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allthaterricka 's review for:
A Most Puzzling Murder
by Bianca Marais
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.