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3.72 AVERAGE
3.72 AVERAGE
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
What a fun interactive book. We are introduced to Destiny Whip who receives an anonymous letter inviting her to Eerie Island where the Scruffmores live, for an interview to become the family historian. Having never applied for the job, Destiny is wary but once she solves the riddle in the letter she cannot say no.
A fantasy murder mystery where you solve the clues as you read, it was a neat concept that was executed well. There were two puzzles I couldn’t solve 🙈
I received the ARC audiobook to review but couldn’t find the puzzle PDF and so waited a week for the book to come out and purchased it for access to the puzzles. I cannot comment on how good the puzzle package is but I just skipped to the puzzles in the book once the audio got there. Since I clean, workout, etc while listening to audiobooks this wasn’t a good choice for me since I’d have to stop to solve the puzzles so I think I’d recommend the physical book. Otherwise the audiobook was fine and didn’t impede the interactive nature!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review
A fantasy murder mystery where you solve the clues as you read, it was a neat concept that was executed well. There were two puzzles I couldn’t solve 🙈
I received the ARC audiobook to review but couldn’t find the puzzle PDF and so waited a week for the book to come out and purchased it for access to the puzzles. I cannot comment on how good the puzzle package is but I just skipped to the puzzles in the book once the audio got there. Since I clean, workout, etc while listening to audiobooks this wasn’t a good choice for me since I’d have to stop to solve the puzzles so I think I’d recommend the physical book. Otherwise the audiobook was fine and didn’t impede the interactive nature!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the audiobook in exchange for an honest review
Being a lover of puzzles, riddles, and encoded messages, I was excited to pre-order this. It turned out to be an interesting concept with shoddy execution.
The characterizations were a bit overwrought and not particularly grounded. Everyone had some absurd name—aside from the main character Destiny, there's also a pair of twins named Minx and Angel, people named Hexabus and Dominus, and so on.
The puzzles themselves were fairly rudimentary. One was a cipher where each letter was transposed with the one following it in the alphabet. One wasn't a cipher at all, just words where the letters had been scrambled at random. More importantly, most of the puzzles weren't integrated into the story very well and felt tacked on as an afterthought.
Ultimately, the quality of the writing is what made this such a disappointing read. At one point, instead of demonstrating a character's personality through their actions, that character is described as having a "Mean Girls vibe." (This is in the narration itself, not in another character's speech or thoughts!) It felt amateurish and it read like fanfiction.
Also, the well-trodden 'magical ability as allegory for disability or chronic illness' trope was handled clumsily here. The narration basically turned directly to the audience each time to explicitly spell out the symbolism that was just employed, rather than trusting us to pick up on it.
This book isn't abject garbage or anything, but I expected it to be quite good, and I was let down.
Like some other reviews I have read, I didn’t want an interactive book. Maybe it would have been better as a physical book rather than audible.
Bianca Marais is the only author I know who effortlessly switches genres with every book she writes—and nails it every single time! This latest read was an absolute delight, perfectly blending my love of reading with my passion for puzzles to create an immersive and captivating experience. It ticks every box for an outstanding novel: beautifully crafted prose, unforgettable characters, a mystery that kept me guessing until the very end, and just the right touch of humor. I simply couldn’t put it down. Plus, the interactive element where you get to choose your own path adds an exciting twist! I wholeheartedly recommend A Most Puzzling Murder to anyone looking for a thrilling and fun read.
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
3.5 Stars
Two snaps for a book that took me back to my childhood obsession with puzzle books from Barnes & Noble!
A Most Puzzling Murder is an interactive, choose-your-own-adventure mystery packed with puzzles, magic, and family secrets. It’s perfect for my fellow puzzle lovers craving a dose of childhood nostalgia.
In this story, we follow Destiny, a brilliant child prodigy grappling with the grief of losing her best friend and brother. One day, she receives a mysterious letter inviting her to interview for the role of family historian for the enigmatic Scruffmore family. But there’s a twist—you, the reader, must first crack the coded message hidden in the letter so Destiny can make her way to the aptly named Eerie Island.
Upon arrival, Destiny discovers a shadowy island with limited technology, a dark past, and lingering ties to a long-gone serial killer. All paths lead back to the Scruffmore family’s tangled history. Along the way, you’ll help Destiny solve intricate puzzles and uncover how she might be connected to this family tree herself.
Overall, this was such a fun and unique mystery! I loved that the book included interactive elements—you could even email Destiny for extra clues or access bonus content. My only small gripe: reading on my Kindle made the constant flipping between puzzles and solutions a bit cumbersome (though I still loved the challenge). I imagine the physical copy would offer a much smoother experience.
I also had the opportunity to try the audiobook via an advanced eALC. While I appreciate the effort to provide multiple formats, the audiobook didn’t quite work. The puzzles are challenging to interact with in audio form, and the choose-your-own-adventure segments forced you to listen to all options instead of selecting. For this book, I’d recommend sticking with the physical edition.
