Books About Secrets

There have been many books written about secrets. A couple of nights ago, while watching Expedition Unknown with Josh Gates, I learned about one I had not heard of before, even though it was published in 1982.

The Secret by Byron Preiss is a treasure hunt book. Not just one treasure hunt, but twelve, each with an image of immigrants who came to the United States. Each image has an accompanying twelve line verse containing the clues to find the treasure. The image is also linked to a particular month and contains the flower and the birthstone (which is the prize) associated with that month.

In Tuesday's Expedition Unknown episode, Josh visited the locations where the only two treasures have so far been found, Cleveland and Chicago, and the people who found them.
Only two found in thirty-five years! That means there are still ten treasures out there. Other likely locations were mentioned on the show. There is also a website, thesecret.pbworks which lists all the images from the book along with where they might refer to and why.

This treasure hunt book reminded me of another one which might explain why I had never heard of The Secret.

In 1979 Masquerade, written and illustrated by British Artist Kit Williams, had been published. It, too, promised a treasure for the first person who could follow the clues and find it. The treasure was a jewel-encrusted, golden hare.

Williams hid his clues in riddle filled text and in his artwork which was gorgeous. Williams clues, along with all his red herrings, were difficult to solve. I, along with thousands of others, was still trying three years later when The Secret was published. Maybe that is why I don't remember it.

Josh's show reminded me of Masquerade, and though I couldn't think of the title, I did remember the author. I'm sure I had a copy of the book. I wonder if my children remember it?