I read the first book in The Mysterious Benedict Society series by Trenton Lee Stewart over the last few months. I liked it strongly. 

The story takes place in Stonetown during what seems to be the 60’s, though the time period is never discussed. The reader follows the main protagonist, Reynie Muldoon, an extremely smart orphan. Reynie discovers a newspaper ad that reads: “Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?”. Reynie and many other children see this ad and follow its directions. The children then endure many difficult tests. 

Once finished, Reynie meets the other children who passed: George “Sticky” Washington, Kate Weatherall, and Constance Contraire. They are informed that they now must embark on a dangerous mission to “The Learning Institute for Verita and Enlightenment” to defeat the evil Mr. Curtain.

Overall, I loved this book. There are many twists and turns, so it’s difficult not to spoil the book. Mainly, this book is enjoyable because you can solve the mystery while you read it. It was fun to put down the book and think about how the characters could get out of the situation they were in. 

If you enjoy solving mysteries, friendships, and adventures, then I recommend this book.