The Ambrose Deception

by Emily Ecton

Melissa is a nobody. Wilf is a slacker. Bondi is a show-off. At least that's what their middle school teachers think. To everyone's surprise, they are the three students chosen to compete for a ten thousand-dollar scholarship, solving clues that lead them to various locations around Chicago. At first the three contestants work independently, but it doesn't take long before each begins to wonder whether the competition is a sham. It's only by secretly joining forces and using their unique talents that the trio is able to uncover the truth behind the Ambrose Deception--a truth that involves a lot more than just a scholarship.

With a narrative style as varied and intriguing as the mystery itself, this adventure involving clever clues, plenty of perks, and abhorrent adults is pure wish fulfillment.

Genres: Mystery, Middle Grade, Adventure, Fiction, Friendship, Realistic Fiction, Childrens

368 pages, Hardcover

First published February 13, 2018

About the author

Emily Ecton is a former writer and producer for Wait, Wait...Don't Tell Me!, the NPR news quiz. She has also been a playwright, a chinchilla wrangler, an ice cream scooper and a costume character. After years of living in Chicago, she now lives in Charlottesville, Virginia with her dog, Binky.

Also writes under the name Emily Fairlie

Reviews

[Kadi P]

A middle grade mystery published by Disney Hyperion? 100% this is going to be epic! Can't wait to read it!

[Clare Lund · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun mystery from three different points of view. The clues take Melissa, Wilf, and Bondi on a scavenger hunt all over Chicago, so I enjoyed trying to figure out the local landmarks alongside them! Reminded me of The Westing Game - although for me, that will always be a hard book to top. Ages 9 and up.

[Darla · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fresh new middle grade mystery in the spirit of "The Westing Game." I was engaged immediately with the cryptic descriptions of the three contestants. The captivating clues make you put on your thinking cap. Love the Chicago setting and the varied story vehicles --alternating POVs, text messages, emails, letters, and even newspaper/on-line articles. Melissa, Bondi, and Wilf begin the contest with three clues each -- well, almost. . .There is much more to come.

[Nicole M. Hewitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review and many more can be found on my blog: Feed Your Fiction Addiction

This book is perfect for a middle grade reader (and for us moms who like to read middle grade too!). It has super fun characters, an educational element (that isn’t prominent enough to make it obvious it’s teaching you anything) and a cute and wacky mystery.

The book takes three unlikely scholarship hopefuls on an adventure across Chicago to try to solve riddles. The educational element comes in because you end up learning about some of the lesser-known sights in Chicago (and some of the more fun elements of the city as well, since Wilf doesn’t take his scholarship opportunity all that seriously). I really enjoyed the escapades that the kids go through to figure out their clues, and the ending to the book has some elements that kids will LOVE that I don’t want to spoil. What can I say? This book is adorable and adventurous and is pretty much middle-grade gold, in my opinion. I plan to give it to my daughter to read next because I’m convinced she’ll love it. I give it 5/5 stars!

***Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are my own.***

[Davenport Public Library Iowa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ambrose Deception by Emily Ecton and cover art by Gilbert Ford was a fun adventure like book that had readers guessing until the end. Three students, Melissa, Bondi, and Wilf, were chosen to participate in a competition that would leave them with a 10,000 scholarship. The competition is simple, each student is given a different set of three clue, and the first to find their answers, without breaking the rules, is the winner. However, as the competition carry’s on, questionable things start to happen inspiring Bondi, Wilf, and Melissa into working together instead of working as competitors.

The Ambrose Deception will attract readers who enjoy stories similar to Clue, National Treasure, and Gravity Falls. What seems like a simple forthright competition is so much more than a simple scavenger hunt. The beginning of the book could be little confusing for the youngest of readers it aims for, but after page seven, or so my 8-year-old tells me, things start to make sense. The characters are widely relatable, such as Wilf deciding to take all the time he can to live the high life instead of searching for answers, or Melissa having to watch her brother instead of doing the research she wants. Even the drivers with their messages to each other give the reader something to giggle at. There was a lull, for me, in the book for just a little bit over about half way. Shortly after Wilf goes on his hotdog eating adventure, but before Bondi returns his answers; however, that didn’t seem to be the case for my 8 year old who threatened to spoil the ending for me if I didn’t “hurry up and finish.”

