Geocaching in Novels

[Danielc]

Hi all,

Today, for the first time, I came across geocaching as an incident in a novel. It is in the murder mystery novel by Stephen Booth called 'The Dead Place'.

Two detectives climbed up onto a limestone outcrop as part of an investigation into a murder and came across a container containing what one describes as "junk". I found the author's description of the police trying to make sense of it in the light of their investigation quite amusing.

Has anyone else come across geocaching as part of a work of fiction, and if so, what book was it, and is it worth searching for. I wouldn't mind adding such a search as another aspect of my geocaching experience.

Cheers,

Dan

[+TheAlabamaRambler]

Serial Finder (aka IceCreamMan) wrote the best I've read so far, a 14-part novella originally published in Today's Cacher Magazine and republished in The Online Geocacher.

 

Read it (and other cool caching stories!) here.

[+geodarts]

I have not read the book, but somewhere I became aware of the novel Abomination by Colleen Coble. It pertains to a serial killer who uses geocaching:

 

"Michigan State Police Captain Nikos "Nick" Andreakos is searching for a serial killer. A killer who targets young blonde women who have, to the killer's way of seeing things, committed a sin. Nick has learned that the killer calls himself Gideon, and that he posts clues to his latest victims on a geocaching website.

 

Nick is stunned to realize that his soon-to-be-ex wife has been targeted by Gideon. He fears the worst when he finds his wife's home in disarray, and both she and their toddler missing. Horrified, Nick begins a desperate search to find her before the serial killer posts his next victim on the geocaching site."

Edited April 23, 2010 by Erickson

[+geodarts]

Then my less than exhaustive search of this topic quickly turned up Geocache by Erroll Bader. Another one I have not read.

 

"A pilot flying solo across the Austrian Alps intentionally flies his high tech aircraft into a cloud filled canyon. A computer specialist leaves his snow bound car to walk further into the Black Forest in a driving snow storm. They have an appointment they dare not miss. A constellation of satellites circling the earth is guiding them to ground zero. But why? Across the globe in a Denver office tower five of the wealthiest men on earth are meeting to plan a world class geocache event. Their exclusive treasure hunt will turn deadly in an instant."

 

The first part of the description makes it sound like a bunch of crazed FTF'ers. Always good for a novel or two. The last part sounds like people planning to use geocaching for world domination. Somehow, it always comes down to that.

Edited April 23, 2010 by Erickson

[+FamilyDNA]

The Boxcar Children series has a book featuring geocaching.

[lowracers_baby]

My dad wrote a geocaching murder mystery novel in 2004 and just published it last week. First to Find. It's on Amazon.

 

The long-awaited first novel from Mark Gessner. Austin Geocachers turn amateur detective when they discover clues in the field and set out to solve a murder spree. But not before the killer joins their game...

 

The novel has a facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/First-to-Fin...59961775?ref=ts

 

Edited June 14, 2010 by lowracers_baby

[+sea_dragon]

Dead Beat by Jim Butcher has a bit where a crook hides a book with the only clue being a set of numbers. Naturaly, nobody knows what they mean until towards the end...

[lowracers_baby]

I can't tell if this is a caching novel or a caching vacation. There seems to be a combination of both:

 

http://www.captaincooked.com/about-the-quest.html

[lowracers_baby]

Hide & Seek by Katy Grant. Haven't seen a link to it anywhere, just saw a blog posting about it... "Hide & Seek by Katy Grant. The cool thing about this book is that it's a mystery about geocaching"

 

http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot....ou-reading.html

Edited June 22, 2010 by lowracers_baby

[+geodarts]

L.C. Hayden's book, Why Casey Had to Die is described as:

 

"An Agatha Award Finalist for Best Novel. Retired Detective Harry Bronson thought he had solved his first case, but now twenty years later, new evidence surfaces and Bronson is forced to start a journey filled with terror-one that places not only him in mortal danger, but also his beloved wife, Carol. Bronson, in order to save Carol, must race against time to solve a series of geocache puzzles. If he fails, Carol dies. But before he can do this, he must figure out Why Casey Had to Die.."

 

Then there is the Book of Lies, which is said to be the first novel to be accompanied by geocaches (through the Masonic Geocaching Society).

Edited June 22, 2010 by mulvaney

[Dinoprophet]

I read Cache of Corpses by Henry Kisor a few years ago. It's the second in a series of mystery novels (this is the only geocaching related one). I read it without reading the first. It was very good but I felt the premise for including caching was kind of a stretch. Other than that, great Michigan Upper Peninsula local color, cool characters, and moments both heart- and gut-wrenching. And a very good representation of the caching culture.

