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A Most Puzzling Murder
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 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.
Interspersed with riddles and puzzles that both Destiny and the reader must solve, A Most Puzzling Murder is a one-of-a-kind mystery that will leave you guessing and gasping until the very last page!
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 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.
Interspersed with riddles and puzzles that both Destiny and the reader must solve, A Most Puzzling Murder is a one-of-a-kind mystery that will leave you guessing and gasping until the very last page!
480 pages, Paperback
First published June 10, 2025
307 people are currently reading
31881 people want to read
About the author
Bianca Marais
6 books999 followersBianca Marais cohosts the popular podcast, 'The Shit No One Tells You About Writing', which is aimed at emerging writers/aspiring authors. She teaches creative writing through the podcast and was named a winner of the Excellence in Teaching Award for Creative Writing at the University of Toronto's School of Continuing Studies.
Before becoming an author, she volunteered in Soweto where she assisted care workers with providing aid for HIV/AIDS orphans and their caregivers.
She now lives in Toronto, where she loves playing escape-room games and writing about strong female protagonists.
Before becoming an author, she volunteered in Soweto where she assisted care workers with providing aid for HIV/AIDS orphans and their caregivers.
She now lives in Toronto, where she loves playing escape-room games and writing about strong female protagonists.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 256 reviews
June 29, 2025
I admit this book has incredibly intriguing and smart plot line! The puzzle mysteries, mind games, locked room mystery concept are coming with perfect package. But unfortunately too many things going on at the same time and let's be honest this book too long and even some subplot lines needed to be omit. Because of too much subplots the main plot line starts to drag that makes you brain foggy and makes you hard to concentrate and reach the finish line. That's why even though I had high expectations as a big lover of mysteries, I graded with solid three stars.
Destiny Whip had me hooked right away—former child prodigy, brilliant enigmatologist, all alone in the world, and suddenly swept into the strange, secretive world of the Scruffmore family on a stormy, eerie island? Yes, please! The story sets the stage for something really unique: a mix of puzzles, riddles, a looming murder that hasn’t happened yet, and a heroine you want to root for.
But as much as I loved the setup, the story started to get a little too tangled for its own good. There were so many moving parts—magical elements, cryptic visions, a ghost friend, a mysterious past, family drama, and interactive puzzles—that it started to feel like the book was trying to juggle too much at once. I found myself getting lost in all the subplots, and at times I just wanted the core mystery to shine through without all the extra noise. I genuinely think with a tighter focus and a bit of trimming, it could’ve been a knockout.
That said, I really admire how ambitious and creative the concept is. The puzzles were fun and clever, and I loved trying to solve them alongside Destiny. I just wish the narrative had been a little more streamlined so that all those great ideas didn’t end up competing with each other.
A very huge thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA for sharing this mystery book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
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Destiny Whip had me hooked right away—former child prodigy, brilliant enigmatologist, all alone in the world, and suddenly swept into the strange, secretive world of the Scruffmore family on a stormy, eerie island? Yes, please! The story sets the stage for something really unique: a mix of puzzles, riddles, a looming murder that hasn’t happened yet, and a heroine you want to root for.
But as much as I loved the setup, the story started to get a little too tangled for its own good. There were so many moving parts—magical elements, cryptic visions, a ghost friend, a mysterious past, family drama, and interactive puzzles—that it started to feel like the book was trying to juggle too much at once. I found myself getting lost in all the subplots, and at times I just wanted the core mystery to shine through without all the extra noise. I genuinely think with a tighter focus and a bit of trimming, it could’ve been a knockout.
That said, I really admire how ambitious and creative the concept is. The puzzles were fun and clever, and I loved trying to solve them alongside Destiny. I just wish the narrative had been a little more streamlined so that all those great ideas didn’t end up competing with each other.
A very huge thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | MIRA for sharing this mystery book's digital reviewer copy with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
medium.com
August 26, 2025
“This is quite the dud position you’re vying for,” Silver says. “You’d have to work on a remote island, which has god-awful weather and zero creature comforts, for a despot king who reigns over a defunct empire. Plus, there’s always a chance that something terrible might happen to you.”
When Destiny gets an interview appointment for a historian position that indeed sounds like a dud, she still decides to go anyway because of the message encoded in it... promising her the secret knowledge of her birth family she has always craved if she gets the job.
And thus begins the puzzles, her introduction to a morally grey/ morally black people, the family drama, the magic, hidden affairs, not to forget the murders, and the puzzles (yes, puzzles needed to be said twice) leading Destiny down the path to the truth of her magic as a seer and her birth.
Their father makes a regular production of updating his last will and testament, pitting them all against one another in Hunger Games–esque politics to make them compete for limited resources.
The mystery and plot, including the puzzles used as plot devices (for Destiny's subconscious mind) were engaging at the beginning of the novel. The character sketches of morally grey family were quite interesting, each with their own motivations, plans and secrets. However, all of this gets a bit too much by the end if the book, the plot moving slowly and the book too long. The numerous family secrets revealed might have contributed to that, and the author's style of writing with the extravagant reality-show dramas and the inclusion of the puzzles also blocked my interest.
On the whole, an interesting take on the murder mystery novel, recommended for reality show and puzzle enthusiasts, but was a bit too long for the actual premise and plot.
It reminds her of the ceramic bowl she once bought, its broken shards joined by gold lacquer through the Japanese art of kintsugi. She is that bowl, rarer and more beautiful, but also stronger, because of her broken pieces and how hard she’s worked to make herself whole once more.
🌟🌟🌟
[3/4 star for the premise; 3/4 star for the characters; Half a star for the plot and themes; Half a star for the world-building; Half a star for the writing - 3 stars in total.]
When Destiny gets an interview appointment for a historian position that indeed sounds like a dud, she still decides to go anyway because of the message encoded in it... promising her the secret knowledge of her birth family she has always craved if she gets the job.
And thus begins the puzzles, her introduction to a morally grey/ morally black people, the family drama, the magic, hidden affairs, not to forget the murders, and the puzzles (yes, puzzles needed to be said twice) leading Destiny down the path to the truth of her magic as a seer and her birth.
Their father makes a regular production of updating his last will and testament, pitting them all against one another in Hunger Games–esque politics to make them compete for limited resources.
The mystery and plot, including the puzzles used as plot devices (for Destiny's subconscious mind) were engaging at the beginning of the novel. The character sketches of morally grey family were quite interesting, each with their own motivations, plans and secrets. However, all of this gets a bit too much by the end if the book, the plot moving slowly and the book too long. The numerous family secrets revealed might have contributed to that, and the author's style of writing with the extravagant reality-show dramas and the inclusion of the puzzles also blocked my interest.
On the whole, an interesting take on the murder mystery novel, recommended for reality show and puzzle enthusiasts, but was a bit too long for the actual premise and plot.
It reminds her of the ceramic bowl she once bought, its broken shards joined by gold lacquer through the Japanese art of kintsugi. She is that bowl, rarer and more beautiful, but also stronger, because of her broken pieces and how hard she’s worked to make herself whole once more.
🌟🌟🌟
[3/4 star for the premise; 3/4 star for the characters; Half a star for the plot and themes; Half a star for the world-building; Half a star for the writing - 3 stars in total.]
