The Winterton Deception 2: Fault Lines

Ages 8 to 12, Grades 3 to 7

A kidnapping, a clue hunt, lots of family tension, and a literary find for the ages weave together in the thrilling second book of the Winterton Deception. Perfect for fans of Knives Out, The Inheritance Games, and The Westing Game.

After the incredible events of the last official Winterton Bee, Hope and Gordon Smith have discovered that having an extended family isn’t so bad . . . and maybe their famous relatives’ lives aren’t so charmed. But Hope is still hiding a secret, and it’s a big one.

When Elizabeth Springer goes missing just before the Winterton’s big Thanksgiving celebration—their first reunion since the spelling bee—Hope knows it’s time to come clean. Her secret may be the only thing that can save Ms. Springer. But none of the Winterton clan want to hear it. Worse, they accuse Hope of making up the whole thing as an attention-grab.

Poised to give up on her new-found family, Hope gets a cryptic coded letter with instructions on how to find James Winterton—her long-estranged grandfather. Whatsmore, the letter hints that the Wintertons had more secrets than just a hidden treasure. Now Hope and Gordon face the impossible task of convincing their family to follow a shifty clue to find the man they want to see least, in order to save the woman who’s been lying to them for years.

With even more family intrigue and peppered with delicious literary what-ifs, the second installment in the middle grade The Winterton Deception series delivers another twisty, electric puzzle mystery young sleuths will eagerly devour.

About the Author

Janet Sumner Johnson is the author of both middle grade novels and picture books, including The Last Great Adventure of the PB&J Society and The Recess Genius series. Her debut picture book, Help Wanted: Must Love Books was the winner of the 2021 CLEL Bell Picture Book Award and was nominated for the Colorado and Washington Children’s Choice Book Awards. She lives in northern Utah with her husband, three kids, and a dog. When she isn’t writing, she loves eating cookies, playing the piano, and singing along with the radio at the top of her lungs. Janet secretly dreams of finding a lost treasure that would otherwise be lost to history. You can learn more about her and her books at JanetSumnerJohnson.com.

Author Residence: North Logan, UT

Author Hometown: Santa Rosa, CA