The Westing Game by: Ellen Raskin (5)

After Barney Northrup selects several tenants to live at Sunset Towers, next to Westing’s house, things start to get weird. When thirteen year old Turtle Wexler is dared to go into the Westing house on Halloween, she finds a dead body, it must be Westing! The next morning, heirs of Sam Westing (most being from sunset towers; 3 are not) are all invited to hear his will. They find out they are all involved in a dangerous game to find the murderer of Sam Westing and are put in pairs. Each pair gets a set of clues. Plus, the murderer is one of the heirs. The winner (the pair who figures out the murderer) wins Westing’s estate. Throughout the game people find out who the other heirs really are. One is a bomber, another, a thief, and one, a bookie.

The Fighting Ground by: Avi (4)

When thirteen year old Jonathan hears the tavern bell, he runs along and joins the soldiers. He thinks he is ready to fight the British. But, when actually encountering Hessians - fear overcomes him and he surrenders. So, they spare his life, but, they do capture him. They hold him captive in a now, abandoned house. The next day his fellow soldiers find him and kill the Hessians. Jonathan is happy to be back home. He is also happy to be alive after a near death situation.