The Westing Game

Reader reviewed by P.G. Sherrie

Ellen Raskin calls this book a "puzzle-mystery," and she is exactly right. This book captured my twelve-year-old imagination and has kept it for ten more years.  Filled with a variety of unforgettable characters who appear not as charicatures but real people, Raskin writes a book which is potent for all readers, not merely the adolescent.  Winner of the Newberry Medal, The Westing Game propels readers through a murder, a mansion on a hill, a will which is not a will but a game, and characters rich, poor, neglected, immigrated, and deceiving.  This book surpasses all detective and mystery books, because it is not merely a mystery story - it is a masterpiece of integrated plot and real-life characters that address issues such as racism and disfunctional family relationships. 

Reader reviewed by Kyra

The Westing Game is a great mystery book. Samuel Westing has just died, and his 16 heirs have come, without knowing, to his estate, to get wrapped up in a mystery. 

Reader reviewed by taylor

this is a wonderfull mistery book about 16 people who move into sunset towers. when sam westing an inventor who is a millionair dies the 16 residents of sunset tower soon discover they are all heirs. uncle sam leaves his wil which beholds a dangerous thrilling secitive game, called the one and only westing game. he mentions that the game is dangerous but they dont take that into consideration. until a bomber comes, a robber comes, oh yeah and did i mention somone is a murderer?

Reader reviewed by the book muncher

Its kind of strange how sixteen people all moved into the same new building, Sunset Towers, on the same day. And whats even stranger is that all sixteen of then are gathered for the reading of Samuel W. Westings will. It turns out that they will be paired into teams, with eight teams total, and each team receives four clues written on paper. The will is a contest: whoever can figure out the murderer of Samuel Westing will receive all his money.

The different characters each have their own history and desires. It was fun to read each of their stories from their different points of view and to watch the plot unfold. Despite what the back of the cover says, even though the reader has all the clues, only the most clever will be able to figure out the murderer before the story reveals it. I think the plot is ingenious; there are so many twists and turns that I would never expect. Although I believe anyone would enjoy this book, I think that middle schoolers will enjoy it the most, and I highly recommend it.

Reader reviewed by big-brain I ( same person, new name)

GO TURTLE!! WHOOP THERE IT IS, WHOOP THERE IT IS. And yes it certainly is there, yeppers. HAHAHAHAHAHa. Okay, here is the review. The Westing Game is a thrilling mystery with a really unsuspected ending, but i kinda guessed it. 16 lucky people become heirs and have to take part in an awsome game/competition of wits to become THE heir that recieves the money and all that jazz. It keeps the mystery and feeling of the mystery throughout the entire story and is just plain, OOOOOOOOO-mazin'. first they have to decode something using there clues and there $10,000 buckarunies. Yep, that 10 big smackers. Anyway, it turns out that there is a mistake, who you will have to figure out by reading the book. angela, Turtle's sister gets a present blownup in her face and turns out to be something, like a BOMBER!!! It al turns out basically that someone died, but also died again , but also really didn't, wait, my bwain hurts. WAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH. BYE.

Reader reviewed by Raskin iz 4 me

When Barney Northrup lures the Westing hiers in, there is no telling what will happen. The Westing Game is a race to figure out clues from a mysterious will and find out who is the true Westing heir. Who will find it? Will you? This book is a MUST to read if you are looking for a good mystery novel.

Reader reviewed by Brenda

The Westing Game is a brilliant piece of work. All of the characters have their own personality that draws you into them. Ellen Raskin did a great job on the plot of the story. A dead man asking people to play a game trying to figure out who killed him? I just couldn't put the book down once I started. Very intriguing book. Everyone should read this book.

Reader reviewed by bookspider

The best mystery I've ever read.

It begins with sixteen characters, ranging from children to adults, each one unique and terribly interesting. They all live or work at the Sunset Hotel, located by the Westing Property.

Suddenly, Mr. Westing is dead, and those sixteen are swept into a mystery-who killed him? The story contains many twists, such as bombings, a wedding, and a ghost story.

Sam Westing is dead, but that won't stop him from playing one last game.

This is perfection in a book, with the most human-like characters ever, and many wonderful twists in the plot. You'll enjoy it deeply.

Reader reviewed by shopgirl

I recommend readers read this one twice. Why? Because the first time, you're in the dark about what is going to happen. The second time, you can go back and pick out certain red herrings and pointed clues cleverly hidden but still in existence, and obvious enough that if you put them together, you will come up with the solution before the end of the novel.

I learn something new everytime I read this novel. It is genuinely a lot of fun to read. In my opinion, it is quite similar to the board game "Clue" in novel form.

I would recommend this one for all ages, boys and girls, because I think Ellen Raskin created such a friendly, fun, and mysterious novel that everyone who is willing to sit down and read the novel, and pay close attention to details, will enjoy immensely.

Reader reviewed by Bookworm9

What happens when sixteen people are asked to solve one (supposed) murder? In "The Westing Game," sixteen heirs of the eccentric genius Sam Westing are called together and given a task by the dead man himself-- they must work to find the person who took his life. The winner will get the inheritance. The contestants work in pairs to try to solve the mystery, but there are plenty of puzzles and danger a long the way.

This is an ingenious story populated with crazy and lovable characters of all ages. Yes, the plot is complicated, but it's easily understood, and the answer to the puzzle is given by the end. A real classic.