Mystery, friendship, and a grand adventure. Twelve-year-old Melanie is bored with her little sister and with yet another Mardi Gras in her hometown. But when she notices a secret code built into the floats of a Mardi Gras parade, she realizes that life might have some surprises left. Melanie and her friends set off to break the Mardi Gras code. They chase clues throughout the season's parades, sneak into forbidden float barns, and even join forces with the intriguing boy who lives down the street. But when they uncover the final clue, Melanie must decide how much she's willing to risk to learn the secret of the Mardi Gras code. And she may find that the solution to the riddle isn't the biggest reward of the chase... The Mardi Gras Chase is the first of the True Girls series from Maggie M. Larche. If you like stories of girls with heart and intelligence, plus a touch of romance, you’ll love The Mardi Gras Chase! Try this fast, fun read today! "Exceptionally well written and thoroughly entertaining for young readers ages 8 to 12, "The Mardi Gras Chase" is very highly recommended for school and community library collections." ~ Midwest Book Review "In The Mardi Gras Chase, Melanie, Kate and Faye are attending one of the many Mardi Gras parades in Mobile, Alabama. Melanie is bored and can't see whatall of the hoopla is about. As she is contemplating whether or not to stay, something catches her attention -- the signs that precede each float have an upside down letter. Why? The Mardi Gras Chase is ideal for a preteen because Larche gets the reader immediately involved in the story. It is not only a great book, but a great way for the reader to process thoughts, create solutions, and complete the puzzles." ~Readers' Favorite, 5 Stars Third place winner in the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators 2015 Southern Breeze Writing Contest Additional Praise for Maggie M. Larche "Absolutely riveting chapter mysteries... Once again Larche proves that readers are up to solving mysteries in a fun and rollicking series that has some heart and group ethics at its core." ~ Midwest Book Review "An interesting and well-thought-out twist on the usual kid detective tales." ~SocialStudiesforKids.com "Any child will come away not only being entertained, but will learn how to solve challenges that they encounter." ~ Readers Favorite Maggie M. Larche loves to sing, read, and swing right alongside her kids. All of her stories feature courageous, smart, funny kids, because that's who her readers are! She is the author of the award-winning Striker Jones series, a groundbreaking approach to teach economics to children through mystery stories. She lives on the beautiful Gulf Coast with her family. Sign up for her mailing list at www.maggiemlarche.com and get a free download of one of her newest books!