The Westing Game Book Review

Long Review

The Westing Game is a classic book of mystery and intrigue, written (as is said in the afterword) for the adult in children. It’s in depth, convoluted, and at the same time, beautiful. That said, re-reading it as an adult, I’m left with a couple questions that I don’t think are quite fully answered for me.

The book opens with six invitations being sent out, and six new tenants to Sunset Towers. Who are these lucky individuals, and what connection do they have with each other? “They were mothers and fathers and children. A dressmaker, a secretary, an inventor, a doctor, a judge. And, oh yes, one was a bookie, one was a burglar, one was a bomber and one was a mistake. Barney Northrup had rented one of the apartments to the wrong person.”

After setting the stage, the story quickly begins to move into action. Turtle, one of the aforementioned children, sneaks into the Westing House up on the nearby hill, only to find Mr. Westing himself, dead in bed. The next morning, the obituaries declare his death – and the tenants of Sunset Towers are all invited to reading of the will.

The rest of the story unfolds through the viewpoints of all sixteen heirs, until we come to a conclusion that is both heartfelt as it is elegantly designed.

It a humorous book, told with off-hand, but very important, comments, and idiosyncratic characters who play true to their natures whenever push comes to shove.

That said, I found myself mildly confused on the motives of Sam Westing (as intended perhaps) on the nature of the game and the process by which it was won.

When all is said and done, there is an overall feeling of goodwill and charity from the Westing Will – each character has grown and improved in some way or another. However, the way we got there leaves me uncertain.

One character believes that the whole affair is a way for Westing to get revenge on someone who used to be close to him. (I won’t list the reasoning here so as not to detract from the overall plot). Others say it is because he is a good man, and he is giving each of them the exact things they need.

I, as an outside observer, wonder. This individual, who it seems is under the retaliation of Sam Westing, goes through some terrible things. All of these events appear to transpire under the direction of Westing and his will, and I’m wondering why? If he truly meant to get back at this person, why did things turn out so well? And if he did not want revenge, why did he organize his game the way he did?

I’m not sure there is an answer. One could be that, because this character, themselves, believed that they deserved punishment, the only way to fully absolve them would be to allow the possibility of it. But why?

Another reason might be that Westing did, in fact, want to punish this character, but did not want them to languish there. But that doesn’t fit the picture of Westing portrayed in the final segments of the book.

There are no easy answers, and perhaps even the author herself did not know the reason.

The conundrum aside, I wholeheartedly recommend this book.

Technical Notes

The Westing Game shines in uniqueness of characters and the play of blatant foreshadowing.

Each of the characters has a secret or some kind of darker side. They make for characters that are timeless and relatable.

Chris, the invalid birdwatcher, has a brilliant mind, but is unable to articulate his thoughts well.

Angela, the beautiful fiancée, wants to be independent and decide life for herself.

Sydelle Pulaski, overlooked secretary, fakes injury to be noticed, but when she truly is hurt, eschews the attention – she can only be weak on her terms.

Judge Ford, one of the first black women to have such a position, refuses to be played by Westing like the rest of the heirs.

And the list could go on. Each character, and their motives, is built and shaped in their description, interactions and tendencies. The only real ‘flat’ character is Doug Hoo, the high school track star that only cares about running. But, let’s be real – we all know superficial people.

There are a few ways of foreshadowing. One is to drop quiet hints that no one notices until a re-read (and there are plenty of these). The second, which Raskin uses often, is to just tell you what’s about to happen.

For example, when Mrs. Wexler airs out her apartment to make sure there’s no chance of a gas explosion (the police explanation for the two bombs that have gone off), this sentence follows. “But the Wexler apartment was exactly where the bomber planned to set the next bomb.”

On the other hand, the clues to the game are hidden throughout the book. On this re-read, knowing the ending, I was able to pick them up better than when I read it the first time in middle school. This book is a masterful showcase of building puzzles and revealing the answer slowly, giving the reader enough of a bite to continue, but never quite enough to let it go.

Readers Beware

There’s not much to say against this book. One character tries to be culturally sensitive, and ends up being wildly insensitive. But it, and the receiving character’s response, are both realistic and well written.

There’s bombings, but no real danger or injury.

Oh, and Turtle kicks people in the shin a lot, but honestly? I love it.

Final Thoughts

The Westing Game had me on the edge of my seat, even knowing the outcome, which is not a good place to be when you’re driving. I’m still confused about Sam Westing’s intentions, but the ending is still wholesome and heartfelt. Getting to watch each character grow past their respective traumas and into health is not only heartwarming but encouraging. I will always recommend it as a hallmark of excellence in puzzle mystery fiction, so if you have not read it, do it!