About the Books

Written for eight to twelve year olds, kids will relate to the main characters as they visit new places with their parents who are travel writers.

Emily has visited over 200 schools where her adventurous novels have been very well received by students, teachers, and parents a like with sales of over 10 thousand copies since the first book was launched in November of 2002.

We are confident that you will find each of the books within the series to be an enjoyable and interesting mystery for the whole family.

About Author Tours

If you would like to schedule Emily to visit your school, please contact her through her email address: emilyburns@RockyMountainMysteries.com

A Brief History of the Rocky Mountains

There is something about the Rocky Mountains that no words can fully describe. The Rockies extend from New Mexico through Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and into Canada. With the sheer peaks also come desert sands, mountain lakes, beautiful wildflowers, and a colorful history.

Researchers continue to find evidence of prehistoric habitation from as far back as 15,000 years ago. The Anasazi people are known for their stone masonry displayed in the cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde National Park near Cortez, Colorado. Next came, the Indian tribes: the Arapahoe, Cheyenne, and Ute, only to name a few. The Spanish would soon join them and bring with them horses and tools, changing their lives.

The prospectors came in the 1860’s, hoping to strike it rich. Some of them were bound for California and for them the Rockies were just an obstacle in their way. Many would later wish that they had stopped in Colorado where gold was discovered in 1858.

One of the places where prospectors hoped to find gold was Oro City. Today, it is a part of Leadville, Colorado. There, the miners would discover that black sand was clogging their boxes making it hard to produce the gold ore. It wasn’t until 1875 when two miners, William Stevens and A.B. Wood, would rework the mines to realize that the black sand had a high amount of silver. From that point on Leadville became one of the richest cities in the state. By 1880, it was the second largest city in Colorado.

With the mining industry came the need for lumber, railroads, and community services. Eventually, the mines would run out or the market would fail. Today, we are left with ghost towns to remind us of the area’s rich history.

The Thompson kids weren’t always detectives. But after many exciting adventures, Tyler, Steve, and Stephanie have become very good at solving mysteries. Their parents are travel writers living in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The kids often stay with friends and family or travel with their parents. They run into mystery and adventure no matter where they are. We invite you to come discover the Rocky Mountains with the Thompson kids.