Winterhouse

Winterhouse

by Ben Guterson

Henry Holt & Co, 2018, Intermediate Fiction, 370 p.

Elizabeth Sommers is an orphan who lives with an uncaring and lazy aunt and uncle, so she is totally surprised when they tell her she will be going to a posh resort called Winterhouse for Christmas while they go on a separate vacation.  At Winterhouse she soon finds a friend, Freddy, who shares her love for puzzles and word games.  She also finds a book in the resort's vast library that is more than it seems.  Soon she and Freddy are caught up in a dangerous mystery that promises to shine a light on the past, but that puts everyone and everything at Winterhouse in peril.

Here is a great middle grade thriller to read at on a chilly winter's evening.  Elizabeth and Freddy are charming word nerds and young readers will enjoy the word games the two are forever playing.  Winterhouse is a magical place and the plot twists and suspense will keep readers turning pages.