The Recommended Reading Order
For the best reading experience, you should read the Swindle Mysteries in publication order. Because the books follow a consistent timeline in the fictional town of Cedarville, New York, reading them in sequence allows you to see the growth of the characters, watch relationships evolve, and trace how a former antagonist's dog becomes a central member of the gang.
- Swindle (2008)
- Zoobreak (2009)
- Framed! (2010)
- Showoff (2012)
- Hideout (2013)
- Jackpot (2014)
- Unleashed (2015)
- Jingle (2016)
The Swindle Mysteries: Book by Book
1. Swindle (2008)
The adventure begins when Sixth-grader Griffin Bing, 'The Man with the Plan,' and his best friend, Ben Slovak, discover a rare 1920 Babe Ruth baseball card in an abandoned house. After a dishonest local collector named S. Wendell Palomino (dubbed 'Swindle') cons them into selling it for a measly $120, Griffin assembles a specialized team of classmates. Together, they execute a heist to steal the million-dollar card back and restore justice.
2. Zoobreak (2009)
When Savannah Drysdale's beloved pet monkey, Cleo, is stolen and ends up at a shady floating zoo, the owner, Mr. Nastase, refuses to return her. Griffin and his crew step up to orchestrate a daring animal breakout. As they rescue Cleo, they must also deal with the logistics of hiding an entire zoo's worth of exotic animals from the authorities.
3. Framed! (2010)
A valuable Super Bowl ring is stolen from the Cedarville Middle School trophy case, and the thief leaves Griffin's lost retainer at the crime scene. Framed by his long-time nemesis, Principal Egan, Griffin is sent to an alternative school for juvenile delinquents. Ben and the rest of the gang must pull off a reverse-heist to uncover the real culprit and clear Griffin's name.
4. Showoff (2012)
Luthor, a giant Doberman pinscher formerly owned by the swindler Palomino, has been adopted by Savannah. However, after Luthor is blamed for causing chaos at a mall dog show and injuring a champion beagle, he is sent to the pound. Griffin plans a rescue mission and decides to enter Luthor into the Global Kennel Society Dog Competition in New York City to clear the dog's reputation.
5. Hideout (2013)
S. Wendell Palomino returns with a vengeance, stealing the adoption papers that prove Savannah legally owns Luthor. To keep the dog away from Swindle, Griffin and his team take Luthor on the run. They hide him across various summer camps, dodging search parties and trying to find the paperwork that will secure Luthor's safety once and for all.
6. Jackpot (2014)
Cedarville is thrown into a frenzy when a $30 million lottery ticket goes missing. Griffin attempts a scheme to fool his rival, Darren Vader, but the plan goes awry, involving the entire town and alienating his closest friends. Griffin must find the real ticket, outsmart a new rival named Victor Phoenix, and win back the trust of his crew.
7. Unleashed (2015)
Griffin and Darren Vader find themselves competing at the school invention fair. But when Melissa's promising new invention—a device designed to keep Luthor from chasing trucks—is stolen, the team must set aside their internal bickering. They launch an investigation to retrieve the stolen tech and salvage their place in the competition.
8. Jingle (2016)
In the final installment of the series, the gang is forced to volunteer as Christmas elves at the Cedarville holiday festival. When a priceless historical ornament called the 'Star of Prague' is stolen from the display, the blame immediately falls on Griffin's crew. The kids have to slip away from their holiday duties to catch the real thief and save Christmas.
What to Know Before You Start
Gordon Korman designed the Swindle Mysteries to feel like Ocean's Eleven for middle-schoolers. The core of the series lies in its clever character dynamics. Griffin Bing is the mastermind who coordinates the operations, but he is entirely dependent on his friends' specialized talents: Ben Slovak is the stealthy climber (who struggles with narcolepsy in the books), Savannah Drysdale is the passionate animal whisperer, Pitch Geller is the athletic climber, Logan Kellerman is the dramatic actor, and Melissa Carson is the tech genius.
While each book operates as a self-contained adventure, there is a persistent character arc and continuity. For example, Luthor the Doberman starts as a dangerous guard dog in the first book but evolves into a beloved member of the team and the central plot point of multiple sequels.
The Nickelodeon Movie Adaptation Differences
In 2013, Nickelodeon released a television movie adaptation of Swindle starring Noah Crawford, Jennette McCurdy, and Ariana Grande. If you are coming to the books from the movie, keep in mind there are several differences. In the movie, the Babe Ruth baseball card is changed to a Honus Wagner card. Additionally, Griffin's best friend is named Ben Dupree rather than Ben Slovak, and the villain S. Wendell Palomino is renamed Paul Swindell. The book series offers a much deeper look into the characters' skills and relationships than the film adaptation.
Practical Reading Guidance
Can the books be read standalone? Yes, the main mystery of each book is fully resolved by the final page. However, because of the recurring cast, references to past capers, and shifting friendships, starting with the original Swindle and progressing in publication order is highly recommended. If you enjoy the heist-style teamwork and quick-witted humor of the Swindle Mysteries, you might also enjoy Gordon Korman's other collaborative work, The 39 Clues, or his standalone school comedies like Schooled.