REVIEW The World-Famous Nine by Ben Guterson

The World-Famous Nine by Ben Guterson
Rating: 3.5 Stars (~ 4 Stars)
Release Date: January 30, 2024
Format: Hardcover (ARC, Courtesy of the Publisher)
Publisher: Christy Ottaviano Books 

Ben Guterson’s The World-Famous Nine was a fun middle-grade mystery read. A little slow at the start, but once readers got into the thick of things it was very engaging and interesting. I loved all of the riddles and puzzles that there were to solve while reading. And while the answers to the mystery at the end of the book were a bit predictable (for an adult), I think it would be perfect for its intended audience. 

The Nine is a super cool location. Held by Zander’s family since its inception, there’s a lot of cool components to the structure. For example, there’s the shopping emporiums, a 360 restaurant, a candy store, and even a tube room (where things can be sent from one level to another). Given that this was Zander’s first time spending any extended period at The Nine, it was fun to get to explore and learn about the history right along with him. 

Zander and Natasha are the undisputed main characters of the story. All of the adults serve in more side character roles. It was a very Scooby-Doo esque mystery, but I think that was part of the fub. I enjoyed the curiosity Natasha and Zander showed, as well as the cheesy riddles and puzzles that were integral to solving the mystery. Definitely easier to read it visually then listen to it for solving purposes, though. 

Overall, The World-Famous Nine was a very fun read. Elise Arsenault did a great job with their performance in the audiobook narration. If you want a book that’s Mr. Magorium’s Wonder Emporium or Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets mystery, this would be a great choice. I highly recommend checking out the print version of the book as Kristina Kister’s illustrations help add another layer of fun to the story. There’s even a character gallery included at the back of the book too.