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mariahistryingtoread's review against another edition
1.0
Winterhouse became more and more frustrating as it progressed. It was an interesting, whimsical tale I could really get behind the first few chapters. Too bad, it couldn’t stay that way.
Elizabeth is an orphan whose parents died in mysterious circumstances. She lives with her aunt and uncle who are emotionally abusive. Out of the blue, she randomly receives an invitation to vacation at Winterhouse, an amazing resort, for her winter break. While suspicious, she’s forced to accept as her aunt and uncle have also been gifted their own trip away from her.
Initially, Elizabeth is a very sympathetic character. She’s reserved and bookish which is typically endearing to me as a person who was equally so as a child. Her obviously awful home life also earns her some sympathy points.
As time went on she lost almost all of my consideration for her well being. This is for a couple reasons mostly related to the execution of the story.
The slow pace means that simple revelations take forever to properly unfold. I knew what was going on very quickly, but still had to sit through endless pages of Elizabeth piecing things together. Being able to figure out the plot isn’t always a bad thing. I’m a big believer in the use of foreshadowing and laying the groundwork for future plot developments. In this case, however, the issue is that Gunterson gives the reader too much information. Not only that most of the book is Elizabeth and her new friend Freddy not actually doing anything. Oh sure, they ski and swim and do all sorts of fun resort activities. They just don’t do anything relevant. So, I had all of these obvious clues rattling around in my head and was given a ton of time to think, so of course I was able to figure it out.
This isn’t helped by the fact that there really isn’t much to work out in the first place. There is a central mystery except the central mystery hinges primarily on one specific puzzle that doesn’t require any effort on Elizabeth’s part. She only has to wait it out. There is a spooky, mysterious couple except they don’t do anything other than periodically ask Elizabeth the same ominous question. She always lies, they never escalate. Thereby leaving no benefit to this little song and dance on either side narratively. There’s no intrigue or machinations. The couple simply bides their time until the grand finale.
And since there isn’t much to work out this negatively affected Elizabeth’s character in regards to Freddy. Elizabeth is so sure that something is going on at Winterhouse. As the reader I know she’s correct, but in-text nothing of consequence is happening. Therefore, it comes off as her merely being paranoid. She doesn’t actively pursue anything. She just keeps talking in circles regurgitating the same information about how something is going on.
This results in the ruination of both main characters.
Freddy has frequented Winterhouse for years. This means he’s more hesitant to assume nefarious shenanigans. Elizabeth then proceeds to endlessly badger him about the subject in an attempt to convince him, lie to him about a particular item that brings him great anxiety, purposely deceive him about her goings on outside of him and boss him around in order to investigate further. He finally snaps at her about being such a selfish friend- which was a nice moment because Elizabeth actually reflected on how she’s been forcing this relationship to operate almost exclusively on her terms - only for her to almost immediately continue the same behavior. Freddy then doesn’t even bother pointing out how she hasn’t changed. Why have him call her out if you’re not going to follow up with meaningful change and/or still want Elizabeth to act in a particular fashion to drive the story forward? It just makes Elizabeth look bad.
Despite my defense of Freddy, I didn't actually like him - my arguments for him are entirely based on principle alone. Freddy is a total wet blanket. He and Elizabeth connect over their love for word puzzles, mostly word ladders and anagrams. His defining trait other than words is his desire to be a great inventor. All of this was fine at first as he had a decent enough amount of personality. Unfortunately, after a time, his utter apathy for the events of the book was so pronounced I don’t understand why he was even included.
Typically, a book will have a person of disparate personality introduced in order to balance out the main character; Freddy is the voice of reason to Elizabeth’s aforementioned recklessness. The problem is that Freddy was on the extreme side of the spectrum. Why he was hesitant to get involved made sense. His parents are neglectful. They dump him off at Winterhouse every winter break to jet set. Thus, he views Norbridge - the owner of Winterhouse - as a kind of surrogate uncle. Obviously, no kid wants to believe a trusted, beloved adult is really a villain.
That being said I grew tired of his wariness. Elizabeth was seeing connections that weren’t really there for a sizable chunk of the book so I can see why it would not be so easy to cajole him into joining her cause. On the other hand, despite not much really happening from my perspective the book is framed in such a way that Guterson clearly intends for the reader to feel like a bunch of things that don’t add up are happening leaving me irritated to have Freddy be so resistant at every turn. It’s not limited to being unreceptive to Elizabeth’s theories. He is cut entirely out of major plot points because his prickliness around the subject is so palpable Elizabeth doesn’t even try to broach the subject to loop him in.
