For my final book review this year I’ve chosen something a little different but, as the title demonstrates, it is connected to Christmas and the season.
Published on November 6th, this book is not just a story, it is also a puzzle book. And I love a good puzzle. I am a crossword fanatic and I simply cannot turn down the opportunity to put my mental agility to the test whenever the situation arises. Yes, that does mean I have battled with the tests issued by GCHQ over the years. I’ve delved into Dubious Documents and I’ve cracked code books and any number of other puzzles that have come my way. So, to meet the author and have a crack at her puzzles was an absolute no brainer for me.
The book centres around a group of characters who meet at Bracestone House for Christmas. The large house sits within the fabulous countryside of the Yorkshire Moors – yes, I’m from Yorkshire, so I’m allowed to be biased!
The nine characters have gathered at the manor for the reading of the will of Edward Luddenham, the owner of the property who was murdered on Christmas Eve the previous year.
Each guest has their own reason for being there which is gradually revealed as the action of the book moves forward. The attendees have also been asked to bring a festive mystery story to relate to the others during their stay. If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie, you’ll recognise the similarities with And Then There Were None. For those of you who have read Boccaccio’s Decameron, you will recognise that a gathering of tale-tellers is not a new idea, but this text is as deliciously entertaining as the fourteenth-century collection. What is so special about this twenty-first-century book is that there is a puzzle for the reader to solve within each story. As you work through the pages and collect the bits and pieces of information for yourself, they will come together as the solution to the murder of Edward Luddenham.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this entertaining text. I had my pen and a small notebook with me at all times as I worked through all the puzzles. Did I complete the challenge? Yes I did. Do I know all the answers? Yes, I do, and no, I’m not going to tell. You will have to buy the book and work it all out for yourselves. But what I can say is that it was such great fun doing so. If you need a last-minute Christmas present for a bookish person on your list, this just might be it.
No comments:
Post a Comment