The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
A stunning collaboration between award-winning and bestselling authors Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin, this middle grade historical adventure follows two siblings at Bletchley Park, the home of WWII codebreakers, as they try to unravel a mystery surrounding their mother’s death.
Remember, you are bound by the Official Secrets Act…
Summer, 1940. Nineteen-year-old Jakob Novis and his quirky younger sister Lizzie share a love of riddles and puzzles. And now they’re living inside of one. The quarrelsome siblings find themselves amidst one of the greatest secrets of World War II-Britain’s eccentric codebreaking factory at Bletchley Park. As Jakob joins Bletchley’s top minds to crack the Nazi's Enigma cipher, fourteen-year-old Lizzie embarks on a mission to solve the mysterious disappearance of their mother.
The Battle of Britain rages and Hitler’s invasion creeps closer. And at the same time, baffling messages and codes arrive on their doorstep while a menacing inspector lurks outside the gates of the Bletchley mansion. Are the messages truly for them, or are they a trap? Could the riddles of Enigma and their mother's disappearance be somehow connected? Jakob and Lizzie must find a way to work together as they race to decipher clues which unravel a shocking puzzle that presents the ultimate challenge: How long must a secret be kept?
I'm a big fan of Ruta's work but have not read anything by Steve. This is Steve's first work of fiction. Even thought they write different genres they both like to do a lot of research, and those historical details really made the story come alive.
This wonderful collaboration was prompted by a question asked at a panel. Which author would you like to work with? Then Ruta and Steve looked at each other.
I did attend a talk and author signing at Books of Wonder on October 8, 2024. I took this video, which I think people would enjoy, so please watch it.
After seeing them interact at the event and after reading the book I think anyone can tell they worked well together. Ruta wrote for Lizzie and Steve wrote for Jakob and it was a harmonious story and did not feel like two different books.
I really enjoyed this story. There was adventure, nervous suspense, humor, and a cute crush story. It also made you think, although I couldn't figure out Nigel's riddle ([Spoiler (click to open)]it was a hedge maze, not a cemetery) and I thought [Spoiler (click to open)]the Polish mathematicians were Willa's in-laws. I wouldn't make it as a codebreaker in Bletchley Park but I would have made a great librarian.
The secretive and untrusting atmosphere [Spoiler (click to open)]between Jakob and Lizzie, and Jakob and Nigel also reminded me of Ruta's book I Must Betray You.
My only critique is that I would have liked to read an epilogue [Spoiler (click to open)]where we get to see Jakob and Lizzie reunite with their mom for good post-war.
4 out of 5 Code Breakers.
Memorable quotes:
Page 56 - Goodness, the crooked stairway is a musical scale of a most unfortunate melody.
Page 60-61 - But the man's a genius. People use that word as a synonym for great intelligence, but that's not what I mean. Speak with very intelligent people and you may be impressed; you may even be amazed. But you can follow their train of thought. You can see where their ideas came from.
It's not that way with a genius. It's not that way with Turning.
Page 287 - At the time, her advice seemed silly, as I couldn't imagine anything that might keep me from acting at my own discretion. But the past months have shown that circumstances can be the thief of choice.
Page 294 - "That story's not in any history book," he says. "Nor will it be-not for decades, in any case. Not till long after I'm gone."
Page 303 - I flop back onto the straw. "Goodness, codebreaking is positively exhausting."
Page 330 (This quote wins the book.) - Passengers squint through the open window towards the sky. And suddenly, I'm angry, ready to call the Germans' bluff. They're manipulating the whole of Britain through threats and propaganda. They're not going to bomb us. They don't need to. They're controlling us through our own fear.
Page 336 - I turn in a slow circle.
The sky is blue, but the city is the color of war.
Page 362 - Kids play in the street, shouting with excitement. A confusing sight on such a somber morning. Until I see it.
An airplane.
As Ruta and Steve signed my copy, Ruta thanked me for my question (48:50 mark) and asked me if I'm currently collaborating with anyone on a writing project. I said my sister and I once wrote a fan fiction story together and Ruta thought that was great.
I asked Steve what did Alan Turing live on if he buried all of his savings? Steve thought that was a good question and we concluded he must have been living off what Great Britain paid him for his work at Bletchley Park. I thanked them for a great talk and I got a photo with them.
