Fans of the Westing Game and of historical fiction will find much to love in this puzzle-y novel!

I loved this book! I listened to the audio, which was very well done. The book centers on a mystery, one that could lead to millions for the two main characters. It also touches on important social issues in a meaningful, but not heavy-handed, way. All in all, I think this is an enjoyable read for kids and adults alike, perfect for a family road trip. Appropriate for ages 9 and up.

I think that this book is not only a fun mystery read, it's also an important note on how far our society has come and how much farther we still have to go on the subject of racism. This is a realistic fiction novel that takes place in present day but flashes back to the 60's. As the main character and her new friend try to unravel a mystery that could make them a lot of money, they have to delve into the past of the city and it's citizens. A great middle grade novel. I recommend it for grades 4 and up.

I listened to this with my 9 and 10 year olds. It was a hit with all of us. My daughter loved hearing the southern accents, and the reader did a great job with all the characters. The story itself is engaging and the mystery is interesting as it unfolds. We read The Westing Game as a family last year, and the characters in the book read it to try and solve their own mystery. It is even more fun if you read these as companion novels! The story is a fantastic mix of ordinary kids enjoying their summer and trying to solve a mystery blended with the racial history of a small Southern town and injustices being addressed.

The Parker Inheritance is a wonderful book that opens your eyes to discrimination against people of a different race or sexual orientation. The main character is a black girl named Candice who has just moved to her grandmother’s house with her mom after her parents’ divorce. Candice quickly makes friends with a boy named Brandon who might be gay. Somewhere in the attic of her grandmother’s house Candice and Brandon find a letter from her grandmother’s past. Her grandmother passed away three years ago and Candice is eager to learn about her grandmother’s past. In the letter their is a puzzle and whomever solves the puzzle is promised a small amount of money. The kids try to solve the puzzle but are slowed down by people who are racist and/or make fun of people who have the “wrong” sex orientation . They eventually solve the puzzle and get the money. Candice finds out her father is gay but doesn’t care. The Parker Inheritance is one of the best books I’ve read this summer.

An exciting contemporary mystery that dips into relevant history. Puzzles for the head combined with a large cast of well-developed characters for the heart. The adventure is based on relationships and self-discovery. Excellent.

A fun historical fiction adventure full of mystery and puzzles and themes of racism, family dynamics and friendship.

In Lambert, South Carolina there is a mystery involving a buried treasure beneath a run down tennis court. 12-years-old Candace knows it is there because her grandmother left her a letter about it when she died. Is Candace supposed to pick up where her grandmother had failed and try to solve the riddle? Her grandmother was ridiculed and run out of town for trying to dig up clues in the tennis court. Candace recruits Brandon, the lonely boy across the street to help her, because he is also an avid reader and riddle solver. The two sleuths have to do a lot of research and math but they feel there is a hidden path, if they can just learn how to interpret the clues. if you liked The Westing Game by Ellen Ruskin, you will also love this.

This is a complex mystery jumping back and forth throughout time periods and across generations. The author does a fine job addressing the social injustices of then and now, for both African Americans and the LGBTQIA community. Although it is geared towards elementary aged readers, I'd also recommend it to middle and high school students. The author's note at the back would be a good jumping off point for book club discussions. (And you'll definitely want to read or re-read The Westing Game after finishing this book!)

The puzzle to solve and the historical piece of the narrative made for an interesting plot and made me want to revisit The Westing Game. Candice and Brandon make a great team. Would be more appropriate for students who are older than these two due to the sensitive issues dealt with and the random details thrown in addressing current events.