Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Kid geniuses are grown up in exciting 4th mystery-adventure.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In THE MYSTERIOUS BENEDICT SOCIETY AND THE RIDDLE OF AGES, the Ten Men have escaped prison and are loose in the city of Stonestown. While the families of Sticky, Reynie, and Constance prepare to leave by ship for their own safety, the three sneak back ashore to await the villains' next move. And, in true Kate Wetherall fashion, she jumps from a plane onto the roof of Mr. Benedict's house to join them. Like that, the Mysterious Benedict Society (MBS) is reconvened. Their fight against the Ten Men gets more complicated when they're joined by a fifth -- 5-year-old Tai. Constance, with her ability to read minds, found out that Tai, who can do the same, is a target of the Ten Men. The villains have one clairvoyant, someone Constance calls the Listener, and want another. With the Listener's help, they plan to break Mr. Benedict's evil twin out of a new maximum security prison on Nomanson Island. Unfortunately, there's one other inhabitant of the prison: Mr. Benedict. He designed the facility, and thought it would be the safest place for him to hide from the escaped Ten Men, too. But only if the MBS gets to him first.
Is It Any Good?
This bonus adventure that takes place years after the original trilogy is a treat for fans of Reynie, Sticky, the Great Kate Weather Machine, and Constance, the mind-reading contrary poet. Most fans of the original Mysterious Benedict Society series would be happy to read about the intriguing quartet doing just about any old thing: hanging around the house, inventing stuff, supping on strongman Moocho Brazo's superb lasagna surrounded by a table full friends and relatives. Instead, we get the MBS out fighting the Ten Men again -- and this time Kate's an amazing shot with the tranquilizer gun. They jump out of planes and have to use their smarts to dodge traps and trick doors and a mind reader who will easily foil their plans by knowing everything they think. The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages stays almost as clever as its characters, though the logic gets a little fussy at times as the story wraps.
The 5-year-old character, Tai, is a wonderful addition to the story and to the MBS. He brings out the best in them (Kate's playful interactions with Tai are beyond sweet) and adds a lightness and humor when things get a little scary. What a nice trick of author Trenton Lee Stewart: in keeping the MBS positive around the mind-reading Tai when things get harry, so as not to scare him, these parts of the story become less frightening for younger readers as well.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about growing up with The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Riddle of Ages. How has the MBS changed? Why hasn't Reynie opened the letters on his desk? What do they represent? Are there times you'd like to stay the same age instead of growing older?
How do Reynie, Sticky, Kate, and Constance help their new friend Tai feel secure in difficult situations? What makes you feel OK in stressful or scary times?
While this seems to be the last adventure, is there more you'd like to know about the MBS? Would you like a series about Tai?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Manu Montoya
- Genre : Mystery
- Topics : STEM , Adventures , Family Stories ( Siblings ) , Friendship
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : September 24, 2019
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 400
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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