The Grandest Game

May 13, 2024
Sequestered contestants vie for millions in this fiendishly clever thriller, the first in a spinoff series from Barnes’s Inheritance Games saga. After a sprawling inaugural event, the second annual Grandest Game—a “mind-twisting” competition run by Tobias Hawthorne’s four grandsons and Avery Grambs, the teen who inherited the eccentric billionaire’s fortune—promises to be a more intimate affair. While cloistered on a private island, eight individuals must race against the clock—and one another—to solve increasingly elaborate puzzles. Contenders include 18-year-old Gigi, who wants to outdo her accomplished twin; 19-year-old Lyra, who needs money for college; 19-year-old Rohan, who requires cash to take over an exclusive, influential gambling club; and Hawthorne grandson Grayson, who was tricked into participating. Many players have secrets. Some have diabolical intent. All will do whatever it takes to win. Barnes’s kaleidoscopic third-person narrative rapidly cycles between Gigi, Lyra, and Rohan, amplifying tension and creating drive. Familiarity with the previous books will lend resonance to certain plot and character developments, but baffling brainteasers, flagrant flirtation, and witty repartee earn the sustained interest of readers old and new. The cast is ethnically diverse. Ages 12–up. Agent: Elizabeth Harding, Curtis Brown.