 

I eagerly await for the first non-murder related caching story. There are other genres out there. Maybe I'll write it myself...

Edited June 22, 2010 by Dinoprophet

[lowracers_baby]

North of Beautiful, by Justina Chen Headley:

 

http://www.amazon.com/North-Beautiful-Just...2118&sr=1-1

 

Has some geocaching content according to the review.

[+MSalisbury]

Read the Bible, specifically the book of Genesis - there's a great story about the Jews and their 40-yr long search for a multi-cache called "The Promised Land", a multi-cache starting in Egypt, with a waypoint at Mt Sinai and ending at the River Jordan. A real Diff 5/ Terr 5 cache. It even has the first TB in the form of the Ark of the Covenant (or would that be a "Traveling Cache" containing the TB "10 Commandments Tablets"? )

 

(sorry)

[+Mother Wolf]

I read Cache of Corpses by Henry Kisor a few years ago. It's the second in a series of mystery novels (this is the only geocaching related one). I read it without reading the first. It was very good but I felt the premise for including caching was kind of a stretch. Other than that, great Michigan Upper Peninsula local color, cool characters, and moments both heart- and gut-wrenching. And a very good representation of the caching culture.

 

I eagerly await for the first non-murder related caching story. There are other genres out there. Maybe I'll write it myself...

 

I also read this book last fall. The owner made it a TB which was kinda cool as well. Something different & a fun read.

[+GeoGeeBee]

Read the Bible, specifically the book of Genesis - there's a great story about the Jews and their 40-yr long search for a multi-cache called "The Promised Land", a multi-cache starting in Egypt, with a waypoint at Mt Sinai and ending at the River Jordan. A real Diff 5/ Terr 5 cache. It even has the first TB in the form of the Ark of the Covenant (or would that be a "Traveling Cache" containing the TB "10 Commandments Tablets"? )

 

(sorry)

 

I proposed to my wife in a Geocache. Our pastor was fascinated by this, and mentioned it in his remarks during the wedding ceremony. He also quoted the scripture "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field..."

[lowracers_baby]

My dad wrote a geocaching murder mystery novel in 2004 and just published it last week. First to Find.

 

The long-awaited first novel from Mark Gessner. Austin Geocachers turn amateur detective when they discover clues in the field and set out to solve a murder spree. But not before the killer joins their game...

 

Just FYI, this is now available in paperback:

http://www.lulu.com/product/paperback/first-to-find/11478860

 

...and Hardback:

http://www.lulu.com/product/hardcover/first-to-find/11485602

[sabrefan7]

Im currently reading "COBB" About the Georgia Peach even though its "GEO" there aint no gps in it

[+parmstro]

I have written a thriller based round geocaching - it's called Cell-out, and you can find it on lulu.com (where I published it) and on Amazon in normal and e-book.

The caches in the book exist and you can solve the puzzles and "follow the trail".

Details also available on my puzzle-solving website - parmstro.weebly.com.

[crimsonspirit]

The Heist is centered around geocaching: http://www.amazon.com/The-Heist-ebook/dp/B00BBZXMFI/

[Mmogel]

Hide & Seek by Katy Grant. Haven't seen a link to it anywhere, just saw a blog posting about it... "Hide & Seek by Katy Grant. The cool thing about this book is that it's a mystery about geocaching"

 

http://greatbooksforkidsandteens.blogspot....ou-reading.html

 

This book was the first I heard of Geocaching. It's a great sport, but not that many people know what it is.

[+Sagefox]

Cached Out by Russell Atkinson - A Cliff Knowles Mystery.

 

Apparently self published. My daughter bought it for me so she must have Googled for it. I enjoyed reading this book. I will be looking for the other Cliff Knowles books soon.

 

First to Find by Morgan C. Talbot. I read about it in another forum topic and got it from Amazon for Kindle.

 

This was a fun read although somewhat unrealistic in many respects, especially in the stature of geocaching among the muggle community, the importance of FTFs and I never knew anyone who cared that much about a missing microcache. The characters were likeable and the story moved right along.

[+mikemtn]

Cached Out by Russell Atkinson - A Cliff Knowles Mystery.

 

Apparently self published. My daughter bought it for me so she must have Googled for it. I enjoyed reading this book. I will be looking for the other Cliff Knowles books soon.

 

First to Find by Morgan C. Talbot. I read about it in another forum topic and got it from Amazon for Kindle.

