It’s summer vacation, and for the first time ever, Indiana Bamboo is visiting her cousin Boris when it’s not Thanksgiving, Passover, or the Fourth of July. It becomes the most exciting visit of all when Indiana is plunked smack in the middle of a big city mystery. How could Princess Nefertila disappear, but not disappear, from her mummy case at the Metropolitan Museum of Art? Indiana and Boris follow clues all over Manhattan, but just when they’re convinced that something is rotten in mummyland, the police declare case closed. 

Back home, Indiana spots the bad guys at the local museum, but what are they doing in River Creek, and why are they so interested in Prince Freddy, River Creek’s own hometown mummy? There’s no time to lose as the mystery that began in New York City leads Indiana and her friends from an ancient legend and a sacred scarab to a hidden pyramid in the Indiana woods. But can they foil the bad guys’ evil plans for Princess Nefertila and Prince Freddy before it’s too late?

A brisk pace (complete with an adrenaline-pumping chase scene) and focus on ancient Egypt, this middle-grade novel encompasses both fascinating facts and lots of fun. The latter is largely due to the hilarious, endearing narration by Indiana . . . Even as the rising sixth grader aims to solve a major mystery, she’s forced to deal with everything from training bras and middle school anxiety to a potential friendship breakup. This delicate balance between adventure and relatable preteen growing pains makes for a memorable journey with a protagonist that readers will likely find themselves rooting for the whole way.

A buoyant adventure that truly comes to life, thanks to its irresistible protagonist.

- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Original, deftly crafted, and a fun read from cover to cover, "Indiana Bamboo and the Not-Missing Mummy" by Meira Rosenberg will prove an immediate and enduringly popular pick for family, elementary school, middle school, and community library mystery/adventure collections for young readers ages 7-12.

- Midwest Book Review, Children's Bookwatch, July 2026