bottom of the sea? Pirates on the Bay is the tenth book in The Virginia Mysteries series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. The story is the perfect complement to social studies units, field trips, and family vacations related to Virginia Beach, First Landing State Park, Cape Henry Lighthouse, Colonial America, and piracy of the early 1700s. If you enjoy mystery and adventure like the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Magic Tree House, or National Treasure, you’ll love author Steven K. Smith’s exciting middle-grade series. The stories are modern-day fictional mysteries with twists of real locations and events from history. These fast-paced books are popular with both boys and girls ages 7-12, appealing to even reluctant readers!"

Steven K. Smith (Author), Tom Mcelroy (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Virginia Mysteries Collection: Books 7-9

"3 more exciting middle grade mysteries - Box Set #3, Book 7-9. Spies at Mount Vernon - When Sam, Derek, and Caitlin visit Washington, DC, spies are lurking. What starts out as a fun game of pretend on the National Mall turns all too real when they follow a mysterious man to a meeting deep within the Capitol. To keep government secrets from falling into the wrong hands, the kids must work with federal agents and travel to historic Mount Vernon for a state dinner with the president and his son. Dead drops, cyphers and spy chases are all part of what might be their most dangerous adventure ever—if it isn’t their last. Escape from Monticello - Letters in a mysterious journal between two sisters describe a lost collection and a missing treasure. As Sam, Derek, and Caitlin realize the letters were between Thomas Jefferson’s granddaughters, they set out to do what they do best—solve the mystery! When the journal is stolen, the kids are forced to hunt down clues by following Jefferson’s footsteps to The University of Virginia, his mountaintop home of Monticello, and a little-known retreat called Poplar Forest. But this isn’t a typical walk through history. Someone from the kids’ past is lurking in the shadows, bent on revenge and threatening to take much more than just the treasure. Pictures at the Protest - In 1959, the Prince Edward County, Virginia, public schools closed for five years when county leaders refused to desegregate white and Black schools. So when long-hidden photographs surface from the student protests along Main Street in Farmville, Sam, Derek, and Caitlin are on the case to help identify the brave teenagers who stood for justice nearly sixty years ago. But when protests over Confederate monuments and cries for social justice ignite their city, will the kids use their lessons from history to take a stand in the present?"

Steven K. Smith (Author), Tom Mcelroy (Narrator)

Audiobook

Pictures at the Protest

"In 1959, the Prince Edward County, Virginia public schools closed. For five years.Back then, it wasn’t over a health pandemic, but because county leaders refused to desegregate white and Black schools. So when long-hidden photographs surface from the student protests along Main Street in Farmville, Sam, Derek, and Caitlin are on the case to help identify the brave teenagers who stood for justice nearly sixty years ago. Their search winds through Virginia’s checkered racial past of Jim Crow and Massive Resistance, sending them to key sites like the Moton Museum, Evergreen Cemetery, Jackson Ward, and the Virginia State Capitol, and courageous voices like Barbara Johns, Oliver Hill, and Maggie Walker. But when protests over Confederate monuments and cries for social justice ignite their city, will the kids use their lessons from history to take a stand in the present? How far will they go to support new friends while confronting faces from the past? Pictures at the Protest is the ninth book in The Virginia Mysteries series. The books make perfect complements to social studies units, field trips, and family vacations. If you enjoy mystery and adventure like the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Magic Tree House, or National Treasure, you’ll love author Steven K. Smith’s exciting middle-grade series—modern-day fictional mysteries with twists of real locations and events from Virginia history for ages 7-12. "

Steven K. Smith (Author), Tom Mcelroy (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ghosts of Belle Isle

"Ghosts from the Civil War seemed like just a legend until they saw the lights over the water.Brothers Sam and Derek can’t wait to explore historic Belle Isle during the 150th anniversary of the Fall of Richmond and the end of the Civil War. But that’s before they learn how the wooded park along the James River once held Union soldiers in a terrible prisoner-of-war camp. Legend says that the haunting lights over the rapids at night are the ghosts of long-dead soldiers still fighting the Civil War. The discovery of a haunting mural in the island’s crumbling ruins leads the boys and their friend Caitlin into danger. To find the truth, they must brave menacing bullies and an encounter with a Confederate biker gang led by the notorious Mad Dog DeWitt. But some ghosts may be more alive than they ever expected. Join the kids as they face their fears across suspended bridges, secret hideouts, and graveyard ceremonies, while discovering names and places from the our country’s tumultuous past like Abraham Lincoln, Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis, Hollywood Cemetery, and Tredegar Iron Works. Ghosts of Belle Isle is the third book in The Virginia Mysteries series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. If you enjoy mystery and adventure like the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Magic Tree House, or National Treasure, you’ll love author Steven K. Smith’s exciting middle-grade series. The stories are modern-day fictional mysteries with twists of real locations and events from Virginia history. These fast-paced books are popular with both boys and girls ages 7-12, appealing to even reluctant readers!"