A stunning collaboration between award-winning and bestselling authors Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin, this middle grade historical adventure follows two siblings at Bletchley Park, the home of WWII codebreakers, as they try to unravel a mystery surrounding their mother’s death.
Remember, you are bound by the Official Secrets Act…
Summer, 1940. Nineteen-year-old Jakob Novis and his quirky younger sister Lizzie share a love of riddles and puzzles. And now they’re living inside of one. The quarrelsome siblings find themselves amidst one of the greatest secrets of World War II-Britain’s eccentric codebreaking factory at Bletchley Park. As Jakob joins Bletchley’s top minds to crack the Nazi's Enigma cipher, fourteen-year-old Lizzie embarks on a mission to solve the mysterious disappearance of their mother.
The Battle of Britain rages and Hitler’s invasion creeps closer. And at the same time, baffling messages and codes arrive on their doorstep while a menacing inspector lurks outside the gates of the Bletchley mansion. Are the messages truly for them, or are they a trap? Could the riddles of Enigma and their mother's disappearance be somehow connected? Jakob and Lizzie must find a way to work together as they race to decipher clues which unravel a shocking puzzle that presents the ultimate challenge: How long must a secret be kept?
I'm a big fan of Ruta's work but have not read anything by Steve. This is Steve's first work of fiction. Even thought they write different genres they both like to do a lot of research, and those historical details really made the story come alive.
This wonderful collaboration was prompted by a question asked at a panel. Which author would you like to work with? Then Ruta and Steve looked at each other.
I did attend a talk and author signing at Books of Wonder on October 8, 2024. I took this video, which I think people would enjoy, so please watch it.
Click to viewAfter seeing them interact at the event and after reading the book I think anyone can tell they worked well together. Ruta wrote for Lizzie and Steve wrote for Jakob and it was a harmonious story and did not feel like two different books.
I really enjoyed this story. There was adventure, nervous suspense, humor, and a cute crush story. It also made you think, although I couldn't figure out Nigel's riddle ([Spoiler (click to open)]it was a hedge maze, not a cemetery) and I thought [Spoiler (click to open)]the Polish mathematicians were Willa's in-laws. I wouldn't make it as a codebreaker in Bletchley Park but I would have made a great librarian.
The secretive and untrusting atmosphere [Spoiler (click to open)]between Jakob and Lizzie, and Jakob and Nigel also reminded me of Ruta's book I Must Betray You.
My only critique is that I would have liked to read an epilogue [Spoiler (click to open)]where we get to see Jakob and Lizzie reunite with their mom for good post-war.
4 out of 5 Code Breakers.
Memorable quotes:
Page 56 - Goodness, the crooked stairway is a musical scale of a most unfortunate melody.
Page 60-61 - But the man's a genius. People use that word as a synonym for great intelligence, but that's not what I mean. Speak with very intelligent people and you may be impressed; you may even be amazed. But you can follow their train of thought. You can see where their ideas came from.
It's not that way with a genius. It's not that way with Turning.
Page 287 - At the time, her advice seemed silly, as I couldn't imagine anything that might keep me from acting at my own discretion. But the past months have shown that circumstances can be the thief of choice.
Page 294 - "That story's not in any history book," he says. "Nor will it be-not for decades, in any case. Not till long after I'm gone."
Page 303 - I flop back onto the straw. "Goodness, codebreaking is positively exhausting."
Page 330 (This quote wins the book.) - Passengers squint through the open window towards the sky. And suddenly, I'm angry, ready to call the Germans' bluff. They're manipulating the whole of Britain through threats and propaganda. They're not going to bomb us. They don't need to. They're controlling us through our own fear.
Page 336 - I turn in a slow circle.
The sky is blue, but the city is the color of war.
Page 362 - Kids play in the street, shouting with excitement. A confusing sight on such a somber morning. Until I see it.
An airplane.
As Ruta and Steve signed my copy, Ruta thanked me for my question (48:50 mark) and asked me if I'm currently collaborating with anyone on a writing project. I said my sister and I once wrote a fan fiction story together and Ruta thought that was great.
I asked Steve what did Alan Turing live on if he buried all of his savings? Steve thought that was a good question and we concluded he must have been living off what Great Britain paid him for his work at Bletchley Park. I thanked them for a great talk and I got a photo with them.
