A Most Puzzling Murder is the latest book from Canadian author Bianca Marais. It will be released on June 10, 2025, and will take readers on an adventure to a mysterious island. Destiny is used to loss and sorrow. Everyone she’s ever cared about has left her. When she receives an invitation to a job interview and potential answers to all of her questions, she can’t refuse. But should she?
I want to thank MIRA and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of A Most Puzzling Murder. However, all opinions expressed here are solely mine.
Synopsis from Goodreads
How do you solve a murder that hasn’t happened yet?
Destiny Whip is a former child prodigy, world-renowned enigmatologist, and very, very alone. A life filled with loss has made her a recluse, an existence she’s content to endure until a letter arrives inviting her to interview for the position of Scruffmore family historian. Not only does an internet search for the name yield almost nothing, it’s a role she never applied to in the first place!
After she decodes the invitation’s hidden message with ease, the promise of her family secrets being revealed is too powerful a draw for the orphaned Destiny, who soon finds herself on Eerie Island. It’s a place whose inhabitants are almost as inhospitable as the tempestuous weather. The Scruffmores themselves turn out to be not much better, a snarled mess of secrets and motives connected by their mistrust for one another.
Their newly arrived guest proves to be just as much of an enigma to them as they are to her. While Destiny slowly works to unravel the mysteries hidden throughout the ominous castle, she struggles to interpret disturbing nightly visions of what is to come. In the midst of cryptic ciphers, hidden passages, and the family’s magical heritage and line of succession, Destiny is certain of two things: one of the Scruffmores is going to die, and she’s running out of time to stop it.
Positives
- Fun read!
- Quirky character names.
- The assortment of puzzles along the way.
Negatives
- Some of the puzzles are almost impossible to solve.
My Opinions
A Most Puzzling Murder is like no other book I’ve read. Why do I say that? How many books have you read that include brainteasers, puzzles, and choose-your-own-adventure elements? Many books may have one or two, but all three? That’s something that doesn’t happen a lot. And all of the elements work well together.
The story is told from multiple points of view, but all are in the third person. Keeping the POV straight is relatively easy, as the chapters are all labeled with the character at the beginning. The chapters are also labeled with the day of the week and time of day. The majority of the story takes place over a few days. A few chapters flash back several years, but they are labeled as such to let you know.
The puzzles throughout the book are also labeled. The answers are included in the book, but no cheating! You can also email Destiny for help solving the puzzles. And if you answer some of these correctly, you’ll receive an email with a bonus chapter or two. But don’t feel bad if you don’t get the answers correct, you can still get the bonus information. If you don’t want to solve any puzzles, that’s ok, because several will not impact your enjoyment of the book.
Overall, A Most Puzzling Murder is unlike any other mystery book, even a mystery with a fantastical side. Do you enjoy books with quirky characters, some of which are super intense? What about a book with lots of twists and turns? What about solving puzzles and playing escape room games? If you answered yes to any of these questions, I think you should try this book. If you answered yes to all of these questions, I think you need to try this book.
Are you looking for some more books to read? Check out my bookish lists, book reviews, and monthly reading wrap-ups.
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