The WorldFamous Nine, Ben Guterson
The WorldFamous Nine, Ben Guterson
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The World-Famous Nine

Author: Ben Guterson

Narrator: Elise Arsenault

Unabridged: 8 hr 14 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 01/30/2024


Synopsis

In this thrilling mystery from an award-winning author, Zander is determined to do whatever it takes to save his grandmother’s nineteen-story out-of-this-world department store—perfect for fans of The Swifts and The Mysterious Benedict Society.
 
Zander Olinga’s grandmother is the owner of the fabled Number Nine Plaza, the spectacular nineteen-story skyscraper. The Nine, as it’s called, has everything imaginable, including a massive Ferris wheel on its rooftop, monorail tracks suspended from its ceiling, and twenty-five glass elevators. But there’s something evil looming in the shadows, and strange accidents start befalling the guests. When Zander and his friend Natasha come across a series of inscriptions hidden throughout the walls of The Nine, they discover that the clues will lead them to a magical object which protects the store’s very existence. With the future of The Nine on the line, the pair are determined to recover the mysterious object before the luxury plaza and its many guests are destroyed. 
 
Featuring an unforgettable setting and a larger-than-life cast of characters, here’s a spellbinding mystery involving puzzles, art, and high-stakes adventure.

About Ben Guterson

Ben Guterson was born and raised in Seattle. Before working at Microsoft as a Program Manager, Ben spent a decade teaching public school on the Navajo Reservation in New Mexico and in rural Colorado. He has written features and book reviews for newspapers, magazines, and websites, as well as a nature-travel guide to the Southwest. Ben and his family live in the foothills of the Cascades east of Seattle. Winterhouse is his first book.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Bennett on September 08, 2024

I’m a moderator for the Harbor Springs festival of the book and I read all of the authors books in my panel. But out of all the books I had to read, this was my absolute favorite! At first I thought it was some weird book about superheroes or something, but it’s a fantastic middle-grade mystery. Gut......more

Goodreads review by Becky • bookmarked by becky on January 30, 2024

During the summer break, Zander Olinga spends his time with his grandmother, who's the owner of Number Nine Plaza - a magnificent 19-story skyscraper that also serves as their family's department store, The Nines. However, strange events begin to occur at The Nines, and Zander, along with his sideki......more

Goodreads review by Daniel on June 17, 2024

The World Famous Nine by Ben Guterson is a truly enchanting read! The Nine Plaza is nothing short of amazing, with its magical charm and intricate details that transport you to another world. The friendship between Zander and Natasha is beautifully portrayed, adding depth and warmth to the story. Th......more

Goodreads review by Katherine on February 10, 2024

Genre: Middle Grade Mystery Synopsis: Zander’s grandmother runs an emporium with many secrets. When Zander visits for a few weeks he tries to find a lost family artifact. This was a cute mystery story with a few riddles and some adventure. I really like the world building and the magical feel of the......more

Goodreads review by leela ⚡️ on April 09, 2024

this book was fine but below my reading level......more


Quotes

Praise for The World-Famous Nine:

"Like Hogwarts, Narnia, or Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory, the luxury department store The Nine is a place full of wonders and secrets. Add a kid with a brave heart, and this puzzly, page-turning mystery swept me away."—Elise Broach, award-winning author of Masterpiece and Duet

"A department store with doughnut machines, a Tiffany glass ceiling, and its own iceberg? A story with word puzzles, trick boxes, and a mystery as big as The Nine itself? There’s exactly one problem with The World-Famous Nine: you won’t be able to stop planning your own trip."—Cory Leonardo, author of The Simple Art of Flying

"A masterwork of original characters, tangled up in a mystery set in an otherworldly place. The World-Famous Nine reads like an instant classic."—Chris Baron, author of The Magical Imperfect, a Sydney Taylor Notable Book

"An imaginative, suspenseful story. Young readers will delight in exploring The Nine with Zander and puzzle over the cryptic messages he is determined to solve in order to save his family's legacy."—Jennifer Chambliss Bertman, New York Times bestselling author of the Book Scavenger series and Sisterhood of Sleuths

"A perfect blend of whimsy, humor, and adventure!"—R. M. Romero, author of The Dollmaker of Krakow

"Coded clues put two young sleuths on the trail of a magic mandala hidden somewhere in a huge, bustling department store…. The keys are a series of ingenious word and number clues, and Guterson provides enough hints along the way for savvy readers to decode them."—Kirkus Reviews