It was such a strange feeling to be upset at Elizabeth for pushing him and also annoyed at Freddy for refusing to be pushed.
The magic wasn’t very well fleshed out. It was often hinted at here and there which originally was fine, but considering what the mystery turned out to be I feel like it should have been a bigger facet of the story. Though, this easily folds into the overall problem of Elizabeth not being a strong enough presence in her own story. For magic to be crucial to the outcome Elizabeth would have needed to put in some work to make it so.
Also this book does that kids’ book thing where parents are expected to be given the benefit of the doubt for anything short of physical abuse. To be fair, Elizabeth is rightfully allowed the space to be upset at her circumstances. It’s Freddy who gets the short end of the stick.
Freddy does not believe his parents love him because of their own demonstrable lack of regard for him. Elizabeth low-key guilt trips him since she arguably has it worse. Northridge outright says it’s not true because they want to spend his next break with him at Winterhouse - nevermind the fact that Winterhouse is a super popular, highly recommended resort that his parents might just want to visit because it aligns with their extravagant sightseeing.
I’m pretty sure it’s done to show that kids can sometimes catastrophize normal situations and to say ‘hey maybe it’s not that bad!’. I just think it’s all too often written as dismissive of the kids’ feelings. Yes, Freddy certainly could be overreacting, but i think it’s gross to imply that without a lick of real evidence to the contrary in-text.
Also it’s so common that I’m tired of seeing it in general. Authors, publishers, whoever, I’m begging you to let kids hate their parents.
Anyways, I wouldn’t recommend this book though I wouldn’t say it was outright terrible. I wish it was more of the peculiar, magical adventure novel it was billed as. I was disappointed as the beginning crafted a solid foundation to build off of. It's a shame it never realized its full potential.
Elizabeth is an orphan whose parents died in mysterious circumstances. She lives with her aunt and uncle who are emotionally abusive. Out of the blue, she randomly receives an invitation to vacation at Winterhouse, an amazing resort, for her winter break. While suspicious, she’s forced to accept as her aunt and uncle have also been gifted their own trip away from her.
Initially, Elizabeth is a very sympathetic character. She’s reserved and bookish which is typically endearing to me as a person who was equally so as a child. Her obviously awful home life also earns her some sympathy points.
As time went on she lost almost all of my consideration for her well being. This is for a couple reasons mostly related to the execution of the story.
The slow pace means that simple revelations take forever to properly unfold. I knew what was going on very quickly, but still had to sit through endless pages of Elizabeth piecing things together. Being able to figure out the plot isn’t always a bad thing. I’m a big believer in the use of foreshadowing and laying the groundwork for future plot developments. In this case, however, the issue is that Gunterson gives the reader too much information. Not only that most of the book is Elizabeth and her new friend Freddy not actually doing anything. Oh sure, they ski and swim and do all sorts of fun resort activities. They just don’t do anything relevant. So, I had all of these obvious clues rattling around in my head and was given a ton of time to think, so of course I was able to figure it out.
This isn’t helped by the fact that there really isn’t much to work out in the first place. There is a central mystery except the central mystery hinges primarily on one specific puzzle that doesn’t require any effort on Elizabeth’s part. She only has to wait it out. There is a spooky, mysterious couple except they don’t do anything other than periodically ask Elizabeth the same ominous question. She always lies, they never escalate. Thereby leaving no benefit to this little song and dance on either side narratively. There’s no intrigue or machinations. The couple simply bides their time until the grand finale.
And since there isn’t much to work out this negatively affected Elizabeth’s character in regards to Freddy. Elizabeth is so sure that something is going on at Winterhouse. As the reader I know she’s correct, but in-text nothing of consequence is happening. Therefore, it comes off as her merely being paranoid. She doesn’t actively pursue anything. She just keeps talking in circles regurgitating the same information about how something is going on.
This results in the ruination of both main characters.
