The Westing Game (Puffin Modern Classics) (Paperback)
Staff Reviews
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
When millionaire paper mogul Samuel Westing dies, the eccentric tenants of Sunset Towers are called to a reading of his will. The will puts them into pairs to solve puzzles, and the pair who solves the puzzles will inherit Westing's empire. Turtle, a thirteen year old girl who lives in the building starts seeing other mysteries too. How did the residents of Sunset Towers all know Sam Westing? Why are they put in those particular pairs? Who really was Samuel Westing? This is the perfect book for a kid who likes puzzles or mysteries.
I read this book when I was younger, and I remember sitting there, drawing out connections and solving the mysteries myself on little pieces of paper, along with the story. The characters within The Westing Game are diverse, hilarious, and all quirky in their own little way. This book is also one of those great middle reader novels for reading aloud to younger kids, and adults will enjoy it just as much!
"A supersharp mystery...confoundingly clever, and very funny." —Booklist, starred review
A bizarre chain of events begins when sixteen unlikely people gather for the reading of Samuel W. Westing’s will. And though no one knows why the eccentric, game-loving millionaire has chosen a virtual stranger—and a possible murderer—to inherit his vast fortune, on things for sure: Sam Westing may be dead…but that won’t stop him from playing one last game!
Winner of the Newbery Medal
Winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award
An ALA Notable Book
"Great fun for those who enjoy illusion, word play, or sleight of hand." —The New York Times Book Review
"A fascinating medley of word games, disguises, multiple aliases, and subterfuges—a demanding but rewarding book." —The Horn Book