June 10, 2025
3 ⭐️ maybe?
i was not expecting magic in this book, and it was a weird twist. overall, the plot felt super cramped.
the characters are either dull or evil (and not in a fun way, more so a cookie cutter way).
i wanted to like this, but unfortunately it's not for me.
**thank you to The Hive for the ARC copy
i was not expecting magic in this book, and it was a weird twist. overall, the plot felt super cramped.
the characters are either dull or evil (and not in a fun way, more so a cookie cutter way).
i wanted to like this, but unfortunately it's not for me.
**thank you to The Hive for the ARC copy
September 23, 2024
Utterly unique, immersive and intriguing, Marais has created an unputdownable entry into the murder mystery genre. A Most Puzzling Murder is a twisty, magical delight and I loved every second.
THIS. BOOK. Y'ALL.
I honestly don't think i've had this much FUN reading a book for months.
Combining choose your own adventure elements and actual puzzles you must solve to continue (don't worry, the answers are in the back or you can email the main character for a hint!), this was such a standout, immersive read.
I knew this book would be perfect for me as it combines a murder mystery (set in our world) with a mysterious magical family. The puzzles aren't so hard to be frustrating, but also hard enough to make you feel smart when you solve them. It helps that the plot is delightfully twisty, providing all the motivation you need to sharpen your pencil and solve those headscratchers! (No, I didn't guess the murderer correctly! Gah!)
Each member of the Scruffmore family is unique with their own motivations, some of them more likeable than others (as with any family!), and if you like messy family drama then OH BOY YOU'RE IN FOR A TREAT. SO deliciously messy.
If you enjoy puzzles, magic, and murder mysteries then READ THIS BOOK I IMPLORE YOU.
Thanks to the publisher and author for providing me an ARC of this book.
THIS. BOOK. Y'ALL.
I honestly don't think i've had this much FUN reading a book for months.
Combining choose your own adventure elements and actual puzzles you must solve to continue (don't worry, the answers are in the back or you can email the main character for a hint!), this was such a standout, immersive read.
I knew this book would be perfect for me as it combines a murder mystery (set in our world) with a mysterious magical family. The puzzles aren't so hard to be frustrating, but also hard enough to make you feel smart when you solve them. It helps that the plot is delightfully twisty, providing all the motivation you need to sharpen your pencil and solve those headscratchers! (No, I didn't guess the murderer correctly! Gah!)
Each member of the Scruffmore family is unique with their own motivations, some of them more likeable than others (as with any family!), and if you like messy family drama then OH BOY YOU'RE IN FOR A TREAT. SO deliciously messy.
If you enjoy puzzles, magic, and murder mysteries then READ THIS BOOK I IMPLORE YOU.
Thanks to the publisher and author for providing me an ARC of this book.
July 1, 2025
Ahhh! I wanted to like this book so much! But unfortunately the execution suffered. The description drew me in especially as I had just read a similar book that used the interactive story that had stops in play so you could figure out the puzzles and it was done really well. This one, not so much.
I’m not going to harp on things as I am reviewing the audiobook but I wanted to mention that
1. while it’s great that their is a off on the authors site that you can download or print out to assist audiobook readers in the task at hand, it didn’t work for me. For one, it’s not accessible. I realize many people read audiobooks who do not depend on them due to disability. But for those that do that PDF is woefully inadequate. While you can use assistive technology to narrate the addendum to you, it is too difficult to navigate in order to use it effectively.
2. When the stops happen it gives you choices according to what you choose to do. If you choose not to solve the puzzles you still have to look up “the answer” before moving on rather than having the characters figure them out and through the prose show you how it falls in the story. Because that doesn’t happen it relegates the puzzles as a marketing tactic rather than a true interactive book.
3. Lastly, the book had so much information and POVs and sub plots that’s it’s too much, especially since it’s also fantasy (which somehow I didn’t get when I requested the book). It was as if the author had all these ideas and instead of grouping them together and saving some ideas for future works, she threw everything into this one book. The whole throw “everything under the kitchen sink and see what sticks” concept. It’s just way too much and the book suffers for it.
Back to the audiobook part of the review. It was narrated by Dylan Moore who did all the voices and POVs. Unfortunately at the 1x speed ahead spoke so incredibly slow that it was painful. So much so that I thought I may have accidentally slowed it down as it sounded like she was trying to speak whilst in a vat of molasses. Obviously I had to speed it up significantly to have it passable for natural speech but unfortunately it changed the pitch so much that it made it tolerable but not any more enjoyable.
With all that said, for a fully sited individual that can read the physical book that enjoys fantasy and detective fiction, while it has issues, it is inventive and it can be a great way to really connect with a book. So if you want to give it a go, it comes out June 10th 2025.
I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from Harlequin Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars
⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again
I’m not going to harp on things as I am reviewing the audiobook but I wanted to mention that
1. while it’s great that their is a off on the authors site that you can download or print out to assist audiobook readers in the task at hand, it didn’t work for me. For one, it’s not accessible. I realize many people read audiobooks who do not depend on them due to disability. But for those that do that PDF is woefully inadequate. While you can use assistive technology to narrate the addendum to you, it is too difficult to navigate in order to use it effectively.
2. When the stops happen it gives you choices according to what you choose to do. If you choose not to solve the puzzles you still have to look up “the answer” before moving on rather than having the characters figure them out and through the prose show you how it falls in the story. Because that doesn’t happen it relegates the puzzles as a marketing tactic rather than a true interactive book.
3. Lastly, the book had so much information and POVs and sub plots that’s it’s too much, especially since it’s also fantasy (which somehow I didn’t get when I requested the book). It was as if the author had all these ideas and instead of grouping them together and saving some ideas for future works, she threw everything into this one book. The whole throw “everything under the kitchen sink and see what sticks” concept. It’s just way too much and the book suffers for it.
Back to the audiobook part of the review. It was narrated by Dylan Moore who did all the voices and POVs. Unfortunately at the 1x speed ahead spoke so incredibly slow that it was painful. So much so that I thought I may have accidentally slowed it down as it sounded like she was trying to speak whilst in a vat of molasses. Obviously I had to speed it up significantly to have it passable for natural speech but unfortunately it changed the pitch so much that it made it tolerable but not any more enjoyable.
With all that said, for a fully sited individual that can read the physical book that enjoys fantasy and detective fiction, while it has issues, it is inventive and it can be a great way to really connect with a book. So if you want to give it a go, it comes out June 10th 2025.
I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from Harlequin Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.
My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars
⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again
June 12, 2025
3.75 stars
Thank you HTP Hive and HTP Books for sending me a free advance copy of A MOST PUZZLING MURDER.
A neat, interactive mystery where you, the reader, can solve puzzles and riddles throughout the story. (Don’t worry, if you do not feel like putting on your thinking cap, the answers are provided at the back of the book.)
Destiny Whip is a former child prodigy and due to loss in her life she is a recluse. She’s given the opportunity to interview for the position of Scruffmore family historian. Uncovering family secrets sounds promising. Destiny arrives on Eerie Island and she’ll soon realize the Scruffmores are not one big, happy family and they all seem to be hiding something. After disturbing nightly visions Destiny is concerned a family member will die and she better figure out a way to prevent it.
I had previously read and enjoyed the author’s historical fiction novels and I’m impressed at her versatility as a writer, switching to a completely different genre and putting a unique spin on it. A fun read but it does touch on some serious subjects like grief. I’ll admit sometimes the storyline had me confused but not enough to deter my interest. I enjoyed the reading experience as it was different to the books I typically read. By the way, the email address provided in the story does work for receiving hints and bonus material.
