Meet New Books
Book Cover

The Westing Game

Save:
Find on Amazon

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin is a mystery novel where sixteen heirs are brought together to solve the murder mystery of Samuel W. Westing. The will of Samuel W. Westing turns out to be a game, with the heirs trying to uncover the murderer among themselves to inherit his fortune. The book is filled with suspense, intriguing characters, and clever clues that keep the readers engaged in solving the puzzle until the very end.

The Westing Game is a complex and suspenseful novel that revolves around a clever mystery involving colorful characters and a unique plot. Set in Westingtown, Wisconsin, the story unfolds as the heirs work together to decipher the clues left behind by Samuel W. Westing. The book is like a puzzle, with twists and turns that keep the readers guessing and engaged throughout the story, making it a delightful and entertaining read for both younger and older audiences.

Characters:

The characters are diverse and well-developed, adding depth and humor to the intricate plot.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is clever and humorous, making it engaging for a wide audience with accessible prose.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot revolves around a complex mystery where sixteen heirs must figure out their connections to a deceased millionaire to inherit his fortune.

Setting:

The story's setting includes the modern Sunset Towers and the mysterious Westing Mansion, contributing to the narrative's atmosphere.

Pacing:

The pacing balances calm exposition with suspenseful climactic moments, engaging readers throughout.
Then one day (it happened to be the Fourth of July), a most uncommon-looking delivery boy rode around town slipping letters under the doors of the chosen tenants-to-be. The letters were signed Barney ...

Notes:

The Westing Game features an eccentric millionaire, Sam Westing, who dies and leaves behind a complex will filled with puzzles and clues.
Sixteen seemingly unrelated people are invited to live in Sunset Towers and participate in the game to determine who will inherit Westing's fortune.
The story explores themes of morality, relationships, and personal growth among the heirs as they confront their own pasts.
The novel has a diverse cast of characters, including a strong female judge and a character with a disability, making it progressive for its time.
The narrative includes many twists and turns, often surprising even the most attentive readers with its clever plot developments.
Raskin's writing is noted for its humor and wit, creating a unique tone that engages both younger and older audiences alike.
The complexity of the characters allows for deep exploration, leading to unexpected friendships and revelations as the story unfolds.
The Westing Game was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1979, highlighting its contribution to children's literature and its enduring popularity over the years.

From The Publisher:

BE CLASSIC with The Westing Game, introduced by New York Times bestselling author Mac Barnett.

A highly inventive mystery begins when sixteen unlikely people gather for the reading of the very stranger will of the very read Samuel W. Westing. They could become millionaires, depending on how they play a game. All they have to do is find the answer - but the answer to what? The Westing game is tricky and dangerous, but the heirs play on - through blizzards, burglaries, and bombings, Sam Westing may be dead … but that won't stop him from playing one last game!

Winner of the Newbery Medal

Winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award

An ALA Notable Book

A School Library Journal One Hundred Books That Shaped the Century

Ratings (84)

Incredible (19)
Loved It (29)
Liked It (15)
It Was OK (12)
Did Not Like (6)
Hated It (3)

Reader Stats (172):

Read It (85)
Currently Reading (2)
Want To Read (63)
Did Not Finish (2)
Not Interested (20)

7 comment(s)

Incredible
1 month

This was one of my favorite books when I was a kid. I have very strong memories of reading and re-reading it, even if the details of the book slipped my memory after more than two decades. The only thing that stuck with me was the reveal at the end of the book, so re-reading it this time was like uncovering buried memories. The audiobook version also gave it a new dimension that I never experienced as a kid. One thing that surprised me about this book is that the adult characters get as much stage time as the teenage girl who would be the more traditional YA heroine these days. This book doesn’t talk down to kids, if only because there’s so much going on thematically that the story works on multiple levels. It’s also held up very well despite being published in 1978.

 
Incredible
4 months

One of my favorite books, challenging puzzle, approachable humorous style, I often recommend it to people who are looking for a bloodless mystery with a satisfying ending.

 
Did Not Like
4 months

Sam W. Westing has just died, but before his death, he set up a elaborate game in which the inhabitants of neighboring apartment building, Sunset Towers, will have to compete for Westing's $200 million inheritance and control of his company. However, the game and the players are not all what they seem to be.

The Westing Game has some of the most chaotic prose styles I've ever encountered, with the POV shifting sometimes from sentence to sentence, so that it's difficult to tell at times which character is doing what.

The buildup of the actual mystery is quite interesting—I enjoyed seeing how each person approached solving the clues—but the ending was beyond disappointing. Ultimately, I have the same quarrel with

The Westing Game that I do with

Knives Out:

The old, white, and wealthy man is the one who solves everyone's problems. *shaking my head while rolling my eyes*

I also don't like how

every characters' problems are neatly tied up with a bow by the end of the book. I like complex, more realistic endings better :/

.

Besides the disappointing plot, the book is full of problematic elements, including racism and ableism.

I mean, what the f*ck's up with portraying Madame Hoo/Sunny as if not knowing English means she's an idiot? At one point, she describes Doug's track event as if she's never encountered the idea of competitive sports before. For god's sake, she's Chinese immigrant, not a extraterrestrial. Literally wtf.

The Westing Game isn't a book I would just hand to a child without providing adequate context before reading.

 
It Was OK
6 months

I remember reading this for school (as a kid) and not particularly liking it, which was somewhat unusual as I was an avid reader who liked pretty much everything.

I think I didn't really realize until the end that it was intended to be a mystery/thriller—up until then, my experiences with children's mysteries had been along the lines of Nancy Drew (the Bobbsey Twins, the Boxcar Children, etc.), so it just didn't connect—and so completely missed the point of the book.

 
It Was OK
6 months

Mr. Lemoncello's Library meets One of Us is Next in this imaginative mystery. I very much enjoyed the style of writing in this one but found the ending quite unsatisfactory.

 
Hated It
7 months

Writing style. Mystery

 
Loved It
11 months

This book is awesome! I read it in the 7th grade and it still is one of my favorite books to this day. It’s a clean book, so children could read it, but it’s interesting for adults too! I have a younger brother, and I am soon to make him read this book! It was a fast read, and I believe that almost anyone can connect with at least one character. Please read this book!

 

About the Author:

Ellen Raskin was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and grew up during the Great Depression. She was the author of several novels, including the Newbery Medal-winning The Westing Game, the Newbery Honor-winning Figgs & Phantoms, The Tattooed Potato and other clues,…

 
Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.