Starred Review ALA Booklist (Wed Dec 06 00:00:00 CST 2023)

Starred Review Facing eviction from their motel, 13-year-old Gordon convinces his genius twin, Hope, that entering the annual Winterton dictionary magnates' spelling competition, with its serious prize money, is their best shot at keeping their family together. Hope despises the Wintertons, especially after the pair recently discovered their absent (and now deceased) father was a member of that family. Nevertheless, she secures a spot in the spelling bee, and they're whisked off to the Winterton chalet with their mom for the week-long contest. Deceased matriarch Jane Winterton has offered the bee participants, which include her largely estranged progeny, an additional shot at life-changing funds, and the clues Jane's left for a literary scavenger hunt create tension between the twins while leading Hope to question whom she can trust and whether mounting threats to her safety are worth the potential bounty. With a full cast of eclectic characters, themes of friendship and self-discovery, and a Clue-esque plot, this twisty and cerebral mystery should appeal to fans of The Westing Game and Kate Milford's Greenglass House (2014); additionally, its savvy female protagonist and from-the-grave manipulations evoke Jennifer Lynn Barnes' The Inheritance Games (2020) nus the canoodling. A pleasing smash-up of middle-grade mysteries with several meaty loose ends and a surprising final reveal; the true mystery here is how you'll appease readers while they await the sequel. Can you spell c-i-r-c-u-l-a-t-i-o-n?

Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Wed Sep 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Thirteen-year-old Hope Smith learns the value of family.Hope and her twin brother, Gordon, have been brought up by their single mom, who, despite working two jobs, can only afford a cheap motel room for them to live in. The twins, unbeknownst to their mother, find out that their father was a member of the wealthy Winterton family, publishers of The Winterton Dictionary and sponsors of a lucrative local spelling bee. Gordon wants to participate-he wants to know more about the Wintertons-but Hope resents the very thought of them. Eventually, desperately needing the prize money, Hope and her mother agree she'll take part too. The weeklong competition, held at the grand Winterton Chalet, has overtones of Agatha Christie as all the contestants (most of whom are estranged members of the Winterton family) arrive. Once ensconced, each family receives an unexpected letter unrelated to the spelling bee: It describes a missing original Jane Austen manuscript and gives the first clue in a treasure hunt to find it. The winner gets to keep the manuscript, worth millions. The intriguing plot adroitly unveils family dynamics and secrets against the backdrop of the dual tensions of nail-biting daily spelling bees and the competition to solve the scavenger hunt clues. Hope's chip-on-the-shoulder personality is thoroughly unlikable for a large portion of the book-and is essential for the ending to work (which it does). Hope and Gordon are cued white; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast.Intelligent, intricately plotted, and ultimately moving. (family tree) (Mystery. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Thirteen-year-old Hope Smith learns the value of family.Hope and her twin brother, Gordon, have been brought up by their single mom, who, despite working two jobs, can only afford a cheap motel room for them to live in. The twins, unbeknownst to their mother, find out that their father was a member of the wealthy Winterton family, publishers of The Winterton Dictionary and sponsors of a lucrative local spelling bee. Gordon wants to participate-he wants to know more about the Wintertons-but Hope resents the very thought of them. Eventually, desperately needing the prize money, Hope and her mother agree she'll take part too. The weeklong competition, held at the grand Winterton Chalet, has overtones of Agatha Christie as all the contestants (most of whom are estranged members of the Winterton family) arrive. Once ensconced, each family receives an unexpected letter unrelated to the spelling bee: It describes a missing original Jane Austen manuscript and gives the first clue in a treasure hunt to find it. The winner gets to keep the manuscript, worth millions. The intriguing plot adroitly unveils family dynamics and secrets against the backdrop of the dual tensions of nail-biting daily spelling bees and the competition to solve the scavenger hunt clues. Hope's chip-on-the-shoulder personality is thoroughly unlikable for a large portion of the book-and is essential for the ending to work (which it does). Hope and Gordon are cued white; there is racial diversity in the supporting cast.Intelligent, intricately plotted, and ultimately moving. (family tree) (Mystery. 10-14)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Thirteen-year-old twins uncover their newfound family’s closely guarded secrets in this rousing series launch from Sumner Johnson (the Recess Genius series). Siblings Hope and Gordon Smith share a one-room motel apartment with their mother, who works constantly to make ends meet. The kids learn their late father was the Winterton Dictionary tycoons’ youngest son, and they have disparate reactions: Hope, who distrusts rich people after being rejected by a wealthy friend, wants nothing to do with his family. Gordon, however, yearns to join the Winterton clan, despite their not knowing that the twins exist, and he registers himself and Hope to compete for one of two non-Winterton slots in the annual Winterton Family Spelling Bee. Hope reluctantly participates, hoping the prize money will help their mom, but upon making the cut, realizes she underestimated her rivals. Luckily, the siblings learn that the recently deceased Winterton matriarch left behind clues to a literary treasure hidden on the estate. In this nuanced first-person narrative, clever riddles, high-stakes competition, and fraught family drama keep the pages turning, while keenly rendered characters, who cue as white, discover the value of kindness, the harm of preconceived notions, and the folly of equating wealth with happiness. Ages 8–12. Agent: Lauren Galit, LKG Agency. (Oct.)

School Library Journal (Wed Nov 01 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Gr 5–8— A storied spelling bee meets Knives Out for the middle grade set in this twisty puzzle mystery. Thirteen-year-old twins Hope and Gordon live in a motel room with their single mom, on the brink of eviction. Since discovering that their deceased father was Brandon Winterton, son of uber-wealthy dictionary magnate Jane Winterton, Hope and Gordon have been divided. Gordon longs to connect with the Winterton clan, who don't know they exist, but Hope's mistreatment at the hands of private school classmates makes her suspicious of all rich people. Cue the annual Winterton Spelling Bee, into which Gordon secretly enters the family for a chance to win $500,000. The competition is held in private at the sprawling Winterton Chalet, against the wishes of the disinherited Winterton family members. No sooner has the bee started than mysterious letters appear, guiding the participants on a separate treasure hunt that also unravels the circumstances of Brandon's death. The first installment in a presumed series will engage readers with its compelling premise, high stakes, and atmospheric setting, despite an overly large cast of secondary characters and occasional plot elements that feel out of place in a middle grade book (e.g., the missing treasure is a Jane Austen manuscript). Hope's grudging journey to accept and trust her newfound extended family rings true, and the enticing combination of spelling bee drama, treasure hunt puzzles, family secrets, and a stunning final twist will keep readers enthralled. Most characters are cued white. VERDICT A recommended purchase and strong The Westing Game read-alike.— Elizabeth Giles