The Bletchley Riddle was the pleasant surprise I had hoped for. I love books about Bletchley Park, and this middle-grade historical fiction provided a great story with plenty of details (Alan Turing and explanations of the Enigma Machine) that were interesting and educational. The story is told in short chapters, alternating between brother and sister Jakob and Lizzie at Bletchley Park during World War II. Jakob is hard at work trying to decipher German codes and Lizzie is an observant messenger at Bletchley. They are unsure of whether their mother is alive or dead so that part of the novel provides a personal storyline. I learned some things about Polish codebreakers that I was unaware of and thought this intriguing novel was worthy of 3.5 stars rounded up.

Thank you to Penguin Young Readers Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of the book. It will be published on October 8, 2024.

I could have stayed up all night reading this one but I started early enough in the day I didn't have too. It was absolutely delightful getting to hear from Jakob and Lizzie, two siblings, who find themselves entrenched in World War 2 mystery and their own personal family mystery. Even knowing the ending I would read it again. Definitely a book I will share with others.

This was a fun WW2 historical fiction that will appeal to a wide audience. The characters are bright and interesting, the historical accuracy is good (& so appreciated the authors note with more info on that), and the plot kept my attention. There were some moments that felt overly obvious or even a bit silly, but that was to me - an adult - and this book is written for a younger audience. I wouldn’t hesitate to give it to my children to read, in fact I cannot wait for it to be published so my son can! The characters felt and reacted in real ways and while I couldn’t necessarily relate to them, I appreciated them none the less. I would recommend this book!

✨I have read every book Ruta Sepetys has written and loved them all. She writes historical fiction for a middle grade audience in such a way that appeals to my adult sensibilities as well. This was no exception.

✨I loved the characters, the setting and the unfolding narrative of plucky Lizzie and her practical, no-nonsense brother Jakob.

✨The air of mystery as the siblings worked to determine the fate of their mother worked well with the secretive nature of the work being done at Bletchley Park.

✨I haven’t read anything by Steve Sheinkin before, but I will be checking out his work as well. The writing here was seamless, and I couldn’t tell who was writing which sections – as it should be.

🌿Read if you like:
✨Middle grade novels
✨Historical fiction
✨British WWII home front settings
✨Codebreaker stories
✨Bletchley Park narratives
✨Sibling dynamics

Loved this book! Thank you so much! I've already known quite a bit about Bletchley and Turing etc., from preview books and of course the movie but really enjoyed this story being told by the two siblings and wonderful characters they were! Would love a sequel!!! Yes, it's a YA and I'm far from being a young adult, but I still enjoyed, very much, the story and actually disappointed when the book ended. I've read other titles by Ruta Sepetys before and this title did not disappoint.
Just posted on Good Reads and would have on Amazon but cannot post yet - not published yet I assume.
I've already known quite a bit about Bletchley and Turing etc., from preview books and of course the movie but really enjoyed this story being told by the two siblings and wonderful characters they were! Would love a sequel!!! Yes, it's a YA and I'm far from being a young adult, but I still enjoyed, very much, the story and actually disappointed when the book ended. I've read other titles by Ruta Sepetys before and this title did not disappoint.
That you to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this.

I have read and watched many things on Bletchley, but this was by far the most fun. Jakob and his sister Lizzie are very different, and yet very alike, both drawn to puzzles and conundrums, and tireless in their pursuit of them. Early in the War, Jakob is working in strict security at Bletchley trying to decipher the German Enigma codes, while Lizzie is fearless in her pursuit of her missing, presumed dead mother who disappeared in Poland assisting in the evacuation of the American Embassy. Lizzie is sure her mother is alive and looking for clues as to what really happened, while Jakob, in his grief, wants only to work and do his bit to stop the war. The two are brilliant, clashing characters, and Lizzie is an incredible force of nature, an absolutely irresistible creation. And the two are surrounded not only by war, but secrets abound, mysterious codes, scraps of newspaper and letters, a MI5 agent sure their mother was a spy, and a grandmother in America doing everything in her immense power to drag Lizzie to Cleveland, kicking and screaming (Lizzie has other plans). It is very exciting with wonderful strokes of humor. Secondary characters are vivid and well-drawn, and historical characters are equally well done. Alan Turing is especially colorful. And this has some of the clearest, easily understandable explanations of ciphers and the workings of the Enigma machine I have ever read. Eureka moments abound. This was just a fabulous read! Highly, highly recommended.