Chicago is the character in the book that I feel Ecton was really trying to display. This children’s book was, in it’s heart, a 359 page love letter to the city of Chicago and all the wonderful buildings and features it has. There was deep intimacy Ecton seemed to have for the windy city. Often the children are seen at the library or on computers researching the city and all the different museums, architecture, and history it contains.

If your child likes adventure books with a hint of mystery this is one to check out!

-Bethany, Customer Service Department.

[Dena McMurdie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun story! I had a blast reading this book!

I offered to read it out loud to my kids, but they wanted to read a different book together, so I read it myself. It only took me two days to read the whole thing. When I finished, I snapped the book shut and told my kids, "You girls missed out. That was awesome!"

I've always loved middle grade mystery novels, and this was no exception. With three delinquent kids receiving a mysterious "scholarship opportunity" where they have to follow clues around Chicago, it didn't take long for me to get hooked on the story.

What starts out as an exciting opportunity turns out to be a bigger mystery than any of the kids expected.

And let's just say that I loved the ending. There's a cooky twist at the end that makes it just that much better.

SO MUCH FUN!

Content: A couple of mild curse words (maybe two?)

Source: Thank you to Disney-Hyperion for sending me an Advanced Readers Copy of the book.

[Dramapuppy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another puzzly children's book I read to recapture the The Gollywhopper Games magic. For some reason, this one fell kind of flat for me.

The writing and characters were great, and I always wanted to know what would happen next, but unfortunately, what happened next turned out to be pretty predictable. The scope was somehow unrealistically ambitious what adults would behave this way with that amount of money on the line? and disappointingly mundane the puzzles are all just taking pictures of things, so the characters never have to actually do anything.

I had a good time while reading it but then immediately forgot about it. I'd definitely recommend it to those desperate for more puzzle game stories, but otherwise, I wouldn't put it at the top of your list.

[Leah · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is similar to Book Scavenger or Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library. I liked the first but not the second. I also didn't like this story. It's the characters that I didn't like. The setting is wonderful; Chicago is somewhere that I am familiar with. I think that helps when reading this book. The mystery was okay, but I figured out the ending before the reveal.

[Elaine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really wasn't expecting to read this book in one day, but here we are. This is absolutely a novel whose target audience is school age kids. BUT as an adult who loves Chicago, adventures and a good puzzle, it was a really fun read. I found myself looking up all the Chicago locations mentioned just to make sure I had the right place in mind while reading. This was a super cute story and it even taught me a few things about some key Chicago landmarks!

Shout out to my boss for plopping this on my desk on Friday. (Because when your boss hands you a book you should probably read it.)

[Mary BookHounds · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars  -  Special thanks to the publisher for providing a review copy!

The Ambrose Deception captured my attention with the first paragraph and I continued reading the rest with glee!  I haven't been this excited about a middle grade read since I first found Kiki Strike by Kirsten Miller.  Seriously, this review should just be exclamation points.   This scavenger hunt by three preteens will take you on a wild ride when they are chosen to compete for a selective scholarship that no one has ever heard about.  Wilf, Melissa, and Bondi are given access to everything a kid would need to go on the ultimate mystery.  As the kids figure out the clues, they also find that there is more mystery as to who is giving this prize and why.

All of these kids are smart and each approaches the hunt with varying degrees of interest and need for the grand prize of ten thousand dollars.  As they finish the end of the hunt, they decide to come together to unravel who is behind this game.  Melissa is probably my favorite since she is a snarky red-head that is intent on making this work.  Wilf just wants to get by and have fun.  Bondi really is smart but hides that fact by his antics.  The background of Chicago featured easily recognizable sites and since I was there recently, it was just the perfect background. It is always exciting to have seen landmarks that you are reading about.  I really want more from this author!

[Celia T · Rating 2 out of 5]

There's really only one good reason to want to be a millionaire, and it's so you can leave behind a will that forces your legatees to solve skill-testing brain teasers and go on scavenger hunts in order to inherit.