Thank you HTP Hive and HTP Books for sending me a free advance copy of A MOST PUZZLING MURDER.
A neat, interactive mystery where you, the reader, can solve puzzles and riddles throughout the story. (Don’t worry, if you do not feel like putting on your thinking cap, the answers are provided at the back of the book.)
Destiny Whip is a former child prodigy and due to loss in her life she is a recluse. She’s given the opportunity to interview for the position of Scruffmore family historian. Uncovering family secrets sounds promising. Destiny arrives on Eerie Island and she’ll soon realize the Scruffmores are not one big, happy family and they all seem to be hiding something. After disturbing nightly visions Destiny is concerned a family member will die and she better figure out a way to prevent it.
I had previously read and enjoyed the author’s historical fiction novels and I’m impressed at her versatility as a writer, switching to a completely different genre and putting a unique spin on it. A fun read but it does touch on some serious subjects like grief. I’ll admit sometimes the storyline had me confused but not enough to deter my interest. I enjoyed the reading experience as it was different to the books I typically read. By the way, the email address provided in the story does work for receiving hints and bonus material.
March 20, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishing company for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I want to start by saying that I don’t enjoy giving low scores, especially for ARCs. I recognize that authors put a lot of time and effort into their works, and I don’t want to minimize that. However, I have to be honest in my reviewing, otherwise my reviews are meaningless, and this book just wasn’t for me.
This book, unfortunately, just tries to do too much. The concept of puzzling out the mystery along with the main character was great. My favorite part of this was solving the puzzles that crop up along the way. However, between the magic, prophecies, puzzles, choose-your-own adventure moments, a story over 450 pages long, a ghost best friend, sentient animals, and 7+ points of view, it could really have benefited from some editing.
The Choose your Own Adventure moments, which I was initially excited about, don’t actually have any impact on the story. I was expecting the story and mystery and maybe even the culprit to change with the readers’ choices, like in the movie/play Clue, but the outcome is the same no matter what you choose, so they wound up feeling irrelevant. Also, the characters' magical powers aren’t explained. Frequently, fantasy books explain their magic systems; a good magic system can enhance a story, but here the magical powers and abilities of the characters seemed fairly random. Since we don’t really know what the characters can do with their magic, we can’t make educated guesses on how the crime might have been committed or other variables. The addition of a ghostly best friend that only the main character can see felt unnecessary. I’m assuming the author was looking for a way to have a “Dr. Watson” around for the MC to explain her theories to and settled on the idea of a ghost, but it felt superfluous and disconnected from the rest of the story.
The author had a lot of creative ideas, and I think if she’d settled on just a few, this could have been a really cool story. I would love to read more books in the “puzzle solving” style, just something a little more focused and cohesive.
I want to start by saying that I don’t enjoy giving low scores, especially for ARCs. I recognize that authors put a lot of time and effort into their works, and I don’t want to minimize that. However, I have to be honest in my reviewing, otherwise my reviews are meaningless, and this book just wasn’t for me.
This book, unfortunately, just tries to do too much. The concept of puzzling out the mystery along with the main character was great. My favorite part of this was solving the puzzles that crop up along the way. However, between the magic, prophecies, puzzles, choose-your-own adventure moments, a story over 450 pages long, a ghost best friend, sentient animals, and 7+ points of view, it could really have benefited from some editing.
The Choose your Own Adventure moments, which I was initially excited about, don’t actually have any impact on the story. I was expecting the story and mystery and maybe even the culprit to change with the readers’ choices, like in the movie/play Clue, but the outcome is the same no matter what you choose, so they wound up feeling irrelevant. Also, the characters' magical powers aren’t explained. Frequently, fantasy books explain their magic systems; a good magic system can enhance a story, but here the magical powers and abilities of the characters seemed fairly random. Since we don’t really know what the characters can do with their magic, we can’t make educated guesses on how the crime might have been committed or other variables. The addition of a ghostly best friend that only the main character can see felt unnecessary. I’m assuming the author was looking for a way to have a “Dr. Watson” around for the MC to explain her theories to and settled on the idea of a ghost, but it felt superfluous and disconnected from the rest of the story.
The author had a lot of creative ideas, and I think if she’d settled on just a few, this could have been a really cool story. I would love to read more books in the “puzzle solving” style, just something a little more focused and cohesive.
June 5, 2025
Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: June 10, 2025
Does anyone else remember the “Choose Your Own Adventure” stories from the nineties? Where you got to choose the actions a protagonist took in the novel and, depending on your choice, you’d get a different ending? Well, Bianca Marais’ new novel, “A Most Puzzling Murder” is like that, combined with alpha and numerical puzzles that let the reader solve the novel’s murder mystery alongside the protagonist.
Delightful and fun, “Murder” focuses on the magical and royal Scruffmore family. Living on a secluded island in an ancient castle, the current Scruffmore King is due to give up his throne to one of his many children and they all gather together so that the magical ceremony can be performed and a new ruler can take over. Child prodigy Destiny Whip receives an invitation to the island, under the guise of interviewing for a historian position, but she soon realizes that the Scruffmore family, especially the patriarch, Mordecai, has darker intentions for Destiny, and the rest of the family. After a family member is killed, Destiny must use her penchant for solving curious puzzles to find the murderer- or she very well may be next.
“Murder” is creative and unique, in just about every way. The actions of the Royal, magical Scruffmore family gave hardcore “Game of Thrones” vibes, combined with a singular immersive experience where readers could solve puzzles right alongside Destiny, in order to uncover the murderer.
There was one plot for the story, with periodic puzzles, related to the crime, scattered throughout that Destiny (and readers) were encouraged to solve. There were several smaller sections of the novel where readers experienced the story of a minor character and could choose between two options, both leading to different outcomes. This part of the novel was intriguing and, because it involved background characters or took place in a different time period, it did not complicate the main plot.
Each chapter is narrated by a different Scruffmore character, although Destiny is the primary protagonist. Destiny was a child prodigy, labeled “awkward” and never quite fitting in with her peers, but she was a dynamic and profound character and I always love rooting for the underdog. Her childhood and upbringing were heartbreaking, and her emotional struggles dealing with it all made her the brave and brilliant protagonist you can’t help but root for.
Marais is by no means a new author but, until now, she was undiscovered by me. I am not sure if her other novels have this fantastic puzzle-solving component but if they do, I will definitely be checking them out. “Murder” is a locked room-slash-escape room murder mystery that pulls out all the stops, literally bringing readers along for the ride.
Expected publication date: June 10, 2025
Does anyone else remember the “Choose Your Own Adventure” stories from the nineties? Where you got to choose the actions a protagonist took in the novel and, depending on your choice, you’d get a different ending? Well, Bianca Marais’ new novel, “A Most Puzzling Murder” is like that, combined with alpha and numerical puzzles that let the reader solve the novel’s murder mystery alongside the protagonist.
