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From School Library Journal

March 1, 2024

Gr 5-8-After winning a district sailing regatta, public school student Weatherby Walker is offered a full scholarship to the Boston School, the elite private school that her late father attended. The only problem? Weatherby accidentally cheated in the race, and her family's motto is, "Walkers don't lie." Still, she decides not to tell anyone-and quickly comes to find that she's not the only student with a secret. Jack Hunt, a fellow seventh grader whose wealthy family owns the waterproofing company Hunt International, is also hiding a cheating incident, but he's from a family whose motto is, "If you can't get to the top, get to the top anyway." Paired as sailing partners, Jack and Weatherby are soon tapped as candidates for the Last Heir, a secret society. When funds for the annual class trip to Hart Isle are stolen and initiation gambits send them on an investigation, both are desperate to uncover the truth-Jack, because he fears his uncle's involvement, and Weatherby, because her dad's childhood journal details a life-changing trip to Hart Isle with a critical page missing. Told from Jack and Weatherby's alternating perspectives, this is a layered, atmospheric mystery that effectively combines prep school intrigue, environmental issues, sports competition, and explorations of class privilege. The almost otherworldly setting of Hart Isle captivates, and the ending sets up a sequel that readers will be eager to devour. Weatherby and Jack are both cued as white. VERDICT This is an Inheritance Games-style mystery perfect for middle school readers.-Elizabeth Giles

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

From Kirkus

December 15, 2023
Through lying by omission, Weatherby earns a scholarship to an elite school, where she's ready to use her position for the greater good. The Boston School is proud of its sailing team. After Weatherby Walker wins a district regatta, beating Jack Hunt, who comes from one of the Boston School's favored families, she's offered a scholarship on the condition that she sail for the school. The only problem is, Weatherby accidentally used illegal sails that offered her an advantage. She decides not to admit her mistake; she's desperate to attend Boston, her late, estranged father's alma mater--especially since someone recently anonymously mailed her father's old school journal to her. This is just the start of the mysteries and revelations to come, including ones that lay bare her family's history and connections and deceptions by powerful people, all of which threaten ecological disaster. Everyone's lying about something--and some of the lies are deadly. Last Heir, the Boston School's elite secret society, seems designed to support corruption, indoctrinating generations of students and making them complicit. The chapters alternate between Weatherby's and Jack's perspectives; they're both sympathetic characters from whom there's much to learn about friendship and trust. This first entry in a new series sets up a solid premise, with white leads Weatherby and Jack and their somewhat racially diverse schoolmates confronting a powerful system. What happens next is left to be revealed in the sequel. Absorbing intrigue with a cliffhanger ending. (Mystery. 9-13)

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From AudioFile Magazine

In this rich middle-grade mystery, narrators Nora Hunter and Pete Cross offer excellent performances that will appeal to a wide audience. Weatherby is elated when she receives a scholarship to Boston School, an exclusive private academy. But once there, she butts heads with Jack, the son of a generous alumnus. They're both selected to be candidates for the school's secret society and must solve a series of puzzles to proceed. Hunter and Cross offer unique perspectives, and listeners will experience an immersive dive into the vast world-building. The pacing of both narrators is just right, so middle-grade and possibly younger listeners can follow along. The story is filled with intrigue, thrills, and satisfying reveals. G.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine