The Westing Game

The Westing Game

Ellen Raskin

1978 * p. 182 * YA Mystery

The Westing Game is a "clue-like" mystery where 16 strangers are brought together at the funeral of a man, Sam Westing, that all claim they never knew. He has left a will and devised a game that all will play to determine the heir of his money and his murderer. Most of the characters are eccentric and have fun and unusual names like Theo Theodorakis, D. Denton Dear, and Turtle Wexler. Also, each seems to know something but hides it secretly, as well as the clues they are given in pairs.

One of the 16 strangers and heirs, Judge J.J. Ford, says the following about the Westing game:

"In his will Sam Westing implied (he did not state, he implied) that (1) he was murdered, (2) the murderer was one of the heirs, (3) he alone knew the name of the murderer, and (4) the name of the murderer was the answer to the game.

The game: a tricky, divisive Westing game. No matter how much fear and suspicion he instilled in the players, Sam Westing knew that greed would keep them playing the game. Until the 'murderer' was captured. And punished.

Sam Westing was not murdered, but one of his heirs was guilty--guilty of some offense against a relentless man. And that heir was in danger. From his grave Westing would stalk his enemy, and through his heirs he would wreak his revenge" (47-48).

I read this book when I was younger and remembered loving it. After reading it again, I found t harder to get into and really enjoy. But it is a relatively fun read.

-Reading level: grade 7 & up

-Fast and easy read

-Appropriate for all readers