Delightful and fun, “Murder” focuses on the magical and royal Scruffmore family. Living on a secluded island in an ancient castle, the current Scruffmore King is due to give up his throne to one of his many children and they all gather together so that the magical ceremony can be performed and a new ruler can take over. Child prodigy Destiny Whip receives an invitation to the island, under the guise of interviewing for a historian position, but she soon realizes that the Scruffmore family, especially the patriarch, Mordecai, has darker intentions for Destiny, and the rest of the family. After a family member is killed, Destiny must use her penchant for solving curious puzzles to find the murderer- or she very well may be next.
“Murder” is creative and unique, in just about every way. The actions of the Royal, magical Scruffmore family gave hardcore “Game of Thrones” vibes, combined with a singular immersive experience where readers could solve puzzles right alongside Destiny, in order to uncover the murderer.
There was one plot for the story, with periodic puzzles, related to the crime, scattered throughout that Destiny (and readers) were encouraged to solve. There were several smaller sections of the novel where readers experienced the story of a minor character and could choose between two options, both leading to different outcomes. This part of the novel was intriguing and, because it involved background characters or took place in a different time period, it did not complicate the main plot.
Each chapter is narrated by a different Scruffmore character, although Destiny is the primary protagonist. Destiny was a child prodigy, labeled “awkward” and never quite fitting in with her peers, but she was a dynamic and profound character and I always love rooting for the underdog. Her childhood and upbringing were heartbreaking, and her emotional struggles dealing with it all made her the brave and brilliant protagonist you can’t help but root for.
Marais is by no means a new author but, until now, she was undiscovered by me. I am not sure if her other novels have this fantastic puzzle-solving component but if they do, I will definitely be checking them out. “Murder” is a locked room-slash-escape room murder mystery that pulls out all the stops, literally bringing readers along for the ride.
February 11, 2025
This was the most fun book I've ever read. I really enjoyed the plot and "Clue" feel to this book. The clues, the choose your own adventure scenes, and the fact that there is an email that will send you clues if you need them (and pretty much immediately) 👏👏 Y'all should see my pages of notes from trying to figure out the puzzles 😂 I only wish I had the book in physical form to write, and doodle, and easily flip back and forth to information I needed. Definitely would recommend this book, especially a physical copy!
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 6, 2025
By far the most original, twisty and thrilling book I've read this year!! Canadian author Bianca Marais's latest is an utterly captivating choose your own murder mystery adventure featuring Destiny, a 21 year old genius in search of family connections who travels to a remote island not knowing the dark secrets, power struggles and magic she's going to get caught up in.
Highly recommended if you enjoy puzzles, family drama, shocking reveals and locked room mysteries. It's also good on audio but should definitely be read with a print copy nearby for the many, MANY clues hidden throughout the pages. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review! Perfect for fans of quirky Knives out family stories and books like Moorewood Family Rules by HelenKay Dimon.
Fav quote: "She wonders why finding your way to your truest self, and then fully embracing and accepting it, is always the most difficult journey of all."
Highly recommended if you enjoy puzzles, family drama, shocking reveals and locked room mysteries. It's also good on audio but should definitely be read with a print copy nearby for the many, MANY clues hidden throughout the pages. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review! Perfect for fans of quirky Knives out family stories and books like Moorewood Family Rules by HelenKay Dimon.
Fav quote: "She wonders why finding your way to your truest self, and then fully embracing and accepting it, is always the most difficult journey of all."
July 2, 2025
A novel novel which combines two of my favorite things - reading and solving puzzles. The reading part was pretty easy (even considering that 3 people have names that begin with the same letter which normally does me in) the puzzles ranged from immediately-got-it to I-still-don't-understand, but the latter did not take away from the fun of this book (puzzle answers are easily found through either an e-mail or looking at the back of the book).
I can not imagine the amount of time it took to write the book, write the puzzles, and keep everything straight. To me, Bianca is a genius.
This is a book that my mind wants to immediately read again to review the nuances. Maybe I will. Some day.
I can not imagine the amount of time it took to write the book, write the puzzles, and keep everything straight. To me, Bianca is a genius.
This is a book that my mind wants to immediately read again to review the nuances. Maybe I will. Some day.
Read
July 3, 2025This was just not for me - nonsense characters, nonsense plot, illogical puzzles. Maybe it’s just sour grapes because the puzzles didn’t make any sense to me? I do like puzzles - I’m a cryptic crossword fan, but these were meh. It wasn’t awful, just not what I was expecting, and I really didn't understand the humour. I’d just finished an illogically fun choose-you-own-adventure adult-level mystery and it was a total hoot, so I thought I was in the mood - but alas not. The author seems to be a solid Canadian writer, yay Canadian writers, and maybe I'll look up her other stuff.
So - no rating for this one unless I pick it up again later in the summer when my expectations aren’t so high. Dull, picky me.
So - no rating for this one unless I pick it up again later in the summer when my expectations aren’t so high. Dull, picky me.
May 28, 2025
thank you netgalley for an eArc in exchange for an honest review.
there were a lot of things to love about this book and story and a couple of things that kept it from being a 5 star read.
first and foremost: i loved that it was part riddles, part "choose your story", part "Clue" game, part magical, and part murder mystery. we have our main character, destiny, invited to the scruffmore castle to interview for a position she never submitted an application for. within the letter there's a riddle for destiny to solve, and from there the story begins. i WAS able to solve some of the riddles on my own, having it in ebook made it a little more difficult but definitely not impossible.
i can't say too much about destiny without spoilers, but she is my favorite part of the book. i'd read more stories if for some reason there were spin off books and she was in them. she is so smart and wise beyond her years. the poor girl is just drowning in her own grief and reaching for a life line :( this book touched on grief and emotions way more than i was expecting it to and it was a pleasant surprise.
while i PERSONALLY loved how much was going on in the book i can see why people wouldn't. there are several important plots, characters, and POVs and it can get to be a lot to try to keep up with. for me i loved hopping from pov to pov.
overall the story wrapped up very nicely, with everyone getting the ending they deserved. the first 25% of the book was so so so slow and the aspect of magic was kind of just thrown in there. i do wish we would've gotten more information on the family and their background/magical origins instead of the first quarter of the book being destiny making her way to the castle. but i loved the main character and how all of the stories came together in the end.
i'd recommend for anyone who loves trying to figure out mysteries :)
there were a lot of things to love about this book and story and a couple of things that kept it from being a 5 star read.
first and foremost: i loved that it was part riddles, part "choose your story", part "Clue" game, part magical, and part murder mystery. we have our main character, destiny, invited to the scruffmore castle to interview for a position she never submitted an application for. within the letter there's a riddle for destiny to solve, and from there the story begins. i WAS able to solve some of the riddles on my own, having it in ebook made it a little more difficult but definitely not impossible.
i can't say too much about destiny without spoilers, but she is my favorite part of the book. i'd read more stories if for some reason there were spin off books and she was in them. she is so smart and wise beyond her years. the poor girl is just drowning in her own grief and reaching for a life line :( this book touched on grief and emotions way more than i was expecting it to and it was a pleasant surprise.
while i PERSONALLY loved how much was going on in the book i can see why people wouldn't. there are several important plots, characters, and POVs and it can get to be a lot to try to keep up with. for me i loved hopping from pov to pov.
overall the story wrapped up very nicely, with everyone getting the ending they deserved. the first 25% of the book was so so so slow and the aspect of magic was kind of just thrown in there. i do wish we would've gotten more information on the family and their background/magical origins instead of the first quarter of the book being destiny making her way to the castle. but i loved the main character and how all of the stories came together in the end.
i'd recommend for anyone who loves trying to figure out mysteries :)
June 23, 2025
This was probably a 3.5 star read, but I rounded up!