 

This was a fun read although somewhat unrealistic in many respects, especially in the stature of geocaching among the muggle community, the importance of FTFs and I never knew anyone who cared that much about a missing microcache. The characters were likeable and the story moved right along.

Held for Ransom by Russell Atkinson http://www.amazon.com/Ransom-Cliff-Knowles-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B005WCUSOY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382464795&sr=8-2&keywords=Russell+Atkinson

 

Fatal Dose by Russell Atkinson http://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Cliff-Knowles-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00F70SZXW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1382464795&sr=8-3&keywords=Russell+Atkinson

 

Neither of which are Geocaching novels.

[+mikemtn]

Has the insert link button quit working or is it just me? It and the insert email button both have a little green thingy on them.

[+The Rat]

Cached Out by Russell Atkinson - A Cliff Knowles Mystery.

Apparently self published. My daughter bought it for me so she must have Googled for it. I enjoyed reading this book. I will be looking for the other Cliff Knowles books soon.

Held for Ransom by Russell Atkinson http://www.amazon.com/Ransom-Cliff-Knowles-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B005WCUSOY/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1382464795&sr=8-2&keywords=Russell+Atkinson

 

Fatal Dose by Russell Atkinson http://www.amazon.com/Fatal-Cliff-Knowles-Mysteries-ebook/dp/B00F70SZXW/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1382464795&sr=8-3&keywords=Russell+Atkinson

 

Neither of which are Geocaching novels.

Held for Ransom takes place in the 1990s before geocaching existed. Fatal Dose is not a geocaching novel, but the main character, Cliff Knowles, is still a geocacher. It has a good geocaching scene in it with a few other references to geocaching.

[+hidegoseek]

I just finished reading Like a House on Fire: A Sam Turner Real Estate Mystery. It’s not exactly about geocaching, but I have found a geocache where Sam Turner found a dead body while geocaching!

[+mom2sage]

I recently read Cached Out (loved it! Hi The Rat!), and am almost done with another geocaching murder mystery. While hiking yesterday, I had to go off the main trail onto a side trail and started thinking about what might happen to me and how long it might be before I was found...made it back safely, phew!

Might be time to start reading fluffy novels instead

 

(edit for typo)

Edited October 28, 2013 by mom2sage

[+The Rat]

I recently read Cached Out (loved it! Hi The Rat!), and am almost done with another geocaching murder mystery. While hiking yesterday, I had to go off the main trail onto a side trail and started thinking about what might happen to me and how long it might be before I was found...made it back safely, phew!

Might be time to start reading fluffy novels instead

 

(edit for typo)

Hi, mom2sage. We're all glad you made it back safely. Thanks for the kind words on the book. Happy holidays.

[team tisri]

Hi all,

Today, for the first time, I came across geocaching as an incident in a novel. It is in the murder mystery novel by Stephen Booth called 'The Dead Place'.

Two detectives climbed up onto a limestone outcrop as part of an investigation into a murder and came across a container containing what one describes as "junk". I found the author's description of the police trying to make sense of it in the light of their investigation quite amusing.

Has anyone else come across geocaching as part of a work of fiction, and if so, what book was it, and is it worth searching for. I wouldn't mind adding such a search as another aspect of my geocaching experience.

Cheers,

Dan

 

This is a short story that features geocaching, including a few mentions of real caches. The author is himself a geocacher.

 

I'm not the author, I read it and enjoyed it. It's 99 cents on Kindle so even if you don't like it you're only down a dollar.

 

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005QBVWQE

[+The Rat]

There's another one out that uses geocaching. It's not a geocaching book but it has some key scenes involving geocaching.

Well Oiled by Rubin Johnson. The author is a geocacher in southern California.

[+rysten]

I went looking for novels that included geocaching in them just to see if mine showed up. It did not, but it is very recent. I have read a few of the novels mentioned in this thread. Most of them were very detailed and some of them were quite gory. When my friends asked me to write a geocaching novel I wasn't sure how to go about doing it. I know I am not very detailed oriented and my writing doesn't lend itself to anything really scary. I started a simple geocaching adventure and it became hard to stop. I guess technically the book would be a light romance, but really it is just two college age kids in a geocaching contest who run into more adventures than they bargained for. If you like a light, funny read then look up Geogirl.

[+qtbluemoon]

If you like a light, funny read then look up Geogirl.

I keep finding sites on makeup when I look up Geogirl.

[+Timberline Echoes]

If you are interested in a fun interactive book about Geocaching for kids check out our book. http://tinyurl.com/kwbtq39 "We're Gonna Find A Geocache".

Timberline Echoes of Wisconsin

[+rysten]

If you like a light, funny read then look up Geogirl.