Steven K. Smith (Author), Tom Mcelroy (Narrator)

Audiobook

Escape from Monticello

"Who will be the first to find Thomas Jefferson’s missing collection?Letters in a mysterious journal between two sisters describe a lost collection and a missing treasure. As Sam, Derek, and Caitlin realize the letters were between Thomas Jefferson’s granddaughters, they set out to do what they do best—solve the mystery! When the journal is stolen, the kids are forced to hunt down clues by following Jefferson’s footsteps to The University of Virginia, his mountaintop home of Monticello, and a little-known retreat called Poplar Forest. But this isn’t a typical walk through history. Someone from the kids’ past is lurking in the shadows, bent on revenge and threatening to take much more than just the treasure. Escape from Monticello is the eighth book in The Virginia Mysteries series. The story is the perfect complement to social studies units, field trips, and family vacations related to Thomas Jefferson, Monticello, and Jack Jouett. If you enjoy mystery and adventure like the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Magic Tree House, or National Treasure, you’ll love author Steven K. Smith’s exciting middle-grade series. The stories are modern-day fictional mysteries with twists of real locations and events from Virginia history. These fast-paced books are popular with both boys and girls ages 7-12, appealing to even reluctant readers!"

Steven K. Smith (Author), Tom Mcelroy (Narrator)

Audiobook

Spies at Mount Vernon

"Dead drops, cyphers, and invisible ink are all part of a mystery that even spymaster George Washington would love.Sam, Derek, and Caitlin love solving mysteries, and when they visit Washington, DC, spies are lurking. What starts out as a fun game of pretend on the National Mall turns all too real when they follow a mysterious man to a meeting deep within the Capitol. To keep government secrets from falling into the wrong hands, the kids must work with federal agents and travel to historic Mount Vernon for a state dinner with the president and his son. Dead drops, cyphers and spy chases are all part of what might be their most dangerous adventure ever—if it isn’t their last. Spies at Mount Vernon is the seventh book in The Virginia Mysteries series, but it also makes a great standalone read. The story is the perfect complement to social studies units covering George Washington as well as field trips and family vacations to Washington, DC and Mount Vernon. If you enjoy mystery and adventure like the Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, Magic Tree House, or National Treasure, you’ll love author Steven K. Smith’s exciting middle-grade series. The stories are modern-day fictional mysteries with twists of real locations and events from Virginia history. These fast-paced books are popular with both boys and girls ages 7-12, appealing to even reluctant readers!"

Steven K. Smith (Author), Tom Mcelroy (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Virginia Mysteries Collection Books 4-6

"3 exciting middle grade mysteries...Adventures with a twist of history. Magic Tree House meets The Hardy Boys - Box Set #2, Book 4-6. Secret of the Staircase Something's lurking beneath the famous staircase at The Jefferson, Richmond's historic downtown hotel. Back in 1895, when the hotel opened, real alligators roamed free in the courtyard fountains. That was ages ago ... or was it? When young brothers Sam and Derek arrive at The Jefferson for an elegant wedding weekend with their parents, they love exploring the old hotel. But when the wedding rings go missing and Sam is blamed, the boys and their friends must hunt down the truth no matter where it leads. Midnight at the Mansion - Sam, Derek and Caitlin have encountered many mysteries together, but when they visit Maymont, Richmond’s historic estate, danger is lurking at every turn. A chance meeting with a mysterious stranger leads to a frantic chase and a desperate message to save Maymont’s bald eagles. When Sam receives an eerie warning in the middle of the night, Derek and Caitlin devise a plan that leads them high into the Blue Ridge Mountains. Shadows at Jamestown - Four hundred years ago, colonists voyaged across the Atlantic Ocean to discover a new world. Today, an amazing archaeological dig at Historic Jamestown promises to uncover new secrets from those earliest English settlers. Sam, Derek, and Caitlin can’t believe their luck when they are invited by Professor Evanshade to help with the archaeological digs for a week at Jamestown’s Field School. Maybe they’ll uncover something spectacular tracing all the way back to Captain John Smith and Pocahontas! But when one of the priceless artifacts dug from the Jamestown Fort is labeled a fraud, it threatens to upend the entire archaeological project."

Steven K. Smith (Author), Tom Mcelroy (Narrator)

Audiobook