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inbookswetrust's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
tsteele99snu's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
bookwormmelissa's review against another edition
4.0
Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. Mike Brink suffered a traumatic brain injury during high school football, and after this he develops a rare medical condition, a superpower, where he can solve puzzles and see patterns in a way most people cannot. Now a respected puzzle creator for the New York Times, Mike meets Jess, in prison for murder, who has drawn a puzzle that baffles her psychiatrist. Thus begins a thrill ride into an ancient mystery and the future of technology. I loved the puzzle aspect of this story and the propulsive writing - this was my favorite part by far. I thought the writing could have been tightened up a bit - the book had a saggy middle - and while I understand the ending fit with the story, I didn't like it at all. The comps to The DaVinci Code make sense, but the conclusion was a bit too heavy handed for my taste. Still, I want to pick up some of this authors other work, and I am glad to have read this one.
justinkhchen's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars
An engrossing, but uneven piece of brain teaser, The Puzzle Master is simultaneously doing the most, and not enough, enticing the readers with layers of mysteries and fascinating factoids, but overestimates its ability to actually assemble them towards a cohesive, compelling resolution.
I love the premise of a puzzle designer accidentally gotten himself involved in a murder case (side-note, the visual of puzzles scattered throughout is a neat, immersive touch), and the first third of the novel borrows heavily from gothic horrors, which immediately has me hooked (a particular location reminds me of a level in Resident Evil Village). But as the scope expands, going back in time and beyond centuries, the plot starts to lose me with its nosedive into quantum mechanics, forbidden spells, and knowledge on immortality. While the short chapters still keep me turning pages, I start to care less as the story trying to find its way out of the abyss of riddles it has generated. Not only do I find its progression convoluted (a lot of legwork, yet things always work out with the least amount of effort, and the characters find answers very easily), but also question the inclusion of romance (it was just... weird in an unflattering way) .
The Puzzle Master turns out to be more silly, fantastical National Treasure than I expected; granted I should've guessed when the ultimate riddle is called a 'God Puzzle'—so the rating is perhaps more of a reflection on personal preference (and my lack of enthusiasm has possibly made the story's flaws even more apparent). But objectively speaking this is a solid page-turner, and definitely packed with entertainment value (just don't over-analyze it).
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
An engrossing, but uneven piece of brain teaser, The Puzzle Master is simultaneously doing the most, and not enough, enticing the readers with layers of mysteries and fascinating factoids, but overestimates its ability to actually assemble them towards a cohesive, compelling resolution.
I love the premise of a puzzle designer accidentally gotten himself involved in a murder case (side-note, the visual of puzzles scattered throughout is a neat, immersive touch), and the first third of the novel borrows heavily from gothic horrors, which immediately has me hooked (a particular location reminds me of a level in Resident Evil Village). But as the scope expands, going back in time and beyond centuries, the plot starts to lose me with its nosedive into quantum mechanics, forbidden spells, and knowledge on immortality. While the short chapters still keep me turning pages, I start to care less as the story trying to find its way out of the abyss of riddles it has generated. Not only do I find its progression convoluted (a lot of legwork, yet things always work out with the least amount of effort, and the characters find answers very easily), but also question the inclusion of romance (it was just... weird in an unflattering way) .
The Puzzle Master turns out to be more silly, fantastical National Treasure than I expected; granted I should've guessed when the ultimate riddle is called a 'God Puzzle'—so the rating is perhaps more of a reflection on personal preference (and my lack of enthusiasm has possibly made the story's flaws even more apparent). But objectively speaking this is a solid page-turner, and definitely packed with entertainment value (just don't over-analyze it).