This was such a fun book! The idea of the reader solving puzzles along with the characters is so unique and very Nancy Drew. It was also nice that you could skip the puzzles if you didn’t have time to solve them.
The story was predictable at times, but did have some unexpected twists, especially about everyone’s true identity and lineage. I loved the Eerie Island setting with its horse-drawn carriages and old Scottish pub. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, but they were all distinct and some were very lovable.
As for the audiobook specifically, I’m not sure how else it could have been done, but it was a little difficult to navigate. I listen to audiobooks while I’m driving and this one required a lot of scrolling through the table of contents and clicking specific sections. As for the puzzles, I didn’t always have time to do them, but it was helpful to be able to download the puzzle booklet from the author’s website so I could see them.
Overall, the book was a little predictable, but the concept was very unique. It was also well-written and left no thread untied. A heart-warming tale about overcoming trauma and a girl searching for her true family.
This was such a fun book! The idea of the reader solving puzzles along with the characters is so unique and very Nancy Drew. It was also nice that you could skip the puzzles if you didn’t have time to solve them.
The story was predictable at times, but did have some unexpected twists, especially about everyone’s true identity and lineage. I loved the Eerie Island setting with its horse-drawn carriages and old Scottish pub. There were a lot of characters to keep track of, but they were all distinct and some were very lovable.
As for the audiobook specifically, I’m not sure how else it could have been done, but it was a little difficult to navigate. I listen to audiobooks while I’m driving and this one required a lot of scrolling through the table of contents and clicking specific sections. As for the puzzles, I didn’t always have time to do them, but it was helpful to be able to download the puzzle booklet from the author’s website so I could see them.
Overall, the book was a little predictable, but the concept was very unique. It was also well-written and left no thread untied. A heart-warming tale about overcoming trauma and a girl searching for her true family.
May 24, 2025
Finished reading: May 23rd 2025
DNF at 36% (173 pages)
"It's a lie, of course, but sometimes lies are the kindest things we ever tell ourselves."
*** A copy of this book was kindly provided to me by Netgalley and MIRA in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ***
REVIEW
WARNING: it's yet another unpopular opinion!!
June 25, 2025
5/5 ⭐️ for originality and interactivity
2/5 ⭐️ for execution
… generous with my 3 🌟 but kudos for the author trying. When I came across the rat scene after the scenes with the raccoon … I lost it!!
2/5 ⭐️ for execution
… generous with my 3 🌟 but kudos for the author trying. When I came across the rat scene after the scenes with the raccoon … I lost it!!
June 14, 2025
It breaks my heart to gave a score this low because I was so excited. I love the concept of the puzzle don't get me wrong but I felt like it was too chaotic for me. There are so many characters and pov. I got lost with all the concepts. I felt like the story was too long.
Thank you to Netgalley for the Arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
Thank you to Netgalley for the Arc in exchange for my honest opinion.
June 30, 2025
Clearly I'm in the minority here, but I did NOT like this at all. I wanted to, given the novelty of including the puzzles and the choose-your-own adventure aspects, but it really did not work.
The choose-your-own adventure aspects had absolutely no bearing on the plot. Each CYO part ended up merging back after two pages and nothing about the story changes as a result of the choice. Likewise, the puzzles - which were a unique part - ended up pulling me completely out of the story. They were also fairly simplistic and, again, did not add anything to the story. Effectively, the two novelties of the book really ended up feeling more like gimmicks that a marketer could use to differentiate the book from other mysteries. They could have been removed from the story and nothing would have changed.
Beyond the gimmicks, the plot was overly confusing with far too many viewpoints and far too many twists. I also did not like how every character had a nickname and it was seemingly random whether they would be referred to as their full name or their nickname, making it almost impossible for me to follow along.
While I can appreciate the attempt to do something different, it really wasn't well done here. The danger in swinging for the fences is that sometimes you strike out, and that's unfortunately what happened with this book.
The choose-your-own adventure aspects had absolutely no bearing on the plot. Each CYO part ended up merging back after two pages and nothing about the story changes as a result of the choice. Likewise, the puzzles - which were a unique part - ended up pulling me completely out of the story. They were also fairly simplistic and, again, did not add anything to the story. Effectively, the two novelties of the book really ended up feeling more like gimmicks that a marketer could use to differentiate the book from other mysteries. They could have been removed from the story and nothing would have changed.
Beyond the gimmicks, the plot was overly confusing with far too many viewpoints and far too many twists. I also did not like how every character had a nickname and it was seemingly random whether they would be referred to as their full name or their nickname, making it almost impossible for me to follow along.
While I can appreciate the attempt to do something different, it really wasn't well done here. The danger in swinging for the fences is that sometimes you strike out, and that's unfortunately what happened with this book.
June 1, 2025
This was a very creatively structured book; you could tell a lot of thought and care went into its creation. I really enjoyed solving the puzzles and riddles throughout, and I appreciated the gothic elements woven into the story. However, there was so much happening at times that it became a bit overwhelming.
April 3, 2025
When I first heard A Most Puzzling Murder described as SUCCESSION meets KNIVES OUT with magic, I knew I wouldn’t be able to wait until its initial release to read it.
Author Bianca Marais has practiced what she preaches on The Sh-t No One Tells You About Writing podcast, sprinkling this literary garden with an abundance of curiosity seeds that makes the reader desperate to keep turning pages.
Bianca’s creativity is on full display, enhancing the story with a series of brain teaser puzzles that keep the reader engaged. As an avid reader of Choose Your Own Adventure stories growing up, I loved the handful of Choose Your Own Conundrum chapters that put the reader in the shoes of various characters.
There are no minor characters in a mystery, so you’ll want to pay attention to every interaction because you never know where a critical clue is going to pop up. I can’t wait for the book to come out on June 8 so I can read it again for the first time and analyze the plethora of plot twists from a fresh perspective.
If you liked Witches of Moonshyne Manor, you’re going to love A Most Puzzling Murder!
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.
Author Bianca Marais has practiced what she preaches on The Sh-t No One Tells You About Writing podcast, sprinkling this literary garden with an abundance of curiosity seeds that makes the reader desperate to keep turning pages.
Bianca’s creativity is on full display, enhancing the story with a series of brain teaser puzzles that keep the reader engaged. As an avid reader of Choose Your Own Adventure stories growing up, I loved the handful of Choose Your Own Conundrum chapters that put the reader in the shoes of various characters.
There are no minor characters in a mystery, so you’ll want to pay attention to every interaction because you never know where a critical clue is going to pop up. I can’t wait for the book to come out on June 8 so I can read it again for the first time and analyze the plethora of plot twists from a fresh perspective.
If you liked Witches of Moonshyne Manor, you’re going to love A Most Puzzling Murder!
Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.
April 22, 2025
This was a delightful fantasy mystery! I loved all the interactive elements of this book! Not only are there puzzles to solve alongside the characters but occasional choose your own conundrum chapters where your decisions can influence the story. I loved how this book perfectly blended fantasy and mystery and I was thoroughly invested in this story. I liked following the different characters throughout the various chapters as well throughout this book. Overall this was an excellent read that I highly recommend.
