J's Pages

by Ellen Raskin

This one's a cute little mystery, played out amongst an odd collection of characters. A self made millionaire, Samuel W. Westing has died, and instead of a traditional will, he has left a mystery. A game, actually. Sixteen people are potential heirs, all they have to do to get the fortune is solve the mystery of who killed Westing. By the bizarre terms of the will, each heir is partnered with another, none of whom are related to the others. So you get husband competing against wife, children against their parents. One refreshing aspect of the book is that you don't get the stereotypical animosity you would expect with a formula potboiler. Some teams are very competitive, some are quite willing to work with the others. Despite the anxiety caused by a thief and a bomber operating behind the scenes, you see a growth in many of the characters. So if you're in the mood for a quirky, light hearted mystery, check this one out. It's fun.
LibraryThing link

Labels: CheckItOut