The Westing Game

When the eccentric industrialist Samuel W. Westing dies, sixteen unlikely heirs are summoned to a reading of his will. Instead of a simple bequest, they are paired off, given $10,000 each, and handed a set of cryptic clues to solve a deadly game. The stakes are high: only the pair that correctly deduces the circumstances of Westing’s death and the identity of the murderer will inherit his vast fortune. As the heirs navigate blizzards, burglaries, and suspicious deaths, the narrative weaves together their disparate lives in a complex web of red herrings and wordplay.

Ellen Raskin’s prose is intricate and witty, blending the structure of a classic whodunit with the voice of a puzzle master. The story is told from multiple perspectives, requiring the reader to actively participate in the investigation. The resolution is surprising yet fair, rewarding close attention to the clues and the distinct personalities of the cast. It is a clever, humorous, and tightly constructed mystery that appeals to both young and adult readers.

Description adapted from Open Library ↗.