Freddy has frequented Winterhouse for years. This means he’s more hesitant to assume nefarious shenanigans. Elizabeth then proceeds to endlessly badger him about the subject in an attempt to convince him, lie to him about a particular item that brings him great anxiety, purposely deceive him about her goings on outside of him and boss him around in order to investigate further. He finally snaps at her about being such a selfish friend- which was a nice moment because Elizabeth actually reflected on how she’s been forcing this relationship to operate almost exclusively on her terms - only for her to almost immediately continue the same behavior. Freddy then doesn’t even bother pointing out how she hasn’t changed. Why have him call her out if you’re not going to follow up with meaningful change and/or still want Elizabeth to act in a particular fashion to drive the story forward? It just makes Elizabeth look bad.
Despite my defense of Freddy, I didn't actually like him - my arguments for him are entirely based on principle alone. Freddy is a total wet blanket. He and Elizabeth connect over their love for word puzzles, mostly word ladders and anagrams. His defining trait other than words is his desire to be a great inventor. All of this was fine at first as he had a decent enough amount of personality. Unfortunately, after a time, his utter apathy for the events of the book was so pronounced I don’t understand why he was even included.
Typically, a book will have a person of disparate personality introduced in order to balance out the main character; Freddy is the voice of reason to Elizabeth’s aforementioned recklessness. The problem is that Freddy was on the extreme side of the spectrum. Why he was hesitant to get involved made sense. His parents are neglectful. They dump him off at Winterhouse every winter break to jet set. Thus, he views Norbridge - the owner of Winterhouse - as a kind of surrogate uncle. Obviously, no kid wants to believe a trusted, beloved adult is really a villain.
That being said I grew tired of his wariness. Elizabeth was seeing connections that weren’t really there for a sizable chunk of the book so I can see why it would not be so easy to cajole him into joining her cause. On the other hand, despite not much really happening from my perspective the book is framed in such a way that Guterson clearly intends for the reader to feel like a bunch of things that don’t add up are happening leaving me irritated to have Freddy be so resistant at every turn. It’s not limited to being unreceptive to Elizabeth’s theories. He is cut entirely out of major plot points because his prickliness around the subject is so palpable Elizabeth doesn’t even try to broach the subject to loop him in.
It was such a strange feeling to be upset at Elizabeth for pushing him and also annoyed at Freddy for refusing to be pushed.
The magic wasn’t very well fleshed out. It was often hinted at here and there which originally was fine, but considering what the mystery turned out to be I feel like it should have been a bigger facet of the story. Though, this easily folds into the overall problem of Elizabeth not being a strong enough presence in her own story. For magic to be crucial to the outcome Elizabeth would have needed to put in some work to make it so.
Also this book does that kids’ book thing where parents are expected to be given the benefit of the doubt for anything short of physical abuse. To be fair, Elizabeth is rightfully allowed the space to be upset at her circumstances. It’s Freddy who gets the short end of the stick.
Freddy does not believe his parents love him because of their own demonstrable lack of regard for him. Elizabeth low-key guilt trips him since she arguably has it worse. Northridge outright says it’s not true because they want to spend his next break with him at Winterhouse - nevermind the fact that Winterhouse is a super popular, highly recommended resort that his parents might just want to visit because it aligns with their extravagant sightseeing.
I’m pretty sure it’s done to show that kids can sometimes catastrophize normal situations and to say ‘hey maybe it’s not that bad!’. I just think it’s all too often written as dismissive of the kids’ feelings. Yes, Freddy certainly could be overreacting, but i think it’s gross to imply that without a lick of real evidence to the contrary in-text.
Also it’s so common that I’m tired of seeing it in general. Authors, publishers, whoever, I’m begging you to let kids hate their parents.
Anyways, I wouldn’t recommend this book though I wouldn’t say it was outright terrible. I wish it was more of the peculiar, magical adventure novel it was billed as. I was disappointed as the beginning crafted a solid foundation to build off of. It's a shame it never realized its full potential.
mylenedesbiens's review against another edition
4.0
If you love word puzzles & cutesy mysteries, you just might like this one.
Winterhouse by Ben Guterson tells the tale of orphaned Elizabeth Somers who is being raised by her cruel aunt and uncle. That is until, she is sent to the mysterious Winterhouse hotel, owned by the peculiar Norbridge Falls. She soon discovers that Winterhouse is home to many mysteries. In particular, there's a library with a very special book hidden on its shelves. THE Book. The deeper she delves into the hotel’s secrets, the more Elizabeth starts to realize that she is somehow connected to Winterhouse.