Fun read and I do love this specific genre of mg fiction, but two stars because (1) the characters felt super flat and two-dimensional and more importantly (2) the central puzzles were....kinda dumb. I think it would be a lot of fun to go to Chicago and actually do this scavenger hunt, but the riddles were all ridiculously easy to solve with a two-minute google search. A book like The Westing Game works because it was written pre-internet, but I just didn't buy that anyone in the 21st century (of any age) wouldn't be able to immediately crack the code by punching the keywords into a search engine. (Which I know because that's exactly what I did as soon as the clues were revealed.)

Anyway go read The Fabulous Zed Watson! for a similar premise better executed.

[Mid-Continent Public Library]

A fresh new middle grade mystery in the spirit of "The Westing Game." I was engaged immediately with the cryptic descriptions of the three contestants. It was a clever plot addition to give each of them their own limo driver and then show texts between the drivers. The captivating clues make you put on your thinking cap. Love the Chicago setting and the varied story vehicles --alternating POVs, text messages, emails, letters, and even newspaper/on-line articles. Melissa, Bondi, and Wilf begin the contest with three clues each -- well, almost. . .There is much more to come. On the short list for the 2020-21 Mark Twain Award. This one should do well. *Reviewed by Darla from Red Bridge*

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok, and I could see recommending it to a kid (younger side, 4th grade?), but it was so predictable. 3 kids (specifically 2 boys and a girl. It's always 2 boys and a girl) solving a puzzle and find out they are somehow being tricked- there is no originality in this. It was neat to include so many landmarks of Chicago, but overall this book was not amazing.

[Sarah left GR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christmas gift to ME from my 11-year-old nephew! He was very excited for me to open it. He thinks I'll like it because it's an adventure where the kids aren't the smartest or most sporty, plus it's set in Chicago. Oh, my librarian heart grew three sizes today.

[Jena · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Ambrose Deception is a fun middle grade book. Wilf, Bondi, and Melissa are all kids who are overlooked at their schools. When they are chosen to compete in a scholarship program, no one can quite believe it, including the kids! But things aren't what they seem, and the clues they have to solve aren't the only mystery they find themselves in the middle of.

There is a lot to love in this book. If you are a parent or teacher, this is a super fast read. I love how they mystery unfolds at a great pace, and the clues are for real landmarks around the Chicago area. I love that! Kids living in Chicago will have a ton of fun trying to solve the clues while reading. In fact, I think that would be such a fun interactive way to experience this book! 

Beyond the treasure hunt, this book has fantastic themes about friendship, trust, and working together. I really liked how the clues for the hunt were repeated throughout the book, so that kids can easily follow along and remember what the kids in the book are looking for. 

Sprinkled along with the hunt and each story line searching for the answers to their clues, are text message with parents, notes from the drivers, emails from teachers and much more. It helps tell the story and bring the worlds around each child to life in a fun way. 

I think that parents will chuckle and kids will be delighted reading this book. It has awesome potential to be turned into a fun interactive experience. Even if you don't live in Chicago, it would be easy to help them try and talk through how they would solve each clue, and even Googling the answers to see what you come up with! Books that are entertaining but can also be used to help kids learn is always a HUGE win for me! If you have kids, or work with kids, I recommend checking this book out. Especially if you live in or near Chicago!

Thank you Rockstar Book Tours and Disney Hyperion Books for sending me a copy to read and review, and for being a part of this tour!

[Kathy Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE AMBROSE DECEPTION is a middle grade treasure hunt. Melissa, Wilf, and Bondi are chosen from their middle schools to compete in a contest that will give the winner a $10,000 scholarship. Each is given a cellphone, a debit card, a driver and three riddles to solve.

Melissa lives with her brother and her grandmother. She makes money for lunches and bus fare by doing homework for other students. Otherwise, she is managing to make her way through middle school really under the radar. Bondi is a show-off who has a great sense of smell and a mother who is fixated on kale. Wilf is a slacker who is determined to work through his "to do" list now that he has a driver and debit card and may get to the clues eventually.

The three kids work independently at first. But soon begin to think that it is a scam orchestrated by "Mr. Smith" for some nefarious purpose. It turns out that all the clues they are following are part of the will of billionaire Enoch Ambrose who has recently died. The ones who solve the riddle will inherit his fortune.

