The Mysterious Benedict Society, which was published in 2007, is the first novel in author Trenton Lee Stewart's quartet of children's novels called "The Mysterious Benedict Society." The Mysterious Benedict Society (2007) follows four children (Reynie Muldoon, George Washington, Kate Wetherall, and Constance Contraire), each of whom is gifted and forms the namesake "Mysterious Benedict Society" together. As a group, they are tasked with investigating a group named L.I.V.E. (or the Learning Institute for the Very Enlightened), which is run by the mysterious and potentially dangerous Ledroptha Curtain. Along the way, the group learns more about each other and their familial history.
Since its publication in 2007, The Mysterious Benedict Society has sold over three million copies, reflecting the novel's immense popularity. In that vein, the novel has received incredibly positive reviews from critics and audiences; it has also won several other awards and accolades, including the Booklist Editor's Choice award. The Guardian called Stewart's novel "amazing" and "thoughtful," as well as "riveting." A series based on "Mysterious Benedict Society" novels was released on the streaming site Disney+ in 2021. The series was canceled after its second season premiered in 2022, even though the series was received well by critics and audiences.