I keep finding sites on makeup when I look up Geogirl.

 

Look up "Kelly Rysten Geogirl". Actually, I expected people to find the Travel Bugs' CD if they did a search for Geogirl because there is a song on it by that name. If you haven't heard of the Travel Bugs look them up too. It's a CD full of geocaching songs.

[+The Rat]

Death Row, the latest installment in the Cliff Knowles Mysteries, is now available for pre-order from Amazon in Kindle format or in paperback from the author. The Amazon page quotes the foreword: "My second novel, Cached Out, was such an unexpected success that I was unprepared for all the requests I received to continue the story. I already had another story in mind, which I completed with Fatal Dose, but this did not satisfy all my fans of Cached Out. Now my fourth Cliff Knowles novel, Death Row, should serve to do so. Be warned: this book is a spoiler for Cached Out, which is a true whodunit. If you read far into this book, you'll ruin the mystery of that one, so I strongly recommend you begin with Cached Out."

[+NYPaddleCacher]

Death Row, the latest installment in the Cliff Knowles Mysteries, is now available for pre-order from Amazon in Kindle format or in paperback from the author. The Amazon page quotes the foreword: "My second novel, Cached Out, was such an unexpected success that I was unprepared for all the requests I received to continue the story. I already had another story in mind, which I completed with Fatal Dose, but this did not satisfy all my fans of Cached Out. Now my fourth Cliff Knowles novel, Death Row, should serve to do so. Be warned: this book is a spoiler for Cached Out, which is a true whodunit. If you read far into this book, you'll ruin the mystery of that one, so I strongly recommend you begin with Cached Out."

 

Thanks. I'll be adding it to my reading queue.

 

I just finished a cyberwar thriller where geocaching played a small role in the book. After basically all communication, electricity and other services were shutdown after a massive cyber attack, the main character used a geocaching application to hide "caches" of food around the city under the snow.

[+fuzziebear3]

Excellent! Next book for kindle picked out for me!!

 

(No spoilers for me, I am all up to date on your books)

[+The Rat]

The list has grown huge in recent years, no doubt due to the increasing popularity of geocaching. Here is a list I've compiled, probably incomplete, of novels that contain geocaching. For some it is a major plot element, but for others it is less so. It's sorted in alphabetical order by title. It's Christmastime and people may be shopping for a gift for a geocacher right about now.

 

Abomination by Colleen Coble

Ben and the Geocache Treasure by Heather Gregory

Cache a Predator by Michelle Weidenbenner

Cached Out by Russell Atkinson

Caching In by Deb Jacobson

Caching In by Tracy Kimmer

Cell-out by Peter Armstrong

Code: A Virals Novel by Kathy and Brendan Reichs

Coordinates for Murder by Darren Kirby

Death Row by Russell Atkinson

Death Will Attend by Morgan C Talbot

Fatal Dose by Russell Atkinson

First to Find by Mark Gessner

First to Find by Morgan C Talbot

Geocache by Errol Bader

Geocache Surprise by Jake Maddox

HIDDEN AWAY by Phyllis J. Perry

Hide and Seek by Katy Grant

Nine Feet Under by Morgan C Talbot

Rainbow's End by Valerie Comer et al.

Serial Finder by David Klug (icecreamman)

Spiral by Paul McKuen

The Book of Lies by Brad Meltzer

The Box That Watch Found by Gertrude Walker Chandler

The Geocache Killer by Julian Flood

The Gorry Brothers: First Leap by Eve McGuire

Unspeakable by Laura Griffin

Wake Unto Me by Lisa Cach

Waypoint Alaska by Shauna Shober

Waypoint: Cache Quest Oregon by Shauna Shober

Why Casey Had to Die by L.C. Hayden

[+WarNinjas]

Death Row, the latest installment in the Cliff Knowles Mysteries, is now available for pre-order from Amazon in Kindle format or in paperback from the author. The Amazon page quotes the foreword: "My second novel, Cached Out, was such an unexpected success that I was unprepared for all the requests I received to continue the story. I already had another story in mind, which I completed with Fatal Dose, but this did not satisfy all my fans of Cached Out. Now my fourth Cliff Knowles novel, Death Row, should serve to do so. Be warned: this book is a spoiler for Cached Out, which is a true whodunit. If you read far into this book, you'll ruin the mystery of that one, so I strongly recommend you begin with Cached Out."

I have not read a book in years but if/when I do it will be one of yours!