There's mystery, magic, darkness, and puzzles, amongst beautiful illustrations! For a debut novel, Ben Guterson really hit it out of the park.
Winterhouse by Ben Guterson tells the tale of orphaned Elizabeth Somers who is being raised by her cruel aunt and uncle. That is until, she is sent to the mysterious Winterhouse hotel, owned by the peculiar Norbridge Falls. She soon discovers that Winterhouse is home to many mysteries. In particular, there's a library with a very special book hidden on its shelves. THE Book. The deeper she delves into the hotel’s secrets, the more Elizabeth starts to realize that she is somehow connected to Winterhouse.
There's mystery, magic, darkness, and puzzles, amongst beautiful illustrations! For a debut novel, Ben Guterson really hit it out of the park.
thesimplereader's review against another edition
3.0
2.5 ⭐️ rounded up
I was hoping this book would be Matilda meets Nevermoor. But it was a stiff, formal, immature middle grade that had a great plot line but went on too long.
I was hoping this book would be Matilda meets Nevermoor. But it was a stiff, formal, immature middle grade that had a great plot line but went on too long.
mehsi's review against another edition
5.0
Welcome to Winterhouse, a magical hotel filled with tons of puzzles, snow, stories, and more.
I am kind of fuzzy in my head, because of me being sick, but I do want to write a review for this one now.
Elizabeth isn't having the best of lives as she lives with her aunt and uncle who don't really seem to be happy she is around, but then she gets the chance to spend the holidays at a very special hotel, Winterhouse. At first she is worried, but quite soon she falls in love with the place, with the people, and as the magic and mystery grows she gets more and more excited about it. And quite soon she just doesn't want to go.
Of course, I had a good idea why she was invited, what connected her to Winterhouse, and as the story continued I knew it with more and more certainty. Come on, there are hints everywhere, starting with her name.
I just adored Winterhouse, and I want to go there instantly. Stay there with my fiance. Ski, swim, read all the books in the library (maybe I find a magical book myself), puzzle, sleep, get cosy at the fireplaces. And then there is Christmas and New Years, both events that seemed so so magical. I want to be there for those events. See the magical snow, see fireworks. Ah *dreams*.
The special candy everyone was raving about? Eh, it did sound OK, if there weren't any nuts in it. For now, avoid. Definitely. Don't want to die on my vacation.
The mystery was just a delight, the puzzles were so much fun to solve and figure out.
Freddy was one of the least favourite characters of mine. How would I say it.. um, I just didn't like how he was eh about Elizabeth's reading. He kept making comments, or telling her that it wasn't a story when she was telling him about magical things happening. I hate people who do that. I really do. I have heard my share of crap from people who think I read too much, or whatever. Just leave us readers alone. We aren't making comments about the fact you are working on gluing together some walnuts to make logs and that you prefer that over anything else. :| Plus he just lacked so much enthusiasm. If I was Freddy, and someone told me about all the stuff happening? Hell, I would be so enthusiastic I would bounce 24/7. I would be in for everything. And sure, I would also work on my project. I understand that Freddy is not me, but yeah, he was a disappointment. He did have some nice qualities, but in overall eh.
What was going on with the dark-haired couple, eh, I had my suspicions, but dang I hadn't expected what actually was going on, or I should say, I hadn't expected what was in the crate. Creeeeeeeeeeeppppyyyyy. Soooo creepy!
The book is also delightfully illustrated. I was looking forward to seeing them pop up, wondering what would be shown on them this time. What scene would we see? What item? Who would we see?
The ending was just exciting, exciting, and super exciting! I am so happy with how everything ended, congrats Elizabeth. Her life suddenly got a ton more fun, or well, she got something to look forward to now.
All in all, I definitely need the second book, now it is just waiting for it to come out in paperback. Next year, hopefully.
I would also recommend this book to everyone in look for a great book perfect for the winter/Christmas season which is filled with fun puzzles en magic.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I am kind of fuzzy in my head, because of me being sick, but I do want to write a review for this one now.
Elizabeth isn't having the best of lives as she lives with her aunt and uncle who don't really seem to be happy she is around, but then she gets the chance to spend the holidays at a very special hotel, Winterhouse. At first she is worried, but quite soon she falls in love with the place, with the people, and as the magic and mystery grows she gets more and more excited about it. And quite soon she just doesn't want to go.
