A science-loving kid from Seattle tries to solve the puzzle of their family dynamics.Twelve-year-old Perigee Clarke, who uses they/them pronouns, has a plan: They're going to help their dad find his passion again by visiting Eklunds' Puzzle House, the bed-and-breakfast in the mountains that their grandparents built but never opened due to Grandpa's sudden death. When they arrive, however, Dad and Grandma immediately clash, and Grandma won't allow Perigee and Lily Ishioka, a girl who's staying with Grandma while her mom is on a search and rescue mission, to complete any puzzles. But the house starts acting up, throwing open windows and creating holes in the walls that let in the snow. Perigee and Lily conclude that the only way to stop this behavior is by solving the riddle left in the pocket of Grandpa's coat. Short sections offer the House's third-person perspective; it's a surprisingly charming character. Perigee is an energetic and believable protagonist, and both their joy in solving puzzles and their despair at the rift in their family are palpable. The story balances the fun and adventure of navigating the anthropomorphic house with the seriousness of navigating fractured family relationships. Perigee makes plenty of mistakes along the way but learns from them, and their personal growth makes finishing the book as rewarding as solving the trickiest puzzle. Main characters read as white; Lily's last name cues Japanese heritage.Fans of escape rooms and family stories will find much to love in this heartfelt tale. (Adventure. 8-12)

Gr 4–7— Twelve-year-old Perigee has a plot to restore her dad's enthusiasm for life, which includes reuniting him with his mother after many years of estrangement. Her grandparents' mansion was meant to be an Escape Room–themed bed and breakfast, but it was never completed after her grandfather's fatal car accident. Perigee meets Lily Ishioka, the daughter of a volunteer mountain rescuer and survivalist. Lily's resilience and pragmatism are a good match for Perigee's optimism and sense of adventure. The girls become embroiled in puzzles tucked into the mansion designed by Perigee's late grandfather. Meanwhile, her dad sets about correcting the House's structural damage but is waylaid by arguments with his mother. In alternating chapters, Perigee and the House narrate. Things spiral out of control as the House revolts, determined not to reveal its secrets. Windows open and shut, hallways shift, and people are injured. The girls come dangerously close to being swallowed up by the House until Perigee unearths a clue that is pivotal to freeing her family from its clutches. Perigee's friendship with Lily will ring true to young readers, as will her desire to make her dad happy again. The complicated nature of families in comparison to the House is a captivating way to move this smooth-flowing mystery along. Hand to fans of Ellen Raskins's The Westing Game or Chris Grabenstein's Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library . VERDICT A wily 12-year-old, painful family secrets, and an eerie possessed house—this twisty mystery is great for genre fans.— Julie Shatterly