There have been lots of random events in the first few weeks of sixth grade for Oliver and Frankie—with lunchtime thievery, free beef jerky, and Matilda, a mysterious new girl who knows everything about them but has a lot to learn about making friends.

But what if none of these weird events have been random at all? What if a reclusive genius is keeping an eye on them and making sure the tiny pieces of his puzzle fall into place, one by one, until strange, seemingly unconnected incidents snowball totally out of control? Imagine the odds!

First a cardamom shortage takes down the school bully. Then a giant dog leads to some extracurricular spying. Soon Oliver is being followed, and Matilda is hacking the FBI. And by the time they discover a gang of angry clowns and the world’s largest game of Mouse Trap, an insanely brilliant plan has been set in motion that will change their lives forever.…