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''The Westing Game'' is a mystery novel written by Ellen Raskin and published by Dutton in 1978. It won the Newbery Medal recognizing the year's most distinguished contribution to American children's literature.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Newbery Medal & Honor Books, 1922–Present )〕 The story features the adventures of Sam Westing's sixteen heirs after they receive his challenge to figure out the secret of his death. ''The Westing Game'' was ranked number nine among all-time children's novels in a survey published by ''School Library Journal'' in 2012. It has been adapted as the 1997 feature film ''Get a Clue'' (also distributed as ''The Westing Game''). ==Plot== Sixteen heirs who are mysteriously chosen to live in the Sunset Towers apartment building on the shore of Lake Michigan, come together to hear the will of the self-made millionaire, Samuel W. Westing. The will takes the form of a puzzle, dividing the sixteen heirs into eight pairs, giving each pair a different set of clues which consist of almost all of the lyrics from "America the Beautiful", and challenging them to solve the mystery of who murdered Sam Westing. As an incentive, each pair is given $10,000 to play the game. Whoever solves the mystery will inherit Sam Westing's 200 million dollar fortune, and his company, Westing Paper Products. Only one pair can win. * Judge J.J Ford is a judge and is partners with Sandy McSouthers. Used to investigating crimes, her goal in the game is to find the past of every heir. She is known for distrusting everyone. She is grim and does not like partnering up because she is used to working alone. * Jake Wexler is a podiatrist. He also has a second occupation as a bookie. He loves Grace, but he also knows that she might never be happy with their life or financial situation. He is also 44 years old. He is married to Grace Wexler and is a father to Angela Wexler and "Turtle" Wexler. * Flora Baumbach is a shy 60-year-old dressmaker and a little bit of a role model to her partner, Turtle Wexler. She is told by Turtle that Turtle's real name is Alice. Her daughter, Rosalie, had Down Syndrome (though is described in the book as "a Mongoloid") and died of pneumonia. She says that Angela reminds her of Violet Westing. Her husband disappeared, and it is unknown whether he died or if there was a divorce. Flora is a kind old woman to everyone. * Tabitha-Ruth "Alice" 'Turtle' Wexler is a very intelligent 13-year-old girl, whose main feature is her single, long, dark braid. She is also known for kicking anyone in the shins if they try to pull or touch her braid. As a result of her clues from the Westing Game, she begins to play the stock market. Her real name is Tabitha-Ruth Wexler, but tells Flora that her real name is Alice. Sandy McSouthers is one of her best friends. * Dr. Denton Deere is a young medical intern, age 25. He is engaged to Angela and is very arrogant. He is extremely proud of the medical industry, and he has an obsession with giving diagnoses to almost everyone in the story. He later becomes a neurologist. * Grace Wexler is the mother of Angela and Turtle and is described as a high and mighty socialite. She is fiercely obsessed with her own image and the image of Angela. She does not act like a mother to Turtle. She claims throughout the game to be Mr. Westing's niece (which is indeed true). She purports her name as Grace Windsor Wexler, although it actually is Gracie Windkloppel Wexler. Grace wants to be an interior designer. * James Shin Hoo is a middle-aged Chinese man, owner of Shin Hoo's restaurant and former entrepreneur. He claims Mr. Westing stole his patent for the disposable diaper and appears bitter and moody for this reason. He suffers from ulcers, and he can often be seen yelling at his son, Doug, to study. * Berthe Erica Crow is a militantly religious woman who is 57 years old, tight and introverted. She works as a cleaning woman for Sunset Towers and plays a major role in Westing's plot. * Otis Amber is a 62-year-old delivery boy, who, on occasion appears in the book as a different person. * Angela Wexler is Turtle's 20-year-old sister. She is described as being fair, blond, and very pretty. She is considered the 'perfect' daughter, often getting more attention than Turtle. However, people only acknowledge her as an attractive object about to be married to Dr. Denton Deere instead of an intelligent human being. Only Turtle, Sydelle Pulaski and Judge Ford know that she is the bomber in the story (which causes Turtle to take the blame for something that she never did to protect Angela); ironically, she is the only one who sustained a serious injury (leaving a scar on her face). She is engaged to a young doctor-to-be, Denton Deere in the beginning of the story. Angela returns to medical school and reconnects with Deere years later. They eventually have one daughter together, Alice. * Alexander "Sandy" McSouthers is the Sunset Towers' doorman. He previously worked at Westing Paper Products Corporation and claims to have been fired by Sam Westing himself for attempting to organize the workers. McSouthers is notable for his knowledge of Sunset Towers' gossip. He is later revealed to be Samuel Westing, as well as Barney Northrup and Julian R. Eastman. * Sydelle Pulaski is a mysterious character, with not much known about her. She seems to have an affinity for Chris Theodorakis. * Theo Theodorakis is Chris Theodorakis' brother. He is a high school student and is friends with Doug Hoo. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「The Westing Game」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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