I thoroughly enjoyed this middle grade historical fiction set in Bletchley Park during World War II. Bletchley Park was the center of code breaking during the war and there were many details that were consistent with the events of this time. I appreciated the historical note at the end of the book that confirmed details that are true. I did learn some new things about the code breaking and history of this place.
The book alternated between two points of view- the siblings, Jakob, and Lizzie. In the beginning I found it a bit confusing and hard to connect, but as the book went on, I liked the two points of view and how the two characters saw things.
This book is also a bit of a detective novel as there is puzzles that the characters solve, but then a larger puzzle that is tied up with their mother. It was well done.
Thanks to Net Galley and Penguin Group for this advanced reader copy. The review is my own.

“There’s something so deeply satisfying about the hushed sharing of information.”

I think this dynamic duo needs no introduction but if your not familiar with Ruta Sepetys & Steve Sheinkin your in for a treat with their latest middle grade historical fiction collaboration…

“All interesting people are strange, don’t you think?”

Follow Jakob and Lizzie… brother and sister as they navigate their day to day on Bletchley Park during WWII.

“Perfection? But perfection is boring and forgettable. It’s the imperfection that I find interesting.”

This book is full of adventure… codes… mystery and tons of historical information that, me an adult was in complete awe by!

“The sky is blue, but the city is the color of war.”

The descriptions of time and place were beautifully written and the band of characters are ones I won’t forget… I’m very curious and crossing my fingers that we will get to revisit Lizzie and Jakob because I feel like there is more to be said!

“Friends are like family. And sometimes the families we build are just as strong as those we’re born into.”

Thank you Penguin Kids
Releases 10/8

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Thanks to NetGalley for a preview copy of this wonderful novel.
I have been a fan of both authors. In fact, Steve Sheinkin is just about the only nonfiction I read! So, I was thrilled to hear of this collaboration and of Steve's first foray into historical fiction.

The novel tells the story of two siblings - Jakob and Lizzie - who through a set of circumstances both end up in Bletchley in the early days of WWII. Jakob has been hired at The Park to be a code breaker, and Lizzie just will not hear of decamping to Cleveland with their overbearing grandmother - especially when Lizzie refuses to believe that their mother has died in Poland.

What follows is a tale told in two voices - cerebral, quiet Jakob and brilliant but bold Lizzie. The two authors give each narrator a unique voice that blend to give a cohesive narrative. The story has many facets - a family story of siblings forced into a scary and exciting new life, a friendship story as they find a community at The Park and the local pub, a STEM story with just the right amount of detail about the Enigma machines and codebreaking, and a rollicking adventure as the two work to break codes of their own and find their mother. The authors balance the seriousness of the time with the warmth of the relationships making for a compelling story.

And the story just flies. Sheinkin's briskness from his nonfiction work is here in this novel. It is listed at 400 pages, but it reads far shorter than that. I'll be interested to see the actual page count when the hardcopy book arrives.

A middle grade novel about teenage siblings who work at Bletchley Park, a covert code breaking organization during WWII.

Really enjoyed this historical fiction! I was surprised how seamlessly this book flowed considering it was co-authored.

I'm a big fan of Sepetys's young adult novels and think that's where her true magic lies. However, this is perfect for younger readers who are interested in historic. Age appropriate. Clean content.

i loved this so much! i'm not used to reading middle grade, but i was drawn in almost immediately—especially with lizzie's first chapter. i loved how different the chapter voices were, yet how you could feel the emotions through the characters in ways that might be unexpected. i also loved how much we — especially the middle grade reader — could learn from this book, and how it was done in a unique way. i also loved the twist and turn storyline that never made my attention waver. however, i did find it a bit difficult to connect with lizzie — her voice was my favourite, but jakob's chapters stood out to me a bit more. all in all, i really did enjoy this and would recommend it to its target readers!

This is somewhat light and educational historical mystery that takes place in Bletchley Park during WWII. It was quite easy to read, the characters were charming, and I learned many new things about Bletchley that I did not know. I find cryptography fascinating, and I learned a few new ways to code information that I was unaware of prior to reading this book. I enjoyed this read, and I recommend it to anyone who is interested in historical mysteries from this era. My sincere thanks to the Penguin Publishing Group and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this novel.

What a brilliant, mind-bending middle grade novel! The Bletchley Riddle by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin launches readers on a thrilling mystery adventure based on the true history of Bletchley Park, England’s top-secret center for World War II codebreaking. And the Park isn’t the only secret of the book.

