The Ambrose Deception

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.

"A rollicking adventure, a Westing Game-style mystery, and a heartwarming reminder that anyone can be greater than the sum of their parts."
Booklist

"A puzzle novel with heart, "The Ambrose Deception" harks back to Raskin's "The Westing Game" and Balliet's "Chasing Vermeer" in its devious complexity, but with intriguing contemporary-world connections and a few unique twists of its own."
The Horn Book