A Gurgaon with its glitzy malls and modern towers. Nestled deep in its undergrowth is a well-kept secret. What was that secret? Why was it a secret? Where exactly was that secret? Rahul, Varun, Vidur, Vinita, and Anjali are five adventurous thirteen-year-olds staying in Valley View Estate, a gated community among the rocky Aravallis on the Gurgaon Faridabad Road when they suddenly chance upon a tramp who disappears before their very eyes. In an endeavour to solve the mystery of the vanishing tramp, they go exploring among the shrubs of Gurgaon’s no-man’s land to stumble upon one mystery after another. They discover hidden caves, underground tunnels, and a secret brewery churning out poisonous liquor that could kill. Something which had been puzzling the police for a long time. Caught and threatened by the liquor hands they are trapped and in a quandary as they find that the (local) cops themselves are actually partners in crime. How they manage to ingeniously free themselves, evade the thugs, escape and get the authorities to act is what this first mystery of the Valley View Detectives is all about. ABOUT THE AUTHOR If Sreelata Menon were given a choice she would love to go back to being a teen – especially a fun-loving mystery – solving one like the characters she likes creating. Since that can’t happen she writes about them and hopes to relive life through them for her young friends everywhere. Is there a child ever born who is not curious? So, capturing their imagination with adventures like these as well as introducing them to our rich cultural and historical heritage she hopes to, with her words and stories, inspire and tickle their fancy. With more than a dozen books to her credit,