4 Stars

Sixteen unlikely people are gathered and called the heirs of the elusive and eccentric Samuel W. Westing. However, they have to play a game of clues, questions, suspicions and lies to win the challenge and inherit the millions. Sam Westing will make sure he has the last word. 

The story comes in the third-person POV. 

Well, how can I resist a book with a mystery? My copy (printed 25 years after the first) has an editor’s note talking about her connection with the author. In this, she said the author didn’t write for children in adults; rather she wrote for adults in children. 

I can see why. While this is still a middle-grade mystery with a thirteen-year-old Turtle as the main protagonist, the others are also important. Moreover, there’s no explanation of things. We are shown the characters and left to make inferences and connect the dots. All characters are flawed in one way or another but also have some good traits. 

It has many themes like discrimination, racism, prejudice, etc., These are woven into the plot without any lecturing or preaching. It’s up to the readers to decide what they want. The book was written in 1978 or earlier and doesn’t feel dated except for the lack of technology. 

The mystery as such is intricate and well-plotted. The editor said the author never planned it but created the clues and puzzles on the go. Imagine that! It’s not a common talent for sure. 

The pacing is slow which cannot be helped due to the various characters involved and the complexity of the mystery. However, it never feels boring. Something keeps happening, even if it is Turtle kicking yet another person for daring to touch her braid. 

The writing style is funny but not comical. It has dry humor and witty observations with a touch of sarcasm and shows the underlying insecurities and vulnerabilities of the characters. 

The ending will appeal to readers like me who love a nice epilogue or two with HEA (and a touch of bitter-sweetness). 

To summarize, The Westing Game is a slow-paced yet intriguing mystery and a worthy winner of the Newberry Medal. I think it’s a book one will appreciate more as an adult or upon a reread.