Read this if you like:
📖 Mysteries & fantasies
📖 Interactive books
📖 Puzzles & riddles
Thank you to Mira Books for the gifted arc.
Read this if you like:
📖 Mysteries & fantasies
📖 Interactive books
📖 Puzzles & riddles
Thank you to Mira Books for the gifted arc.
June 11, 2025
Bianca Marais has crafted something genuinely unprecedented in the mystery genre with "A Most Puzzling Murder"—a book that refuses to be confined by conventional storytelling boundaries. This interactive gothic mystery transforms readers from passive observers into active participants, creating an immersive experience that feels like a cross between a classic murder mystery and an elaborate escape room.
The novel follows Destiny Whip, a brilliant enigmatologist whose life has been shaped by profound loss and isolation. When she receives a mysterious invitation to interview for a historian position with the enigmatic Scruffmore family on remote Eerie Island, she discovers far more than she bargained for. What begins as a quest for family secrets quickly evolves into a race against time to prevent a murder she's foreseen in disturbing visions.
A Heroine Worth Investing In
Destiny Whip emerges as one of the most compelling protagonists in recent mystery fiction. Marais has created a character who feels authentically broken yet brilliantly capable—a former child prodigy whose intellectual gifts couldn't shield her from life's cruelest blows. The author skillfully weaves Destiny's tragic backstory throughout the narrative, revealing how the loss of her adoptive mother Liz to murder, followed by the death of her guardian Annie to cancer, and finally the devastating loss of her brother Nate and best friend Bex, has shaped her into someone who exists rather than lives.
What makes Destiny particularly engaging is how Marais avoids the typical "wounded genius" trope. Yes, Destiny is intellectually superior and emotionally damaged, but she's also genuinely funny, self-deprecating, and refreshingly human. Her internal dialogue sparkles with wit even in the darkest moments, and her tendency toward self-sabotage feels earned rather than manufactured for dramatic effect.
The supporting cast of the Scruffmore family reads like something out of a particularly dysfunctional episode of "Succession," if the Roy family happened to possess actual magical powers. Mordecai Scruffmore, the tyrannical Sorcerer King with compass star tattoos covering his forehead, rules his diminishing magical empire with cruel calculations. His children—the ambitious but magically weak Darius, the emotionally complex Evangeline, and the youngest family members Angel and Minx—each harbor their own dark motivations and family grievances.
The Magic of Interactive Storytelling
Where Marais truly innovates is in the book's interactive elements. The "Choose Your Own Conundrum" chapters aren't gimmicky additions but integral parts of the storytelling mechanism. These sections allow readers to experience the narrative from different characters' perspectives, uncovering crucial information that informs the main mystery. The puzzles embedded throughout the text range from cipher-breaking to mathematical calculations, and while some readers might find them intimidating, Marais wisely provides solutions at the book's end for those who prefer to focus on the story.
The puzzles serve a dual purpose: they mirror Destiny's own problem-solving process while creating a genuine sense of collaboration between reader and protagonist. When you successfully decode a message or solve a riddle, the satisfaction feels earned. The author has managed to create what feels like a literary video game without sacrificing narrative depth or character development.
Gothic Atmosphere Meets Modern Sensibilities
Marais demonstrates masterful control over atmosphere throughout the novel. Eerie Island feels like a character in its own right—a windswept, storm-lashed setting where ancient magic coexists uneasily with modern technology. The author's descriptions of Scruffmore Castle, with its secret passages, hidden archives, and ominous family portraits, evoke the best of gothic tradition while maintaining a contemporary accessibility.
The magical elements are handled with particular skill. Rather than overwhelming the mystery with fantastical elements, Marais uses magic as both plot device and metaphor. The Scruffmore family's declining magical abilities mirror their fading relevance in a world that has moved beyond them, while Destiny's emerging prophetic abilities represent her gradual acceptance of her own power and agency.
Where the Magic Falters
Despite its many strengths, "A Most Puzzling Murder" isn't without its weaknesses. The novel's ambitious scope occasionally works against it. With multiple timeline jumps, character perspective shifts, and interactive elements to manage, some plot threads feel underdeveloped. The resolution, while satisfying on an emotional level, relies perhaps too heavily on revelations that feel slightly convenient rather than carefully foreshadowed.
The book's length and complexity may also prove challenging for readers seeking a straightforward mystery experience. While the interactive elements are innovative, they can disrupt narrative flow for readers who prefer uninterrupted storytelling. Some of the puzzles feel more essential to the plot than others, creating an uneven experience for readers who engage with them versus those who skip ahead to the solutions.
The family dynamics, while compelling, sometimes veer toward melodrama. The Scruffmores' interpersonal conflicts occasionally feel designed more for shock value than character development, and certain revelations about family relationships strain credibility even within the novel's magical framework.
Final Verdict: A Mystery Worth Solving
"A Most Puzzling Murder" succeeds as both an entertaining mystery and a bold experiment in interactive fiction. While it may not appeal to purists seeking traditional mystery structure, it offers something genuinely fresh in a genre that often feels constrained by convention. Marais has created a novel that demands active engagement while rewarding it with genuine insight into human nature, the complexity of family relationships, and the healing power of connection.
The book's innovative approach to reader participation, combined with strong character development and atmospheric world-building, creates an experience that lingers long after the final puzzle is solved. Though it has occasional pacing issues and some plot elements that feel overly convenient, these flaws don't diminish the overall achievement.
For readers willing to embrace something different, "A Most Puzzling Murder" offers a uniquely engaging experience that successfully bridges the gap between traditional mystery fiction and interactive entertainment. It's a bold, occasionally messy, but ultimately rewarding experiment that points toward exciting possibilities for the future of genre fiction.
The novel follows Destiny Whip, a brilliant enigmatologist whose life has been shaped by profound loss and isolation. When she receives a mysterious invitation to interview for a historian position with the enigmatic Scruffmore family on remote Eerie Island, she discovers far more than she bargained for. What begins as a quest for family secrets quickly evolves into a race against time to prevent a murder she's foreseen in disturbing visions.
A Heroine Worth Investing In
Destiny Whip emerges as one of the most compelling protagonists in recent mystery fiction. Marais has created a character who feels authentically broken yet brilliantly capable—a former child prodigy whose intellectual gifts couldn't shield her from life's cruelest blows. The author skillfully weaves Destiny's tragic backstory throughout the narrative, revealing how the loss of her adoptive mother Liz to murder, followed by the death of her guardian Annie to cancer, and finally the devastating loss of her brother Nate and best friend Bex, has shaped her into someone who exists rather than lives.
What makes Destiny particularly engaging is how Marais avoids the typical "wounded genius" trope. Yes, Destiny is intellectually superior and emotionally damaged, but she's also genuinely funny, self-deprecating, and refreshingly human. Her internal dialogue sparkles with wit even in the darkest moments, and her tendency toward self-sabotage feels earned rather than manufactured for dramatic effect.
The supporting cast of the Scruffmore family reads like something out of a particularly dysfunctional episode of "Succession," if the Roy family happened to possess actual magical powers. Mordecai Scruffmore, the tyrannical Sorcerer King with compass star tattoos covering his forehead, rules his diminishing magical empire with cruel calculations. His children—the ambitious but magically weak Darius, the emotionally complex Evangeline, and the youngest family members Angel and Minx—each harbor their own dark motivations and family grievances.
