The Winterton Deception 1: Final Word by Janet Sumner Johnson
Summary: 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.
This book was so much fun! The idea of building a puzzle mystery around a high-stakes spelling bee put on by a mysterious wealthy family is brilliant. Hope is a smart, funny, and compelling heroine who grows from closing herself off to the world to opening herself up to a relationship with her extended family. This is exactly the kind of book that keeps you up late, unable to put it down. Even better, it’s the first in a series. I can’t wait for the next installment!
THE WINTERTON DECEPTION 1: FINAL WORD is out now.
Stories By Hand with Kathy MacMillan 