Ultimately, despite it taking me a bit longer to finish, I had a blast solving this mystery alongside Destiny. If you’re looking for a creative and interactive reading experience and a chance to flex those puzzle-solving muscles, pick this one up (physical copy only!).
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the e-ARC and e-ALC in exchange for my honest review.
Two snaps for a book that took me back to my childhood obsession with puzzle books from Barnes & Noble!
A Most Puzzling Murder is an interactive, choose-your-own-adventure mystery packed with puzzles, magic, and family secrets. It’s perfect for my fellow puzzle lovers craving a dose of childhood nostalgia.
In this story, we follow Destiny, a brilliant child prodigy grappling with the grief of losing her best friend and brother. One day, she receives a mysterious letter inviting her to interview for the role of family historian for the enigmatic Scruffmore family. But there’s a twist—you, the reader, must first crack the coded message hidden in the letter so Destiny can make her way to the aptly named Eerie Island.
Upon arrival, Destiny discovers a shadowy island with limited technology, a dark past, and lingering ties to a long-gone serial killer. All paths lead back to the Scruffmore family’s tangled history. Along the way, you’ll help Destiny solve intricate puzzles and uncover how she might be connected to this family tree herself.
Overall, this was such a fun and unique mystery! I loved that the book included interactive elements—you could even email Destiny for extra clues or access bonus content. My only small gripe: reading on my Kindle made the constant flipping between puzzles and solutions a bit cumbersome (though I still loved the challenge). I imagine the physical copy would offer a much smoother experience.
I also had the opportunity to try the audiobook via an advanced eALC. While I appreciate the effort to provide multiple formats, the audiobook didn’t quite work. The puzzles are challenging to interact with in audio form, and the choose-your-own-adventure segments forced you to listen to all options instead of selecting. For this book, I’d recommend sticking with the physical edition.
Ultimately, despite it taking me a bit longer to finish, I had a blast solving this mystery alongside Destiny. If you’re looking for a creative and interactive reading experience and a chance to flex those puzzle-solving muscles, pick this one up (physical copy only!).
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the e-ARC and e-ALC in exchange for my honest review.
Oh, loved reading this book, it was a fantastic mystery, loved all the twists and turns, it was so good!
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Kudos to the author for the unique (to me) premise of mixing in puzzles along with the narrative, but unfortunately, I failed to connect with the protagonist (a 20-something female) and the urgency of her quest. I also expected much less in the way of magic/sorcery, and the prose was just a bit over the top with characterizations just a bit unbelievable.
informative
lighthearted
It’s been a while since I’ve read a choose your own adventure style book, but it was a lot of fun! The interactiveness of the story was interesting and I liked that the author included puzzles throughout to solve. Did I always figure out the puzzles? No. I did enjoy myself though!
I will admit, that the magical aspect of the book was not what I expected. It did take me a moment to really delve into the book. I had a good time reading it and I really did enjoy the characters, but I did struggle with all of the multiple POVs. It was a fun time, but maybe it just isn’t for me right now.
✨This ARC was provided by Harlequin Trade Publishing via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.✨
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Lured out to a mysterious island for a job she didn't apply for, Destiny Whip fights to learn out about her family and ends up embroiled in a mystery.
After not leaving her apartment for a year Destiny receives a hand delivered letter with a hidden message promising answers about her family. Unable to pass up the opportunity she heads to Eerie Island a place ensconced in bad weather and no electricity. After meeting many in the Scruffmore family and some of those in town, Destiny is asked to help solve a murder.
Many murder mystery novels have an almost immediate death with the rest of the book used to figure out who did it. In "A Most Puzzling Murder" you don't know who is going to be murdered and you also don't know who the murder is. The reader can solve puzzles along with the narrators (the story is told from multiple points of view), but you can easily look at the answers (I solved some and looked at the answers for other since I tend to listen while I drive).
What makes or breaks a mystery for me is how clever the author is. Bianca Marais is CLEVER and there were very few times in the book where I knew where things were going. With how many characters and viewpoints there were I did unfortunately feel like the characters felt flat with their main traits only being revealed if it was useful to the story.
Overall, it was an amazing book and I was enthralled the entire time.
After not leaving her apartment for a year Destiny receives a hand delivered letter with a hidden message promising answers about her family. Unable to pass up the opportunity she heads to Eerie Island a place ensconced in bad weather and no electricity. After meeting many in the Scruffmore family and some of those in town, Destiny is asked to help solve a murder.
Many murder mystery novels have an almost immediate death with the rest of the book used to figure out who did it. In "A Most Puzzling Murder" you don't know who is going to be murdered and you also don't know who the murder is. The reader can solve puzzles along with the narrators (the story is told from multiple points of view), but you can easily look at the answers (I solved some and looked at the answers for other since I tend to listen while I drive).
What makes or breaks a mystery for me is how clever the author is. Bianca Marais is CLEVER and there were very few times in the book where I knew where things were going. With how many characters and viewpoints there were I did unfortunately feel like the characters felt flat with their main traits only being revealed if it was useful to the story.
Overall, it was an amazing book and I was enthralled the entire time.