The Magic of Interactive Storytelling
Where Marais truly innovates is in the book's interactive elements. The "Choose Your Own Conundrum" chapters aren't gimmicky additions but integral parts of the storytelling mechanism. These sections allow readers to experience the narrative from different characters' perspectives, uncovering crucial information that informs the main mystery. The puzzles embedded throughout the text range from cipher-breaking to mathematical calculations, and while some readers might find them intimidating, Marais wisely provides solutions at the book's end for those who prefer to focus on the story.
The puzzles serve a dual purpose: they mirror Destiny's own problem-solving process while creating a genuine sense of collaboration between reader and protagonist. When you successfully decode a message or solve a riddle, the satisfaction feels earned. The author has managed to create what feels like a literary video game without sacrificing narrative depth or character development.
Gothic Atmosphere Meets Modern Sensibilities
Marais demonstrates masterful control over atmosphere throughout the novel. Eerie Island feels like a character in its own right—a windswept, storm-lashed setting where ancient magic coexists uneasily with modern technology. The author's descriptions of Scruffmore Castle, with its secret passages, hidden archives, and ominous family portraits, evoke the best of gothic tradition while maintaining a contemporary accessibility.
The magical elements are handled with particular skill. Rather than overwhelming the mystery with fantastical elements, Marais uses magic as both plot device and metaphor. The Scruffmore family's declining magical abilities mirror their fading relevance in a world that has moved beyond them, while Destiny's emerging prophetic abilities represent her gradual acceptance of her own power and agency.
Where the Magic Falters
Despite its many strengths, "A Most Puzzling Murder" isn't without its weaknesses. The novel's ambitious scope occasionally works against it. With multiple timeline jumps, character perspective shifts, and interactive elements to manage, some plot threads feel underdeveloped. The resolution, while satisfying on an emotional level, relies perhaps too heavily on revelations that feel slightly convenient rather than carefully foreshadowed.
The book's length and complexity may also prove challenging for readers seeking a straightforward mystery experience. While the interactive elements are innovative, they can disrupt narrative flow for readers who prefer uninterrupted storytelling. Some of the puzzles feel more essential to the plot than others, creating an uneven experience for readers who engage with them versus those who skip ahead to the solutions.
The family dynamics, while compelling, sometimes veer toward melodrama. The Scruffmores' interpersonal conflicts occasionally feel designed more for shock value than character development, and certain revelations about family relationships strain credibility even within the novel's magical framework.
Final Verdict: A Mystery Worth Solving
"A Most Puzzling Murder" succeeds as both an entertaining mystery and a bold experiment in interactive fiction. While it may not appeal to purists seeking traditional mystery structure, it offers something genuinely fresh in a genre that often feels constrained by convention. Marais has created a novel that demands active engagement while rewarding it with genuine insight into human nature, the complexity of family relationships, and the healing power of connection.
The book's innovative approach to reader participation, combined with strong character development and atmospheric world-building, creates an experience that lingers long after the final puzzle is solved. Though it has occasional pacing issues and some plot elements that feel overly convenient, these flaws don't diminish the overall achievement.
For readers willing to embrace something different, "A Most Puzzling Murder" offers a uniquely engaging experience that successfully bridges the gap between traditional mystery fiction and interactive entertainment. It's a bold, occasionally messy, but ultimately rewarding experiment that points toward exciting possibilities for the future of genre fiction.
May 25, 2025
4.5 STARS A Most Puzzling Murder is the upcoming book by Canadian author Bianca Marais and I couldn't be more excited! It's a unique story where mystery meets fantasy and there's also a fun interactive element - so get your sleuthing caps on, readers!
The story centres around Destiny Whip, a child prodigy and enigmatologist, who is invited to a mysterious and secluded island. There's a locked room, Clue board game vibe to this entertaining story that introduces readers to the Scruffmore family who controls the island and has more than its fair share of secrets ... as Destiny is about to find out.
What sets this mystery apart are the interactive puzzles for readers to solve (don't worry, the answers are in the back, and you can email Destiny for clues along the way!). There are also a few 'choose your own conundrum' sections which give readers two interesting options but don't impact the general story. So, if you're feeling intrepid you can dive into these entertaining extras.
The creepy tale is told by a variety of POVs in this colourful cast of characters - each of whom has their own motivation for murder and desire for power. With shocking reveals, a family tree that gets a few updates, a prophecy, and family tension up the wazoo, readers are in for quite a wild ride. There's a big cast and lots going on in this story, so I'd recommend not leaving too much time between your reading sessions.
This is an ambitious, zany and unique story that gives readers a bit of a challenge, a compelling 'whodunnit' and a bird's eye view into the messy family goings-on in the Scruffmore clan. Preorder it today for its June 10th pub date!
Disclaimer: My sincere thanks to the publisher for the advanced reading copy of this book which was given to me at the Ontario Library Conference.
April 19, 2025
Book Review
A Most Puzzling Murder by @biancamarais
Do you remember the Encyclopedia Brown books from back when I was a kid? They were a choose your own adventure meets mystery type book with a Kid Detective who noticed things. This book reminded me of those childhood books I devoured.
Whats Its Got
✅ forced proximity
✅ closed door murder mystery
✅ cats and trash pandas
✅ a peculiar island
✅ prophecy or a curse
✅ murder most foul
✅ a magical Mansion
✅ child prodigy
✅ one fucked up family
Characters
Bex- ghostly BFF
Destiny- child prodigy puzzle solver
Madigan- bartender/innkeeper
Mordecai- Sorcerer King
Lurk- King’s BFF and loyal servant
Hexabus- Mordecai’s ex wife
Newton- new wife
Tempest- applied for Historian position
Assorted children- Bramble, Darius, Dominus, Evangeline, Angel, Minx
Thoughts
Bianca you are a genius!!! An interactive book, with puzzles the reader can solve, choose your own extra scene type chapters , and murder in a paranormal mansion on a reclusive island all wrapped up in family drama. Whats not to love!!!
While I read this as an ebook- I need a paper copy to fully immerse myself in all the riddles- I want to rifle back and forth through the pages as I piece things together, I want to write in the margins and highlight like crazy
Overall
If you played CLUE as kid, if you love Agatha Christie type books, If you’ve seen Knives Out , if you enjoy solving anagrams, crosswords and any type of puzzle solving YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK
Thank you to the author and publisher for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my
Own.
A Most Puzzling Murder by @biancamarais
Do you remember the Encyclopedia Brown books from back when I was a kid? They were a choose your own adventure meets mystery type book with a Kid Detective who noticed things. This book reminded me of those childhood books I devoured.
Whats Its Got
✅ forced proximity
✅ closed door murder mystery
✅ cats and trash pandas
✅ a peculiar island
✅ prophecy or a curse
✅ murder most foul
✅ a magical Mansion
✅ child prodigy
✅ one fucked up family
Characters
Bex- ghostly BFF
Destiny- child prodigy puzzle solver
Madigan- bartender/innkeeper
Mordecai- Sorcerer King
Lurk- King’s BFF and loyal servant
Hexabus- Mordecai’s ex wife
Newton- new wife
Tempest- applied for Historian position
Assorted children- Bramble, Darius, Dominus, Evangeline, Angel, Minx
Thoughts
Bianca you are a genius!!! An interactive book, with puzzles the reader can solve, choose your own extra scene type chapters , and murder in a paranormal mansion on a reclusive island all wrapped up in family drama. Whats not to love!!!
