History's mysteries Curious clues, cold cases, and puzzles from the past

This breezy browsing item collects dozens of natural and historical conundrums and curiosities from the Sphinx (that supercool desert cat) to Atlantis, from the fate of Anastasia Romanov to the mounds of Cahokia and the hidden treasure of Superstition Mountain. Several marvels are of more recent vintage, including the Taos Hum, the mysterious Georgia Guidestones, and the still-not-entirely-deciphered Kryptos sculpture outside the CIA's Virginia headquarters. Along with Jazynka's overviews, bulleted sets of intriguing clues or observations, and current theories offered in explanation, each entry is crowded with bright photos or dramatic graphic images of widely diverse size. An enticing discussion with a working archaeologist on the joy of searching for, and finding, long-lost artifacts caps the gallery of wonders. In some cases, such as the Shugborough Inscription and the Solway Spaceman, the illustrations serve as filler in lieu of actual pictures. Still, fans of the unexplained can dive in anywhere and find proof on almost every page that our world is still rich in mysteries.--Peters, John Copyright 2017 Booklist

This informative book covers a wide variety of historical topics--vanished civilizations, unexplained disappearances, unsolved crimes, and more--all united by the common thread that there's some mystery surrounding each. Subjects are discussed in detail, including background information, theories, and occasional "new evidence." Although a multitude of photographs, illustrations, and text boxes are used, the layout is easy to parse. Ind. (c) Copyright 2018. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.