Review: Treasure "Liked The Riddles And...The Mystery Was Challenging"

Book review: The Treasure of Alpheus Winterborn

Anthony Monday is a boy who works at the library for Miss Eells. One day he finds some clues to a mysterious treasure, which are a poem and a gold coin. Anthony believes the poem contains a riddle which tells where a great treasure is. Because of his father's poor health, his family is always worried about money, so Anthony is determined to find the treasure. Miss Eells thinks the treasure hunt is a wild goose chase since Alpheus Winterborn was a crazy practical joker.

Anthony finds more clues and solves the puzzle, but he has to beat Mr. Philpotts, the greedy, rich bank vice-president and nephew of Alpheus Winterborn. He knows about the treasure and is trying to get it. Anthony goes to search for the treasure during a flood, but he has to rescue Miss Eells and get the treasure in time.

One thing about John Bellairs' books is there is usually a friendship between a lonely adult and a child who doesn't have many other young friends, like Mrs. Zimmermann and Lewis Barnevelt and Professor Childermass and Johnny Dixon in Bellairs' other series. Another good part of the book is the pictures by Judith Gwyn Brown. These help you feel what the characters are feeling and figure out what is going on.

I liked the riddles and thought the mystery was challenging. Although I like the Lewis Barnevelt and Johnny Dixon / Professor Childermass books a little better, I want to read more Anthony Monday mysteries and I'm glad they are being published again.

Jennifer Goheen
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