Review by Booklist Review
Reed's impressive debut reads as a fun, updated version of The Westing Game, full of family secrets, intrigue, betrayal, and a good helping of teen angst and romance. Lily Rosewood had it all, but the past year has shown her how quickly it can all be taken away. Her father is dead, her mother gone, her supposed friends have abandoned her, and she's broke. All she has left is Gram, the matriarch of the Rosewood family and head of its illustrious luxury coat brand--until she loses Gram, too. Now she has to live with her hateful cousin, and instead of an inheritance, she has a riddle that leads to three random teens, one of whom is her former best friend. The treasure-hunt thread is full of excitement and danger, but it's the motley crew's slowly building relationships that comprise the heart of the book. Financial need and the letters from Gram are what bring them together, but through their adventure, they learn that what's missing from their lives is so much more than money.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
In this gripping mystery, 17-year-old Lily Rosewood aspires to design clothes for--and eventually take over--Rosewood Inc., the luxe coat company led by generations of her forebears. When her grandmother, the company's current head, dies, the future of the property and the Rosewood fortune are in doubt. Lily, whose mother is MIA and whose father is dead, moves in with her uncle and cousin Daisy, a social media sensation whose estrangement from Lily puzzles her. Upon learning that Gram did not choose a successor ("the receiver will be determined at a later date, under privately specified circumstances," her will states), Lily and three teens--STEM-genius Caleb Johnson, self-defense expert Quinn Zhao, and Lily's former friend Leo DiVincenzi--must solve riddles left to Lily by her grandmother in hopes of winning control of Rosewood Inc. Debut author Reed presents a vividly drawn, well-paced cat-and-mouse game with intense action sequences, whip-smart dialogue, and tender moments in which Lily considers her family's legacy. Discussions and depictions of suicide are sensitively handled, and the numerous queer characters are thoughtfully portrayed. Most protagonists read as white; Quinn cues as Chinese American. Ages 13--up. (Oct.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 9 Up--Lily Rosewood is her grandmother's favorite--and has always dreamed of leading the family's fashion business. Living with Gram, she wants to learn everything she can to take over the business one day. But when Gram unexpectedly dies, Lily feels lost and confused. She is banned from her home, Gram's mansion, and her belongings are locked up along with the mansion. After Lily moves in with her uncle and cousin Daisy, she receives a note from Gram written in invisible ink, like a childhood game they used to play. One note leads to another as Lily follows a set of clues. She is surprised to find that three other teens are also joining her in the treasure hunt. Each message sends Lily, Leo, Quinn, and Caleb to a new location in town, hopefully leading them to her grandmother's fortune. However, along the way, the teens find that they have competition to find the treasure. The question is, who will find it first and inherit Gram's fortune? This fast-paced mystery is a treasure hunt that includes family betrayals, greed, diversity, and a little romance. It would appeal to old-school mystery lovers. VERDICT This mystery will grab the attention of readers from the start as it takes them along a trail of clues. An excellent addition to library collections for teens that will satisfy genre fans.--Nancy Hawkins
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Money is enough to drive a town--and a family--into a high-stakes race against time. Lily Rosewood, granddaughter of wealthy fashion tycoon Iris Rosewood, wants nothing more than to study abroad in Milan during her senior year of high school, attend the Fashion Institute of Technology, and eventually work her way up the ranks of Rosewood Inc., the luxury-coat brand that's been in the family for generations. However, Iris (or Gram as she's known to her grandchildren) decides to send Daisy, Lily's cousin and archnemesis who's also a TikTok star, to Milan instead. When tragedy strikes and Gram suddenly dies, the family learns from her mysteriously cryptic will that the recipient of the Rosewood fortune is to be determined later. Gram often communicated with Lily through clever games and riddles, and Lily realizes that the letter Gram left her with the will is a clue in itself. Lily's hunt requires the assistance of an unlikely group of teens who are willing to risk it all to find the Rosewood fortune and save the company. While genre-savvy readers may find aspects of the treasure hunt predictable, the meaningful friendships are endearing. Serious topics around mental health, included as backstory, could have benefited from deeper exploration; the thrilling hunt for the fortune takes center stage over these topics. Most characters are cued white. An exploration of chosen family packed with action and unexpected twists. (Thriller. 13-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