Of course, I had a good idea why she was invited, what connected her to Winterhouse, and as the story continued I knew it with more and more certainty. Come on, there are hints everywhere, starting with her name.
I just adored Winterhouse, and I want to go there instantly. Stay there with my fiance. Ski, swim, read all the books in the library (maybe I find a magical book myself), puzzle, sleep, get cosy at the fireplaces. And then there is Christmas and New Years, both events that seemed so so magical. I want to be there for those events. See the magical snow, see fireworks. Ah *dreams*.
The special candy everyone was raving about? Eh, it did sound OK, if there weren't any nuts in it. For now, avoid. Definitely. Don't want to die on my vacation.
The mystery was just a delight, the puzzles were so much fun to solve and figure out.
Freddy was one of the least favourite characters of mine. How would I say it.. um, I just didn't like how he was eh about Elizabeth's reading. He kept making comments, or telling her that it wasn't a story when she was telling him about magical things happening. I hate people who do that. I really do. I have heard my share of crap from people who think I read too much, or whatever. Just leave us readers alone. We aren't making comments about the fact you are working on gluing together some walnuts to make logs and that you prefer that over anything else. :| Plus he just lacked so much enthusiasm. If I was Freddy, and someone told me about all the stuff happening? Hell, I would be so enthusiastic I would bounce 24/7. I would be in for everything. And sure, I would also work on my project. I understand that Freddy is not me, but yeah, he was a disappointment. He did have some nice qualities, but in overall eh.
What was going on with the dark-haired couple, eh, I had my suspicions, but dang I hadn't expected what actually was going on, or I should say, I hadn't expected what was in the crate. Creeeeeeeeeeeppppyyyyy. Soooo creepy!
The book is also delightfully illustrated. I was looking forward to seeing them pop up, wondering what would be shown on them this time. What scene would we see? What item? Who would we see?
The ending was just exciting, exciting, and super exciting! I am so happy with how everything ended, congrats Elizabeth. Her life suddenly got a ton more fun, or well, she got something to look forward to now.
All in all, I definitely need the second book, now it is just waiting for it to come out in paperback. Next year, hopefully.
I would also recommend this book to everyone in look for a great book perfect for the winter/Christmas season which is filled with fun puzzles en magic.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
asreadbykat's review against another edition
4.0
True Rating: 4/5 Stars
My Thoughts
I'm writing this review as a re-read of this first book, and upon reading it a second time I remembered how much I enjoyed it. This is a fun middle grade read that includes some interesting puzzles, realistic characters, and some dark mystery.
Elizabeth Somers lives with her financially poor and emotionally neglectful aunt and uncle in a small town where she doesn't seem to fit in. She loves reading, and any kind of codes and puzzles, like anagrams. One winter, she's told that she's going to spend 3 weeks at a hotel called Winterhouse while her aunt and uncle go on vacation. Elizabeth certainly isn't expecting much, but Winterhouse is even more than she ever could have expected. She meets interesting people, is accepted and even makes a friend. But there's a secret in Winterhouse that's determined to come out, and Elizabeth just can't let this puzzle go.
This book is a perfect winter read. There are plenty of descriptions of ice and snow, talk of skiing and ice skating, and it even takes place over Christmas. Besides that, the mystery is just intriguing enough to keep the story moving, but light enough (most of the time) to avoid destroying to the cozy feel of the book. What makes it even better is that Elizabeth's life doesn't suddenly pull a "fairy tale" at the hotel; she still has some trouble fitting in, has fights and disagreements, and still acts like a very believable 11 year old. although admittedly one with a large vocabulary from reading.
If I had to nitpick with the plot of the book, I'd say it's not quite as strong as it could be because it's rushed at the end. Elizabeth finds the key to the mystery far too easily at just the right time, and there's no buildup or explanation about certain aspects of the characters or story. However, that doesn't detract from the book's fun.
If you just want a cozy read this winter, or have a young reader in your family, this book may just be the one.
My Thoughts
I'm writing this review as a re-read of this first book, and upon reading it a second time I remembered how much I enjoyed it. This is a fun middle grade read that includes some interesting puzzles, realistic characters, and some dark mystery.
