Winterhouse by Ben Guterson

Elizabeth Sommers is an orphan who lives with an uncaring and lazy aunt and uncle.  She is totally surprised when they tell her she will be going to a posh resort called Winterhouse for Christmas while they go on a separate vacation.  At Winterhouse she soon finds a friend, Freddy, who shares her love for puzzles and word games.  She explores the resort's vast library and finds a book that is more than it seems.  Soon she and Freddy are caught up in a dangerous mystery that promised to shine a light on the past, but that puts everyone and everything at Winterhouse in peril.

This is a fun middle grade thriller to read at Christmas.  Elizabeth and Freddy are charming word nerds and young readers will enjoy the word games the two are forever playing.  The plot is a bit predictable, but the setting is a lot of fun.  This book has a satisfying ending, but is clearly the first in a series. The second came out in October and the last is scheduled to be released on December 31st. I am not sure if I will read more or not.  The summary of the second book sounds pretty much like the same plot as the first book.  The second one is also set over Christmas break, so maybe I will read it next December (2018, 400 p.)