While I read this as an ebook- I need a paper copy to fully immerse myself in all the riddles- I want to rifle back and forth through the pages as I piece things together, I want to write in the margins and highlight like crazy
Overall
If you played CLUE as kid, if you love Agatha Christie type books, If you’ve seen Knives Out , if you enjoy solving anagrams, crosswords and any type of puzzle solving YOU SHOULD READ THIS BOOK
Thank you to the author and publisher for my digital ARC in return for an honest review. Opinions expressed are my
Own.
June 26, 2025
My review originally posted at https://novelsalive.com/2025/06/16/4-...
When I agreed to review A Most Puzzling Murder by Bianca Marais, I’ll admit to jumping in pretty much blind. I read the blurb but mostly saw the tagline of the email that stated it was a Choose Your Own Adventure, and I said, ‘Sign me up!’
In A Most Puzzling Murder, the reader follows Destiny as she is drawn into a mystery. It begins when she receives a letter informing her that she is on a shortlist for a job she never applied for, but then she spots a hidden message within the letter. The author then has the reader attempt to find the hidden message, offering the option to send an email for hints before providing the answer at the end of the book. And thus, this goes on throughout the book.
As I was reading this on my e-reader, which was an advanced reader copy, I found it a little hard to view the images within the text. However, I then went back to read the forward and found that a “workbook” was available on the author’s website with all the puzzles. That made this interactive story a little easier.
The story jumps around between several characters’ points of view, which can get a little exhausting. However, it was also interesting to see all the scheming that was going on around Destiny. Thankfully, the new point of view is always the start of a new chapter, and the reader gets a warning that it’s changing. It’s just not something that I’m used to.
I enjoyed the few chapters that ultimately became the “choose your own adventure” part of the mystery. It only happens a few times, and up until the last one, I only read the option that I took and didn’t see how the other path unfolded. However, from the one I read, I imagine that the paths were relatively polar opposites. It would be interesting to revisit those small changes. However, those few divergent points don’t significantly alter the story as a whole, as the plotline eventually converges after a few pages.
I will admit that I was expecting something more cozy than I got, and that’s entirely my fault for not researching the book more thoroughly before picking it up. It was a bit darker and fantastical than I usually read, so I often felt out of my comfort zone, which isn’t a bad thing.
I ended up reading most of this book in one sitting. I was pulled in, even though I felt a bit uncomfortable, but that’s probably the point since none of the characters were exactly comfortable either. I needed to see where the story was going and how everything would turn out, and having fun puzzles to try to solve alongside Destiny was a nice perk.
If you like a good mystery and don’t mind a bit of fantasy mixed in, A Most Puzzling Murder might be for you.
April 23, 2025
Honestly, I didn’t read the whole synopsis before reading. I read half of it before requesting it via Netgalley because it intrigued me. So colour me surprised when I learned that the Scruffmores are magical making A Most Puzzling Murder a beautiful blend of fantasy and mystery.
A Most Puzzling Murder follows Destiny as she receives a letter thanking her for applying for the Scruffmore historian position with an invitation for an interview. Destiny, being a former child prodigy, uncovers a hidden message within the invitation.
A Most Puzzling Murder is an interactive mystery full of puzzles and riddles that readers can solve in real time alongside the main character. The puzzles were all varying levels of difficulty with an opportunity to get a clue to help solve them. There were also a few choose your own adventure chapters where readers got to choose the path the character takes.
As the story unfolds, there are so many twists and turns with multiple red herrings. Honestly, the story becomes a twisted mess and just when you think you have a handle on the direction, Marais pulls the rug out from underneath you. Multiple times.
The only criticism I have is the format in which I read A Most Puzzling Murder. Since I was approved for an ARC via Netgalley, I read an ebook. I would highly recommend reading a physical copy. A physical copy will making solving the puzzles much easier and will help create a more engaging experience by writing and taking notes.
Overall, A Most Puzzling Murder is an excellent interactive mystery that will keep readers glued to the pages with puzzles to solve and endless twists and turns.
*** I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
A Most Puzzling Murder follows Destiny as she receives a letter thanking her for applying for the Scruffmore historian position with an invitation for an interview. Destiny, being a former child prodigy, uncovers a hidden message within the invitation.
A Most Puzzling Murder is an interactive mystery full of puzzles and riddles that readers can solve in real time alongside the main character. The puzzles were all varying levels of difficulty with an opportunity to get a clue to help solve them. There were also a few choose your own adventure chapters where readers got to choose the path the character takes.
As the story unfolds, there are so many twists and turns with multiple red herrings. Honestly, the story becomes a twisted mess and just when you think you have a handle on the direction, Marais pulls the rug out from underneath you. Multiple times.
The only criticism I have is the format in which I read A Most Puzzling Murder. Since I was approved for an ARC via Netgalley, I read an ebook. I would highly recommend reading a physical copy. A physical copy will making solving the puzzles much easier and will help create a more engaging experience by writing and taking notes.
Overall, A Most Puzzling Murder is an excellent interactive mystery that will keep readers glued to the pages with puzzles to solve and endless twists and turns.
*** I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2025
2.5/5
This book reminded me a lot of Poptropica, I think mostly because of the puzzles and young adult vibe it gave off. And I loved Poptropica as a kid, so this was really fun that way. However, it’s way too long and the plot is super convoluted. There were so many subplots and characters that you just lost track of the story. It’s like the author just started writing without planning out what would actually be important. Also, when you write a multi-POV murder mystery, it’s always so obvious who the killer is because the author never writes from their POV until they’re revealed as the villain. In this book, there are only two characters who that could be so it was a 50/50 shot. I guess it was just a disappointing read, but it gets bonus marks for the puzzles!
This book reminded me a lot of Poptropica, I think mostly because of the puzzles and young adult vibe it gave off. And I loved Poptropica as a kid, so this was really fun that way. However, it’s way too long and the plot is super convoluted. There were so many subplots and characters that you just lost track of the story. It’s like the author just started writing without planning out what would actually be important. Also, when you write a multi-POV murder mystery, it’s always so obvious who the killer is because the author never writes from their POV until they’re revealed as the villain. In this book, there are only two characters who that could be so it was a 50/50 shot. I guess it was just a disappointing read, but it gets bonus marks for the puzzles!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2025
A Most Puzzling Murder is unlike any other book I’ve read before – and not just for the reasons you’d expect. I wasn't blown away by it, but it's a fun and innovative read and it's fun to try something new.
My full review of A Most Puzzling Murder is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
My full review of A Most Puzzling Murder is up now on Keeping Up With The Penguins.
July 3, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The story kept me turning the pages, and the puzzles were fun. Though I admit not to know quite a few of the answers. A very unique experience!
June 25, 2025
Destiny, a child prodigy, has had a lot of loss and has become a recluse. She receives a request for an interview for a job that she did not apply for. The message contains a secret code, which Destiny solves very quickly. The job as Scruffmore family historian has her interacting with a family that mistrusts each other and has many secrets and Destiny fears one of them is going to die. Through solving puzzles and deciphering cryptic messages, Destiny slowly gets to the truth. As a reader this was great as I also got to solve the puzzles and find clues. Loved the idea of choose your own adventure! What a fun read!
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