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The Westing Game
The Westing Game
Author: Ellen Raskin
Sixteen individuals, of all ages, races, and socioeconomic classes, most of whom live or work in the Sunset Towers apartment building, are summoned to the reading of the will of wealthy industrialist Samuel W. Westing. The will is in the form of a puzzle, dividing up the sixteen heirs into eight pairs, giving each pair a unique set of clues, and...  more »
ISBN: 191992
Publication Date: 1978
Pages: 217
Rating:
  • Currently 4.8/5 Stars.
 2

4.8 stars, based on 2 ratings
Publisher: E. P. Dutton
Book Type: Paperback
Other Versions: Hardcover
Members Wishing: 0
Reviews: Member | Write a Review

Top Member Book Reviews

ophelia99 avatar reviewed The Westing Game on + 2527 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 7
I got this book in a clearance bundle of books that I bought to get a different book. I was trying to decide if I should read it or swap it and after seeing it was a Newberry Medal book I decided to read it. This was a very entertaining book.

In this book a number of people are offered the chance to move into an exclusive condo building. Shortly thereafter they receive notice that they have been listed in the will of the founder of Westing Paper Company. Only it is a bizarre will and rather than being straightforward it requires the potential heirs to engage themselves in a game to find out who murdered Mr. Westing. Thus the Westing Game begins.

This was a clever little book. It is not necessarily a quick read, since the reader must pay attention to all the little details in the book. Nonetheless I found myself enjoying this book immensely. It is a very classic mystery type of book and reads a bit like I would imagine a game of Clue would (if you could read a game).

There are many twists and many interesting characters. It was fun to try to figure out how all of the characters are tied to Mr. Westing. This was the type of book that you could either read and let it give you the answers or you could exercise your brain along the way and try to guess the answers before the book gives them to you.

Well written and very clever I thought this was a very interesting and entertaining book. It makes me want to check out more of Ellen Raskin's books.
cathyskye avatar reviewed The Westing Game on + 2259 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
Title: The Westing Game
Author: Ellen Raskin
ISBN: 0439412811/Scholastic
Protagonist: the inhabitants of Sunset Towers
Setting: Westing, Wisconsin, on the shores of Lake Michigan
Young Adult Mystery
Rating: B

First Line: The sun sets in the west (just about everyone knows that), but Sunset Towers faced east.

The inhabitants of Sunset Towers are a mixed bag: a podiatrist, restaurateurs, a seamstress, a woman who works at the local soup kitchen, a delivery boy, a secretary,high school students, a woman who has delusions of grandeur.... For the most part, they enjoy living in their apartments with their views of Lake Michigan, until the day that Sam Westing is found dead in the nearby Westing mansion. They all receive letters explaining that they must come to the reading of Westing's will. When they appear, they are divided into teams, given clues and told that the team that finds out who murdered Sam Westing will inherit all his millions. A treasure hunt ensues with a thief and a bomber thrown in for good measure.

Although I was told that I, the reader, was the only one with all the clues, I didn't go out of my way to discover whodunit. I was more than content to go along for the ride. And a fun ride it was, too. The wordplay, humor, characterizations and complex mystery were all first rate. I can see why this book won the Newbery Medal!
gatsbygal avatar reviewed The Westing Game on + 12 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 4
I love this book. It's smart, engaging, and keeps you guessing until the very end. The reader has all the clues, so if you are a mystery fan, no matter what age, this book is for you. Don't read to fast or you might miss something important!

It's like Clue in a book.
dancingqueen18 avatar reviewed The Westing Game on + 77 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
I loved this book when I was younger! It was a great mystery!
reviewed The Westing Game on + 13 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 3
Great mystery!! If you love books that require thought and deduction, this one is a must!!
Read All 38 Book Reviews of "The Westing Game"

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krystle avatar reviewed The Westing Game on + 24 more book reviews
Unique, unlike anything I've read before. Loved the cast of characters.
knittymama avatar reviewed The Westing Game on + 424 more book reviews
I really enjoyed this book with all it's twists and turns. My 11 year old son, however, did not. He was irritated by the way the story kept jumping around from mini-plot to mino-plot. After a week and he was only 3/4 of the way through, we agreed that mysteries are not his cup of tea. He can read 600 page science fiction tomes in less than 2 days. So I guess my point is, know your child's reading style before chosing this book. The book is very good, in my opinion. But I love mysteries and puzzles. If your child is not into them, like my son, your child may not enjoy this one either.
reviewed The Westing Game on + 24 more book reviews
i loved the concept of this book. it was so mysterious i wanted to know what was going to happen. i do say i was a little dissapointed in the ending though
SusanofGreenGables avatar reviewed The Westing Game on + 618 more book reviews
This book is used in Sonlight 6
reviewed The Westing Game on + 2 more book reviews
An awesome book with a great plot and interesting characters
reviewed The Westing Game on + 27 more book reviews
Very enjoyable book, you'll definitely want to read more than once.

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