Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery written by Ally Carter and reviewed by Klaudia Janek

Summary: April is back with her four fellow orphans—Sadie, Violet, Colin, and Tim.  It's a few weeks after the first book and they are living at the sprawling Winterborne House under the care of reclusive billionaire Gabriel Winterborne. Secretly, Gabriel is the Sentinel, a sword-wielding vigilante whose hidden chamber and legacy of crime-fighting fascinate the children. When caretakers leave and a social worker arrives, supervision unravels; Gabriel’s sudden disappearance leaves the household vulnerable. A masked intruder in Sentinel costume attacks, secrets surface, and April leads the squad on a dangerous hunt to find Gabriel and protect their found family. Along the way, April confronts unsettling truths about her birth parents and wrestles with deep fears of abandonment. The group navigates break-ins, chases, injuries, and betrayals while piecing together decades-old mysteries tied to the Winterborne legacy. Tension escalates through twists, revelations, and emotional reckoning as April discovers that loyalty, chosen family, and courage may matter more than blood. Action-packed and emotionally charged, the sequel deepens character relationships while expanding the series’ mysteries.

Straight Talk for Librarians: This is a series where you definitely have to read the first book.  As soon as I finished the first one, I dove into this one.  There were so many twists and turns in this continuation, along with a few new characters.  The characters are quirky -- Gabriel's grumpiness will make readers laugh out loud.  There are quite a few dangerous situations, which will get your heart pumping.  The kids work to unravel the Winterborne family mystery.  April learns about her birth parents (crazy twists) and the bonds between this found family keeps growing.  It does not seem like there is a 3rd book in this series.  I think the ending is resolved, but with some possibility for a future book???

This title supports curricular and social-emotional goals: it encourages critical thinking (solving clues), ethical reflection (right vs. wrong in vigilantism), and empathy for children in care. Its accessible middle-grade voice and fast pacing engage reluctant readers and foster sustained reading stamina. The book connects to several IB Learner Profile attributes: Inquirers: characters investigate mysteries and ask questions. Thinkers: the children analyze clues and plan rescues. Caring: the found-family theme models compassion and responsibility for others.  I think it's a great choice for middle school library collections.  There are some content notes about themes of abandonment, injury and depictions of violence so we can guide some sensitive readers.  Overall, super fun!