Elizabeth Somers lives with her financially poor and emotionally neglectful aunt and uncle in a small town where she doesn't seem to fit in. She loves reading, and any kind of codes and puzzles, like anagrams. One winter, she's told that she's going to spend 3 weeks at a hotel called Winterhouse while her aunt and uncle go on vacation. Elizabeth certainly isn't expecting much, but Winterhouse is even more than she ever could have expected. She meets interesting people, is accepted and even makes a friend. But there's a secret in Winterhouse that's determined to come out, and Elizabeth just can't let this puzzle go.
This book is a perfect winter read. There are plenty of descriptions of ice and snow, talk of skiing and ice skating, and it even takes place over Christmas. Besides that, the mystery is just intriguing enough to keep the story moving, but light enough (most of the time) to avoid destroying to the cozy feel of the book. What makes it even better is that Elizabeth's life doesn't suddenly pull a "fairy tale" at the hotel; she still has some trouble fitting in, has fights and disagreements, and still acts like a very believable 11 year old. although admittedly one with a large vocabulary from reading.
If I had to nitpick with the plot of the book, I'd say it's not quite as strong as it could be because it's rushed at the end. Elizabeth finds the key to the mystery far too easily at just the right time, and there's no buildup or explanation about certain aspects of the characters or story. However, that doesn't detract from the book's fun.
If you just want a cozy read this winter, or have a young reader in your family, this book may just be the one.
hawksquill's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
anitasbooks's review against another edition
4.5
Un middle grade con atmosfere magiche 🤍
Una ragazzina abituata a vivere una vita all’insegna della solitudine, riesce a trovare degli amici fidati e una seconda famiglia pronta ad accoglierla.
Tra misteri da risolvere, segreti, indovinelli e un pizzico di magia.
Una scrittura immersiva, piacevole e incalzante, con personaggi ben strutturati.
Felicissima di aver recuperato questa piccola perla 🫶🏻
Una ragazzina abituata a vivere una vita all’insegna della solitudine, riesce a trovare degli amici fidati e una seconda famiglia pronta ad accoglierla.
Tra misteri da risolvere, segreti, indovinelli e un pizzico di magia.
Una scrittura immersiva, piacevole e incalzante, con personaggi ben strutturati.
Felicissima di aver recuperato questa piccola perla 🫶🏻
katdfleming's review against another edition
4.0
Such a fun story! Will continue reading the series!
katykelly's review against another edition
4.0
Children's hotel-set mystery story, with a delightful focus on word puzzles.
The oft-used protagonist of the orphan again comes into play here, as Elizabeth Somers', who lives with her neglectful aunt and uncle, is unexpectedly sent to a hotel for Christmas. Finding a delightful library she can revel in, and meeting a like-minded cruciverbalist (puzzle enthusiast), finding the Winterhouse Hotel a fascinating and mysterious place, they stumble across a mystery with clues to unlock... Though some other residents seem determined to dislike and even hinder her.
The draw for me was the constant referral to word puzzles, the games Elizabeth and Freddy compete in, and the use of such puzzles in the clues they find to try and solve the mystery.
It's fresh and different, as well as an unusual setting for a children's book - I've recently enjoyed other hotel-set novels for adults (A Gentleman in Moscow, Hotel Alpha) and found this the same. Lovely to see puzzles feature so strongly and positively.
A fine audio read as well, easy to listen to, and enthusiastically read. A book to recommend to ages 9-13 in particular.
The oft-used protagonist of the orphan again comes into play here, as Elizabeth Somers', who lives with her neglectful aunt and uncle, is unexpectedly sent to a hotel for Christmas. Finding a delightful library she can revel in, and meeting a like-minded cruciverbalist (puzzle enthusiast), finding the Winterhouse Hotel a fascinating and mysterious place, they stumble across a mystery with clues to unlock... Though some other residents seem determined to dislike and even hinder her.
The draw for me was the constant referral to word puzzles, the games Elizabeth and Freddy compete in, and the use of such puzzles in the clues they find to try and solve the mystery.
It's fresh and different, as well as an unusual setting for a children's book - I've recently enjoyed other hotel-set novels for adults (A Gentleman in Moscow, Hotel Alpha) and found this the same. Lovely to see puzzles feature so strongly and positively.
A fine audio read as well, easy to listen to, and enthusiastically read. A book to recommend to ages 9-13 in particular.