From Kirkus: "A candid and powerful reckoning of history."

An homage to [b:The Westing Game|902|The Westing Game|Ellen Raskin|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1356850909s/902.jpg|869832] with historical context that adds a lot of depth. I liked that the plot shifted between the present-day when Candice and Brandon are trying to solve the mystery and the past events on which the mystery is based in the 1950s. Young readers will learn a lot about American history and segregation while also considering the prejudices that still run rampant today.

I thought the plotting could have been tighter and that the kids could've gotten to the puzzle-solving earlier in the book. As a mystery, this wasn't as carefully constructed as I think it could have been (not like The Westing Game, for example). But when you consider that the author was trying to give the book more of a conscience/soul than just a standard mystery, it makes sense. The twist, when it comes, is a doozy that I didn't anticipate at all.

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I want to say this book is aimed at middle grades, since the main characters are 11 and 12 years old. But it’s a fairly sophisticated story for that age group, so I’m not sure. Candice finds a mysterious letter among some things left for her by her late grandmother, and the letter leads her on a quest to unravel a mystery. The story takes place in the American south, and there’s a lot here—discrimination based on race and sexuality, unlikely friendships, broken families, forbidden love—all spreading over three generations. The protagonists often speak in terms that only much older people would use, while the adults almost seem dumbed down at times. It was a bit distracting—I feel like a better editor would have caught those inconsistencies and given the author a chance to correct them. I’m not sure which group of readers I’d recommend this to, but it was an entertaining read with an emotional punch at the end. Oh, and it made me want to revisit the books of Ellen Raskin, who was one of my favourite authors when I was Candice’s age. ( )

This book got a lot more complicated than the puzzle mystery I expected. Similar to Dreamland Burning, this story used a mystery to connect characters from the present to the past, and parts of the story were set in the past. It was done so well, I could picture every last detail of the people and their town. What I didn't expect was the wide range of social topics that came up. Including gender roles, racism, bullying, family relationships, and more, this book dove wholeheartedly into the complicated world that the characters inhabit. Don't let the young kids on the cover deceive you - this book is a challenging read, and would be great for older teens as well as younger kids up for the challenge. ( )

After her parents get divorced, Candace and her mother move into her late grandmother's house in a different town. Over the summer she makes friends with the boy next door, and when she finds a clue to a local hidden treasure puzzle in the attic, together they try to solve the mystery while also facing casual racism from adults and bullying from other kids.

The narrative moves back and forth in time between present day and the 1950s, telling both the story of Candace's search and the origin of the hidden treasure. It's the Westing Game for this generation; in fact Raskin's book gets references here several times, and although The Westing Game is still the superior book, this one is still a good time and definitely worth a read. ( )