I liked the tour of Chicago that this book takes us on. The places mentioned are all real and all sound intriguing. I liked how the kids all worked together once they realized that the scholarship deal was a scam.

This was a fun middle grade mystery/treasure hunt.

[Amy Layton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is certainly a book for fans of Raskin's The Westing Game.  Filled with distinct personalities and backgrounds, clues, and deceits, The Ambrose Deception makes for a thrilling and intelligent read.  

Of the three students chosen to participate in this scholarship, neither one is a student that their schools would recommend for such a riveting and important challenge.  As the three youngsters learn about each other and try to solve clues in the middle of Chicago, however, they realize that there might be something bigger happening behind the scenes.  

This book was fast-paced and just so fun.  I had a great time trying to solve the clues and trying to understand just what was happening behind the scenes.  Overall, super enjoyable, and great for the reader who loves mysteries and reading about odd situations that forces people to become friends.  

Review cross-listed here!

[Clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Mysterious Benedict Society meets Tuesday Mooney Talks to Ghosts (though, to be fair, the latter was released after this was). This was fun and had great characters, but they absolutely picked the wrong title - the kids don't figure out that the Ambrose family has anything to do with this until nearly 200 pages in, so I spent most of the book waiting for them to get to that point. I'm keeping this at four stars rather than going down to three because I think a younger reader wouldn't mind that as much, and it was really my only major complaint.

[Jeannie · Rating 5 out of 5]

We have been here before in similar stories like the Westing Game. This time 3 unlikely students are chosen to help solve riddles in order to win a scholarship. We have Melissa who lives with her grandmother on a shoe string, not wanting to be noticed; Wilf who doesn’t seem to take the challenge seriously; and Bondi who is driven to win. Each is given a different set of seemingly impossible clues. While Wilf wastes time, the other two search in earnest and come up with a strange twist. It’s not really about the scholarship! Now the three unite and have a real mission to solve the puzzle. This is a great character driven book, not just the students, but also the adults. Very clever.

[Rachel Stine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m labeling this as a spoiler but it’s only a spoiler if you’ve read the book I’m comparing it too. The Ambrose Deception is a modern retelling of The Westing Game and I *loved* this so much more than the original. Although the only black characters are a tad white-washed, it’s far better than the offensive portrayal of Asians in TWG. So that was nice. The mystery and the clues were completely obvious to me as an adult and a lover of mystery fiction but I think it’s a good level for the kids. Also, as a Chicagoan, I enjoyed seeing the characters explore my city.

[Zayda Love (Babybibliophile) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ambrose Deception by Emily Ecton is like absolutely nothing else I have ever read! Unique and well laid out at the same time; this story was told from multiple points of view. I was locked onto the story immediately. Readers who love mystery, clue-solving, and scavenger hunts, will be captivated by the very first page! Are you prepared to be entranced by this book? Well then brace yourself for a hidden twist that will completely catch you off guard! I never saw it coming! This book will be on shelves February 13, 2018!

[Boxofdelights · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like The Westing Game. Clues to interesting bits of Chicago's history and architecture lead three middle-school students, selected for their sneakiness, to a fortune.

[Christine Hwang · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like clues, puzzles, and scavenger hunts, read this book! The story is a riveting ride with suspense and mystery. I couldn't put this book down! But when I had to, it was really easy to pick up again. Also, read this book if you live near Chicago!

[E H · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Ambrose Deception is fun read for Chicago locals and for young readers. Each clue and mystery is embedded in Chicago’s history and landmarks. This was a great choice for the 2020 Bluestem nominations!

[Monica Edinger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this great fun. For kids who enjoy puzzle stories along the lines of Book Scavenger et al.

[Chris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mystery with a twist.

[The · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book.

[Amanda Nichol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book! The cast of characters is diverse and their viewpoints were all entertaining. I found myself unable to put the book down because I wanted to solve all the clues!

[Megan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so much fun and I loved all of the kids and their drivers! I really didn’t expect Enoch Ambrose to be alive in the end. That was a fun twist!

[Emily Carlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great puzzle of a story, taking you all around Chicago, IL. I enjoyed this one!