**This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Much appreciated!**
lackof_shelf_control's review against another edition
2.0
ᴡᴇ ɢᴇᴛ ɪᴛ! ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʀᴇᴀᴀᴀᴀᴀʟʟʟʏ ɢᴏᴏᴅ ᴀᴛ ᴘᴜᴢᴢʟᴇs 😅 ɪ ʜᴀᴅ ᴀ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ʜᴀʀᴅ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ɢᴇᴛᴛɪɴɢ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜsᴇ ɪᴛ ғᴇʟᴛ ᴠᴇʀʏ ʀᴇᴅᴜɴᴅᴀɴᴛ ᴅɪsᴄᴜssɪɴɢ ʜᴏᴡ ᴍᴜᴄʜ ᴏғ ᴀ ᴘᴜᴢᴢʟᴇ sᴀᴠᴀɴᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɪɴ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ, ᴍɪᴋᴇ ʙʀɪɴᴋ ɪs. ɪᴛ ᴊᴜsᴛ ғᴇʟᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀs ᴛʀʏɪɴɢ ᴡᴀʏ ᴛᴏᴏ ʜᴀʀᴅ! ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʜɪs ʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡᴀs ᴠᴇʀʏ ɪɴᴛʀɪɢᴜᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜᴍᴍᴀʀʏ, ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ᴅɪᴅɴ’ᴛ ᴅᴏ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ғᴏʀ ᴍᴇ. ᴏᴠᴇʀᴀʟʟ, ᴛʜɪs ғᴇʟᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴀ ᴋɴᴏᴄᴋ-ᴏғғ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴀ ᴠɪɴᴄɪ ᴄᴏᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ɪ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴘɪᴄᴋ ᴜᴘ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅɴ’ᴛ ᴡᴀɪᴛ ғᴏʀ ɪᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴏᴠᴇʀ.
📖 ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ @randomhouse ᴀɴᴅ @netgalley ғᴏʀ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʀᴄ ᴄᴏᴘʏ ɪɴ ᴇxᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ғᴏʀ ᴀɴ ʜᴏɴᴇsᴛ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡ 📖
stan2long's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.5
The Ghostbusters theme reminded me that I don’t have much interest in sci-fi.
Helps to have the cast of characters
Mike Brink main character, his dog Conumdrum aka Conny.
Helps to have the cast of characters
Mike Brink main character, his dog Conumdrum aka Conny.
Jess Price in jail,
Thessaly Moses therapist at jail,
Anne-Marie Riccard came to assess antiques, at request of Jameson
Jameson Sedge, Auroras nephew
Cam Putney
Mandy Johnson lived with Aroura Sedge for 20 years at Sedge house.
Aroura’s nephew Jameson has a Tesla. Jameson company is Singularity
Jamesons father Frankie died at 25. Was Arouras brother. Had a fortune via Sedge Glass. Wife Renee Renay is in London
Relic from Aroura portfolio with initials GLM. Gaston La Mouriette the doll maker.
Violynn the doll.
Bill had a restraining order on Mandy.
Noah Cook is the murder victim in Sedge house
Ernest Wraithe was Jess’s therapist but died
Dr Ivec Gupta is Mike Brinks former professor
Content Warnings
Moderate: Sexual content
kindlebabe's review against another edition
4.0
Book : The Puzzle Master
Author : Danielle Trussoni
Pub Date : 13 Jun 2023
Thanks so much Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an advance read in exchange for this review!
This book was surely not a typical read for me but I am glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone. I had never read anything from this author and I was very pleased! I read it in a 24hr period. This book gave me big The Da Vinci Code and Silent Patient vibes which I loved.
This storyline is gripping and fast paced, keeps you on your toes. Multiple POV is present in this book which I do truly love. I love when an author mixes elements and there were some supernatural and religion mixing going on and I was there for it.
The characters were well built and the world building/character dialogue was spot on.
I love a good fast paced page turner and this had be wanting more of it. This book is a must read should be on everybody’s TBR.
Author : Danielle Trussoni
Pub Date : 13 Jun 2023
Thanks so much Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for an advance read in exchange for this review!
This book was surely not a typical read for me but I am glad that I stepped out of my comfort zone. I had never read anything from this author and I was very pleased! I read it in a 24hr period. This book gave me big The Da Vinci Code and Silent Patient vibes which I loved.
This storyline is gripping and fast paced, keeps you on your toes. Multiple POV is present in this book which I do truly love. I love when an author mixes elements and there were some supernatural and religion mixing going on and I was there for it.
The characters were well built and the world building/character dialogue was spot on.
I love a good fast paced page turner and this had be wanting more of it. This book is a must read should be on everybody’s TBR.
wqw_bookclub's review against another edition
challenging
informative
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Mom=5, Tita=3.5, Liza=5.0
bfrederick's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75