Winterborne Home for Vengeance and Valor

January 6, 2020
In this entertaining adventure reminiscent of Annie, five precocious foster siblings discover secrets in their sprawling new home. April, 12, has been in the foster system ever since her mother abandoned her with nothing but an ornate key and promise of her return. When the key turns out to bear the crest of the fabulously wealthy Winterborne family—whose sole heir, Gabriel, vanished a decade prior after his family was killed—April sneaks into the family’s just-opened museum exhibit, intent on finding what it might unlock. She accidentally sets the exhibit aflame, and when she awakens in the hospital, April and several other children, including genius Sadie, who is black, and Londoner con artist Colin, are brought to Winterborne House as an effort to turn it into a group home. Once there, April discovers that Gabriel is alive, hiding in the mansion’s secret passages, and has a good reason for remaining hidden for so long—someone’s fiendish plan, which the children must help him thwart. In her middle grade debut, Carter (Not If I Save You First) offers up mystery, intrigue, and swashbuckling action in a rollicking story of long-lost secrets and found family. Ages 10–12. Agent: Kristin Nelson, Nelson Literary Agency.

January 1, 2020
Ten years ago, Gabriel Winterborne, dramatically orphaned in childhood and heir to a vast fortune, mysteriously vanished; the five parentless children now living at Winterborne House may hold keys to his disappearance. After accidentally setting a museum exhibit on fire, April, foundling, foster child, and group-home veteran, is rescued and hospitalized. She accepts an invitation from Isabella "Izzy" Nelson, Winterborne Foundation director, to live at Winterborne House--for now. (April's mother had left a note--plus an ornate key--with infant April, promising to return for her.) Fellow child recruits include Violet, a timid artist; Tim, Violet's foster brother and protector; and, already ensconced in the enormous mansion poised at cliff's edge above the ocean, Sadie, an imaginative inventor; and Colin, a former Londoner with street smarts. All are under the care of Smithers, the Winterborne butler, and Izzy. Living in a smaller mansion nearby is Evert Winterborne, Gabriel's uncle, who's offered a reward for news of Gabriel. On a dark and stormy night, the girls awaken to a knife-wielding presence who steals April's key. Mysteries mount rapidly: Who, or what, is the Phantom that so terrifies Violet? What caused Izzy's antipathy to Gabriel? Among this likable bunch (race varied but unspecified, though April presents white on the cover), deadpan April's a standout. If the corkscrew plot's occasionally far-fetched, it's fast moving and surprise-filled, guaranteed to have readers racing on to the next deliciously gothic complication. An entertaining adventure with villains, heroes, and tantalizing mysteries galore. (Fiction. 8-12)

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Starred review from February 1, 2020

Gr 4-6-Whenever one mystery is solved, it usually unearths countless more questions, like a ball of yarn slowly unraveling but filled with knots. April, an independent and scrappy orphan, is whisked away to gloomy and ostentatious Winterborne Home after her involvement with a fire. Questions abound as April is warmly welcomed into the colossal yet grim mansion whose family namesake, Gabriel Winterborne, has been missing for over a decade. April quickly realizes that the key her mother left her bears the Winterborne insignia and an unknown wanderer lurks in the shadows at night. Potential connections and even more surprises emerge as April must gather the courage to ask for help from her new acquaintances while diving headfirst into adventure and mystery. A modern thriller flavored with classic adventure, this novel is well suited for middle grade sleuths. Carter drops hints, yet her writing forces readers to create their own inferences about both the plot and the main characters. Highly descriptive writing intensifies the action, while an infusion of pop culture slang and sass keeps the text upbeat and modern. By the end, gumshoes may groan in anticipation as Carter skillfully answers some questions, yet unveils a plethora more, leaving the door wide open for further books in a potential series. VERDICT Readers will further enjoy the fast pace of this book filled with short chapters and cliff-hangers. Strongly recommended for school libraries.-Mary-Brook J. Townsend, The McGillis School, Salt Lake City

Copyright 2020 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2020
Grades 4-7 Orphaned April didn't mean to burn down the Winterborne exhibit, so she is shocked when, instead of getting in trouble, she hears from a Miss Nelson, who invites her to live at Winterborne House, home to the billionaire family beset by tragedy, including the disappearance of their heir, Gabriel. At the house, she meets four other children?Sadie, an inventor; Violet, a quiet girl; Tim, Violet's companion; and Colin, a former thief?but April is determined to learn everything she can about the Winterbornes. When she discovers Gabriel hiding in caverns beneath the mansion, she must convince him to reveal himself before the family declares him dead. New York Times best-selling Carter's middle-grade debut will excite a new generation of fans?even if they do see the bad guy coming from a mile away. The characters are likable and endearing, and the final paragraph, with its subtly shocking revelation, will leave readers demanding to know when the second book is coming. Hand this one to those who enjoy action, mystery, and kick-butt characters. HIGH-DEMAND BACKSTORY: The ever-popular Carter's middle-grade debut, supported by a seven-city author tour, is sure to draw interest.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)