Danger on the Stage
The Barter Theatre, Martha Washington Inn, Virginia Creeper Trail.
Could the race to solve a mysterious on-stage accident spell curtains for Sam, Derek, and Caitlin? A weekend trip to the historic southwest-Virginia town of Abingdon turns into a behind-the-scenes mystery at the legendary Barter Theatre.
Inside Danger on the Stage.
When Sam, Derek, and Caitlin travel to the southwest Virginia town of Abingdon to see their favorite actor perform at the historic Barter Theatre, they expect an exciting night of entertainment. But when a set piece falls and cancels the show, the kids stumble upon a threatening letter and realize that this was no accident.
As they investigate the incident, they uncover the dramatic history of the Barter Theatre and the secrets in its past. With Caitlin’s Aunt Ginny, the theater director, at the center of the mystery, the kids must follow the clues through hidden passages to unravel the truth. Could Ginny be behind the letter? Or does the answer lie with a suspicious lawyer trying to buy up Abingdon’s historic properties?
In a town brimming with history, from Daniel Boone’s early explorations, the Barter Theatre’s Depression-era founding, and the spooky Martha Washington Inn, Sam, Derek and Caitlin chase down leads in this middle grade mystery that will keep readers guessing until the very end. Can they uncover the truth before the theater’s final act, or will their names be next on the hit list?
Inside these pages
Catch a play at the Barter Theatre.
The Barter Theatre — Virginia’s state theater — has been operating in downtown Abingdon since 1933, making it one of the longest-running professional theaters in America. Catch a show, walk the lobby, and you’re standing in the world of the book.
Stay at the historic Martha Washington Inn across the street and bike a stretch of the Virginia Creeper Trail. The Abingdon area is a hidden gem of Virginia tourism — and a perfect weekend pairing with the book.
Barter Theatre & Abingdon
The real history behind the book
Founded during the Great Depression with a brilliant idea: trade produce for theater tickets (‘with vegetables you cannot use, you can buy a good laugh’). Virginia’s state theater ever since.
Abingdon’s historic district is one of the oldest in southwest Virginia. The Virginia Creeper Trail runs 34 miles from Abingdon to Whitetop Mountain — a rails-to-trails biking and hiking favorite.
Daniel Boone, the legendary frontiersman, blazed his Wilderness Road through this very corner of Virginia in 1775 — opening up Kentucky to American settlement. The book leans into that frontier history.
Free downloadable comprehension quiz, theater-history activities, and a chapter-by-chapter discussion guide for Danger on the Stage.
What readers are saying
“Loved the plot twists and especially the setting in historic Abingdon, VA. Who doesn’t love secret passages?”
— Reader review
“I spent 5 years in Blacksburg and learned more about the history of SWVA from this book than I learned while living in the area. I can’t wait to visit the area myself now!”
— Teacher
“They discover a historical theater, a haunted hotel, and lots of Virginia folklore… one may be enticed to visit the Martha Washington Inn, attend a play at the Barter Theater, or take a bike ride on the Virginia Creeper Trail.”
— Reader review
“Amazing! Couldn’t stop reading! This is my favorite series! Book 11 was my favorite, but all of them were so captivating.”
— LA
All 12 Virginia Mysteries
Using Danger on the Stage in your classroom?
Free comprehension quiz, discussion guide, and One Book, One School program materials available. Plus bulk pricing for classroom sets and signed copies.
Start the adventure.
Available in hardcover, paperback, Kindle, and audiobook everywhere books are sold — or order a signed copy direct from Steven.