Curse of the Ruins takes place in New Mexico. New Mexico is a hot place with dry canyons. New Mexico is a warm area with large deserts. There are also a lot of people that steal in New Mexico.

     The characters in the story are Katie, Shala, and Sam. They are cousins.  Katie's brother is Sam is also a character. Katie is a smart person, because she knows what a lot of the clues mean. Shala and Sam also have very good ideas. They are all adventurous and exciting kids. 

    The conflict is that they have to find their dad. They get on a plane, and they land in New Mexico, but soon they find out that their dad issn't there, and someone mysteriously steals Katie's bag. In this book, you have to find out where their dad is and who stole Katie's bag and why. There are clues that should help you out to find out who stole the bag and where their dad is while you read this awesome book.

   I recommend this book for people that like mysteries and just people that like to read. I liked this book very much, and I hope you do, too.  So go to your local library, and check out the book Curse of the Ruins by Gary Paulson.  I hope you enjoy the book and hope that you will find out who is the person that stole the bag and where their dad is.  Good luck!