by Janet Sumner Johnson
publisher’s synopsis
Hope Smith can’t stand rich people—the dictionary magnate family the Wintertons most of all. Not since she and her twin brother, Gordon, learned that their dad was one. So when Gordon enters the family into the Winterton’s charity spelling bee, Hope wants nothing to do with it. But with their mom losing her job and the family facing eviction from the motel where they live, they desperately need the money, and it looks like Hope doesn’t have much of a choice.
After winning the preliminary round, the Smiths are whisked to Winterton Chalet to compete in the official Winterton Bee against their long-lost relatives. Hope wants to get in and out, beat the snobbish family at their own game, and never see them again. But deceased matriarch Jane Winterton had other plans for this final family showdown. Before her death, she set up a clue hunt throughout the manor—an alternate way for Hope and Gordon to get the money that could change their lives.
Still, others are on the trail, too. With tensions at an all-time high, a fortune at stake, and long-simmering family secrets about to boil to the surface, anything could happen.
What I Liked:
-Plots revolving around puzzles and mystery are always fun.
-I like the positive emphasis on family, trust, and forgiveness.
-The spelling bee element was fun. I feel like they’re not used super often in novels.
What I Struggled With:
-The final twist in the epilogue. It felt a little realistic that no one else realized what Hope did–especially the adults.
-Hope and Gordon’s mom’s actions felt off while they were at the Winterton house. While they’re semi-explained, it still made her character feel off.
Other:
-While The Winterton Deception: Final Word could easily be a standalone, it is the first in a series. I’m curious about what kind of plots Johnson will come up with for future books.
Final Thoughts:
A fun, puzzley middlegrade novel.
Cautions: Hope and Gordon’s parents weren’t married; brief, non-graphic moderate violence
* I received an eARC through NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.*
Hailey Huntington 
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