The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma Paperback – October 5, 2010

What would you do if you were threatened by an evil that forced you apart from you family and your friends? Forced to be kept in a safe house surrounded by security guards, protecting you from an evil that no one in town has a clue about. Not able to be seen or go further than the gates that keep you "captive". Four witty children are held in this situation in Trenton Lee Stewart's novel, The Mysterious Benedict Society to try and figure out how they can put a stop to all the nonsense they have gone through. Harnessed down by many challenges with Mr. Curtain, Mr. Benedict's evil twin brother, the Society works together to secure the town's and their own safety.The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma is a great novel full of surprises in every chapter. It touches subjects such as losing someone you love and the power that kids can hold. Mr. Benedict is very protective of his "orphans" and makes sure they will be safe from the evil Mr. Curtain and his Ten Men. In this book, Mr. Benedict learns how much he really loves the society only until she is gone. This touching event makes for a very emotional twist in the book. I really appreciated how they showed that kids can have amazing futures and can do hard things, just like adults. The novel has a theme of the kids being very bright children and having special abilities. Kate is very prepared and thinks of the situation very quickly and is very brave. Reynie, who is a very bright young boy is very kind, can solve problems and riddles quickly, and is a good leader. Sticky is extremely smart. He remembers everything he hears and reads. Constance, a three year old, has a lot of potential and has a special power that is revealed in the book! I loved how the kids are the ones with the superior power, but use it for the good of others. I think that I really connected with Reynie and Kate. Reynie is smart with logical situations and is really amazing at solving out problems. Kate on the other hand is always prepared with her bright red bucket and will put herself in any uncomfortable situation. Each one works with one another to stop evil and make sure that the Whisperer, a super secret and powerful machine, is used for good purposes only.This magnificent book is the last book to a 3-book trilogy that is written by Trenton Lee Stewart, a creative yet challenging author. A writer that makes his words come to life and makes you feel like you're there with Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance. This skillfully written novel contains mystery, action, intrigue and loss in a neat package that is not just entertaining but challenges your mind to grow and imagine the situations. Brimming with rich details, Mr. Benedict's vibrant "orphans", spontaneous dialog, and vivid scenery makes this a book you will not want to put down! This book has very smooth reading because of the rich content and descriptors used. Stewart uses such description in his writing, making it feel natural. One of my favorite parts of the writing is the riddles that many of the characters used to solve the issues and get to another step. Trenton Lee Stewart is so clever with each one that you will find yourself dumbfounded when you figure out the answer. Even though it is so vividly written and it makes for a wonderful read, some of the words are challenging, therefore making it harder for young readers to understand. In addition, the book isn't very humorous, but still makes for a very eventful and entertaining read.I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who is interested in a ton of action and mystery. I would mostly direct the book to students in grades four to eight because of the difficult word choice. I think it was an amazing conclusion to the series, but I wish there were more coming out! The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma will keep you on the edge of your seat with every turn of a page.

If you're a fan of the series, that alone should persuade you pick up a copy of this book, eh? Well, if that's not enough, than on with my real review..."The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma" begins with Reynard "Reynie" Muldoon, George "Sticky" Washington, Kate Wetherall and Constance Contraire reunited once again. Yet, as with the beginning of the previous installment ("The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey,") all is not entirely well. The children are prisoners of a sort. Not that they are in prison, but they and their families have been uprooted from their normal homes and, for protection, are being housed by Mr. Benedict, as it has been deemed necessary to keep them under ground due to the continued schemes of the evil Mr. Curtain.The beginning of the story sees the group being tested with a classic conundrum known as the "Prisoner's Dilemma." I was familiar with the concept going in through the show "Numb3rs," but for those that don't know, Sticky provides an excellent explanation of it in the book-- two prisoners, partners in crime, are arrested, but the police do not have needed evidence against them, so they try to get them to talk. If one talks and the other doesn't, the one that talks goes free, while the other receives a harsh sentence. They can choose to both remain silent, in which both receive a very light sentence. Or if they both betray the other, they both receive a middle of the road sentence. If you're familiar with this series, you may have guessed that the monkey wrench in the works here is Constance, but that the Mysterious Benedict Society comes through in the end.With events taking place in Stonetown with everyone together, the supporting cast of the series is explored in greater depth than ever before. Also to be found in this book are answers to long-awaited questions regarding a couple of the key mysteries of the series. The book begins with a growing tension until, about halfway through, the other shoe drops and The Mysterious Benedict Society faces their greatest test yet. The group will have to rely on their combined talents and friends, as well a most intriguing new power of Constance's that is almost supernatural.So many plot threads are seemingly resolved in this book that it feels very much like this book is intended as a finale to the series. If this is the case, then I am pleased to see the series ending in fine form. If I am, in fact, mistaken, then I will be delighted to discover so.At 391 pages, "The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma" is actually a fair bit shorter than either of the books that preceded it. Despite this, the novel sizzles with the sharp wit and growing tension of the previous "Mysterious Benedict Society" stories, leading towards a most satisfying conclusion. Don't miss the bus! Read "The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Priosoner's Dilemma" to discover what's in store for this group of talented children.

This is either the second or third in a series of four books based on the Secret Benedict Society, a series of stories about pre-teen kids. I bought them for my 12-year-old granddaughter, and she is really enjoying them, reading them every single day. And just for her to have someone to discuss the stories with, I'm reading them alongside her, and they're even fun for me -- and I'm often critical of young-peoples' books. The over-arching story is strong, and each book has a compelling story within itself that ties in to the whole. Another thing I like is that the vocabulary is not child-like but challenges a pre-teen reader. (She has a dictionary backup on her Kindle to help her when she doesn't quite know a word.) To me this is very important. The only problem I have with the series is that it's only 4 books long!

This book is very good but THERE ARE SOME VERY SCARY SCENES. If you have already read one of trenton lee stewards books then you should be fine unless you got scared of the Ten Men. TEN MEN ARE THESE MEAN MEN WHO ARE DRESSED IN SUITS AND CARRY A BREIFCASE THEY HAVE 10 WAYS OF HURTING YOU.This book is really good for 9+year olds But I WOULD NOT RECCOMEND THIS BOOK FOR CHILDREN UNDER 9.FOR PARENTS:If your child gets scared by certain things like weapons or people who are very mean then they should not read this book or this series.By Evie age 9

Granddaughter loves there’s books

Brilliant intelligent kids reading, fun for adults too......Great to have on the kindle.Hope he writes more books soon

We love the whole series. They're just brilliant, and my boys are devouring them all.

Book as described, arrived on time. Thanks!