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Quick answer: If you loved The Westing Game, try Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library, The Mysterious Benedict Society, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, Chasing Vermeer, The Parker Inheritance and Greenglass House. Each one is a clever mystery full of clues, quirky characters and a puzzle readers can try to solve.
Ellen Raskin's Newbery Medal winner gathers sixteen heirs of millionaire Samuel W. Westing in an apartment building on Lake Michigan. His will challenges them to find his killer, and the winner gets his fortune. The heirs are split into pairs and given clues, and nothing is quite what it seems. Readers love its puzzles, humor and twisty ending. These books share the same love of mysteries and games.
Table of Contents
Quick Picks at a Glance
| Book | Author | Ages | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library | Chris Grabenstein | 8-12 | kids who like puzzle games |
| The Mysterious Benedict Society | Trenton Lee Stewart | 9-13 | kids who like riddles |
| From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler | E. L. Konigsburg | 8-12 | kids who like classic mysteries |
| Chasing Vermeer | Blue Balliett | 9-12 | kids who like art puzzles |
| The Parker Inheritance | Varian Johnson | 9-13 | kids who like history and puzzles |
| Greenglass House | Kate Milford | 10-13 | kids who like cozy mysteries |
| The London Eye Mystery | Siobhan Dowd | 9-13 | kids who like logic |
| Holes | Louis Sachar | 10-13 | kids who like interlocking plots |
| Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective | Donald J. Sobol | 7-11 | younger readers |
| And Then There Were None | Agatha Christie | 13+ | older readers |
| Murder Most Unladylike | Robin Stevens | 9-13 | kids who like boarding schools |
| The Name of This Book Is Secret | Pseudonymous Bosch | 9-12 | kids who like secret societies |
| Book Scavenger | Jennifer Chambliss Bertman | 9-12 | kids who like book games |
| A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning | Lemony Snicket | 8-12 | kids who like dark humor |
| The Thursday Murder Club | Richard Osman | 15+ | older readers and families |
1. Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein
Kids must escape a high-tech library using clues.
Best for: kids who like puzzle games.
2. The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart
Gifted kids pass tests and go undercover.
Best for: kids who like riddles.
3. From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg
Siblings run away to a museum and solve a mystery.
Best for: kids who like classic mysteries.
4. Chasing Vermeer by Blue Balliett
Two kids investigate a stolen painting.
Best for: kids who like art puzzles.
5. The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
A girl follows clues in a letter to an old puzzle.
Best for: kids who like history and puzzles.
6. Greenglass House by Kate Milford
A boy solves a mystery at his family's inn.
Best for: kids who like cozy mysteries.
7. The London Eye Mystery by Siobhan Dowd
A boy who thinks differently solves his cousin's disappearance.
Best for: kids who like logic.
8. Holes by Louis Sachar
A boy uncovers a family secret at a desert camp.
Best for: kids who like interlocking plots.
9. Encyclopedia Brown, Boy Detective by Donald J. Sobol
A boy detective solves short mysteries readers can try.
Best for: younger readers.
10. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Ten strangers on an island are killed one by one.
Best for: older readers.
11. Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens
Two girls solve a murder at their school.
Best for: kids who like boarding schools.
12. The Name of This Book Is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch
Two kids investigate a magician's death.
Best for: kids who like secret societies.
13. Book Scavenger by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
A girl joins a game of hiding and finding books.
Best for: kids who like book games.
14. A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket
Three orphans escape a scheming relative.
Best for: kids who like dark humor.
15. The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Retirees solve a murder in a peaceful village.
Best for: older readers and families.
How We Chose These Books
Every pick is a real, widely available book that shares something specific with The Westing Game: its tone, its themes, its pace or the kind of characters it puts at the center. We mixed well-known favorites with a few less obvious titles, and we noted who each book suits best so you can match it to the reader. Where a book belongs to a series, we list the first volume so you can start at the beginning.
How to Choose
For puzzle games, try Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library or The Mysterious Benedict Society. For classic mysteries, choose From the Mixed-Up Files or Encyclopedia Brown. If you like the big cast and clever twists, read Greenglass House or The Parker Inheritance. Older readers can try And Then There Were None, a classic with a similar setup. Adults who loved The Westing Game as kids often enjoy The Thursday Murder Club.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What age is The Westing Game for?
It is usually recommended for ages 10 to 14.
Did The Westing Game win awards?
Yes. It won the Newbery Medal in 1979.
Is The Westing Game confusing?
It has many characters, so keeping a list helps.
Is there a movie?
A TV film, Get a Clue, loosely adapted it, but the book is better.
Can readers solve the mystery?
Yes. The clues are there, though the solution is tricky.
Is The Westing Game good for classrooms?
Yes. It is a classic choice for teaching inference and characters.