The Winterton Deception 1: Final Word

By: Jamie Steinberg

Spelling Bees are a part of every school experience, but The Winterton Deception 1: Final Word steps things up a notch. Twins Hope Smith and her brother Gordon have just learned of their paternal lineage, which connects them to the rich Winterton family. The two currently reside in a motel with their mother, who dreams of becoming a nurse. Gordon gets the idea to enter the annual Winterton Spelling Bee to help save them from financial ruin and afford to send their mother to nursing school. What starts out as a simple quest for spelling success quickly turns into a clue hunt for a treasured manuscript. Can Hope and Gordon win the bee AND unite with a family that has always seemed above everyone else? It is absolutely worth turning each and every page to find out who stands on the winner’s podium and where each clue leads.

Fortune favors the bold and we see that very phrase play out in The Winterton Deception 1: Final Word. Hope has always had a grudge against rich people so when she finds out she is actually related to the wealthy Winterton family she is less than pleased. Her twin brother, Gordon, on the other hand, is eager to connect with their newfound family. Plus, the Smiths are in a financial bind as their mother lost her job, they owe money to the motel manager for rent and their mother would love to go to nursing school. Looking to kill two birds with one stone, Gordon has the bright idea to enter the Winterton’s charity spelling bee – something that certainly displeases Hope. Only in it to assist their mom, Hope agrees to participate.

Luckily, the family makes it through the preliminary round and are able to take part in the official Winter Bee, which has them competing against their long-lost relatives. Hope always has her guard up, but Gordon is eager to make friends. Despite Hope’s wishes to beat the snobbish family at their own game and then never have to deal with them again, matriarch Jane Winterton has other plans. Prior to her passing she created a system of clues that leads throughout the sprawling estate in an attempt to reunite the Winterton siblings who have grown apart over the years. Author Janet Sumner Johnson does an exceptional job of endearing the reader to the Smith family and their quest for a bee win while also captivating with each clue that comes up. Readers will find themselves turning page after page eager to see where the entire tale – spelling bee, clue hunt and family reunion – leads.

The Winterton Deception 1: Final Word is an intriguing and enthralling read that makes it hard to put down. The Winterton money could change the lives of Hope, Gordon and their mother but at what cost? With family held secrets and a clever clue trail, this book is not just gripping but absolutely mesmerizing until the very last page.