Siblings Jakob and Lizzie keep secrets from each other. Everyone working at the Park must sign the Official Secrets Act. And the government seems to be keeping a secret about the disappearance of Jakob’s and Lizzie’s mum. But they refuse to believe their mum died while helping the American Embassy evacuate Warsaw when Hitler invaded Poland. And they refuse to believe she was helping the enemy. So they solve riddles and search for clues.

Readers will delight in the many puzzles and brainteasers, as well as the characters’ sleuthing and daredevilry.

In addition to featuring some of the real-life code breakers from Bletchley Park like Alan Turing and Dilly Knox, this book immerses the reader in the Battle of Britain – a time when every loyal citizen played their part to prepare for war, when MI5 and MI6 searched for Nazi sympathizers among British citizens, and everyone’s loyalties were questioned.

While written for middle grade readers, The Bletchley Riddle will intrigue older audiences as well … even much older, like this reader who loved it and didn’t want it to end. I hope for a sequel. Soon.

I highly recommend this novel to readers!

Thank you to Penguin Group and NetGalley for granting my ARC request.

The powerhouse of Sepetys and Shenkin come together in this gripping mystery set in Bletchley Park. Or rather, two mysteries...

Siblings Jakob and Lizzie are young employees of the cryptography center. Their mother, an embassy employer, is MIA in Poland, which Lizzie is in deep denial over. Meanwhile, Jakob is trying to break the code of the Enigma translator alongside of Alan Turing and the other great cryptographers.

The mysteries are engaging, and the details are so immersive in the period. The authors introduce basic cryptography, perfect for younger readers getting an intro to the topic.

High praise for this book. I hope it's a series! Definitely recommend for middle school library acquisition.

4.75 stars

"The Bletchley Riddle" surpassed my expectations. I thought it would be a fun middle grade read with a historical setting, but I was amazed how many facts the authors managed to cram in without making it noticeable. The characters were believable, and the additional family threat added some light tension. There was no sacrifice of plot for historical accuracy either, and I was glad to see the short summary at the end confirming the history. My only complaint is that the chapters switching between Lizzie and Jakob's viewpoints were so short that I was constantly having to adapt... but then, I'm not an 11yo either.

This was my first book from both of the authors and i really loved the result!
They are such an amazing duo and this story meant so much to me! I found myself loving everysingle scenario and characther in this book.
I couldn't recommend it more and both of these authors are now on my radar!!

This was a great collab by two awesome authors! The mystery and puzzles provided a twist and turn story about two siblings caught up in the code breaking world of WW2. The main characters were solid and lived the fact that the story was told on each of their pov's. The history and photos weaved throughout were also excellent.

Ruta Sepetys is an autobuy author for me, so when I found out she was writing a middle-grade novel about Bletchley, I knew I had to read it. And I am glad to say it did not disappoint. Despite the many characters, Sepetys' storytelling makes it easy to follow. This novel is my first introduction to her co-author, Steve Sheinkin, and I'm anxious to give his other works a try. I loved the story of two siblings working together to solve the mystery of the mysterious disappearance of their mother and Lizzie being the one who was never willing to believe that she was dead despite all reports. The historical elements, especially the real-life codebreakers and WW2 stories, added a layer of intrigue. I found myself setting the book down to research more about the Enigma and Alan Turing all along the way. The authors do a great job of incorporating the process of code breaking, but because of those complexities, I recommend this book for the older middle-grade audience. Younger middle grade readers may find themselves confused by these parts of the book.

All the things that a middle-grade mystery should be: clues to unravel, dangerous encounters, and young people working together. Add to that historical details (Turing hiding and losing his silver bars, the Polish code breakers escaping from Poland, and the resignation of Ambassador Joseph Kennedy) that are integrated seamlessly into the story and you have a story that will appeal to both adventure lovers and historical fiction fans. Pair with Rebecca Barone's Unbreakable or Candace Fleming's Enigma Girls.

Book:
The Bletchley Riddle

Review:
4⭐
I don't generally gravitate toward historical fiction, but something about this novel screamed at me. I was pulled in from the first page, and it seemed all I could do was read and read. I just had to know everything: the point of the title, if Willa was alive, whether Lizzie and Jakob would survive the war. This book was riveting in a way that I can't describe. I found myself rooting for the multitude of characters as they went on their journey.
THE BLETCHLEY RIDDLE is a dual point of view novel that takes place during World Ward II. It follows Lizzie and her brother as they navigate the world as it was, as well as try to find their mother.
I thought this book was interesting. THE BLETCHLEY RIDDLE was so full of mystery as well as themes that are complicated, but very much a part of history. It actually inspired by a secret code breaking center uses during World War II, which I found intriguing.

What I Liked About It:
*the mystery