[Mr.Yuck]

Death Row, the latest installment in the Cliff Knowles Mysteries, is now available for pre-order from Amazon in Kindle format or in paperback from the author. The Amazon page quotes the foreword: "My second novel, Cached Out, was such an unexpected success that I was unprepared for all the requests I received to continue the story. I already had another story in mind, which I completed with Fatal Dose, but this did not satisfy all my fans of Cached Out. Now my fourth Cliff Knowles novel, Death Row, should serve to do so. Be warned: this book is a spoiler for Cached Out, which is a true whodunit. If you read far into this book, you'll ruin the mystery of that one, so I strongly recommend you begin with Cached Out."

I have not read a book in years but if/when I do it will be one of yours!

 

Here ya' go, Rat. Just started showing up on my RSS feed of Geocaching in the news, with a review in the Wall Street Journal. Of course you have to pay to see that review, but I was able to find other recent reviews, and it's Amazon.com listing. "Five" by Ursala Archer. A German author, and the book is set in Austria.

Edited December 6, 2014 by Mr.Yuck

[+PlantAKiss]

The Boxcar Children series has a book featuring geocaching.

Posted Image

 

Awwww! The cover depicts a wire-haired fox terrier (although Wikipedia says "Watch" was an Airdale...???)! My geodog was a wire! So very cool to see a book about caching with a wire on the cover. I miss my geodog so much...

 

But that is an interesting list of books. As popular as Geocaching is said to be, I never meet anyone who has ever heard of it. I wonder how many people who read these books learned about caching for the first time and tried it.

[+The Rat]

I wonder how many people who read these books learned about caching for the first time and tried it.

I think your question pertains to the Boxcar Children series, but I know of several geocachers who first learned about geocaching from novels. I learned about it from a newspaper article in 2002. I've gotten some fan mail from people who said they learned about it from one of my books. There's even someone who posted a review on Amazon of Cached Out who wrote, "I'm a novice to Geocaching and was astounded as to the interest the book created in this pastime. Great explanations of how to participate." I have no idea who the person is and I'm not so sure about how accurate his or her perceptions are. I don't claim to be responsible for its popularity, but I do know of some people who did learn of geocaching through my books and subsequently tried it.

[+fuzziebear3]

I've read each of the Cliff Knowles mysteries, and have enjoyed them very much! Thanks Russ!!

 

I am rather inspired by the puzzles in Cached Out, and the others as well, I kept thinking I wanted to make puzzle caches based on them.

[+The Rat]

I just read another book featuring geocaching: Cyberbully Blues by Rubin Johnson. It's really a coming of age story set in the future and geocaching only achieves passing mention, but I know from correspondence that the author is a geocacher.

[+KatnissRue]

Wrong thread.

Edited June 15, 2015 by KaRue

[+The Rat]

The fifth Cliff Knowles Mystery, Gut Shot, is out. It's free in serialized form starting here: GUT SHOT, Episode 1. I've also lowered the Amazon price on some of the other Cliff Knowles Mysteries. In Gut Shot, Cliff and Ellen are still geocaching, but geocaching doesn't play a big part in the story the way it does in Cached Out or Death Row.

 

[+AnemoneV]

I didn't see these young adult mystery/adventure books listed, both by Erin Dionne:

 

Moxie and the Art of Rule Breaking: http://www.amazon.com/Moxie-Art-Rule-Breaking-Mystery/dp/1469287587

The main character's best friend Ollie is into geocaching. Geocaching is not central to most of the story... or is it?

 

Ollie and the Science of Treasure-Hunting http://www.amazon.com/Ollie-Science-Treasure-Hunting-Mystery/dp/0803738722/

Focuses on Moxie's friend Ollie and his love of geocaching. (I haven't read this one yet.)

 

I was hoping to place one of these books in a geocache someday. Seems like a fun way to get them in the hands of the perfect readers!

[+The Rat]

Cached Out the most popular of the Cliff Knowles Mysteries is free today only in Kindle form.

 

[+The Rat]

Behead Me, Cliff Knowles Mystery #6, is here and it's heavy on the geocaching!

 

[+Mike in FN20hc]

Murder on Wheels (A Tourist Trap Mystery) by Lynn Cahoon

 

 

The protagonist's BF drags her along to a caching event and she connects with a local group, Body of a member turns up.

[+Geo-Jeddak]

Here in the Netherlands we have at least 2 Geocaching novels that I know of.

 

For adults, there is D3Zusjes by Ina Ennser, based on the multicache Het Mysterie van de Drie Zusjes (the mystery of the 3 sisters)

 

 

For children, there is Jacht (Hunt) by Simone Foekens

 

Edited March 30, 2016 by Geo-Jeddak