by Sarah Dunnakey
SYNOPSIS
12 murderous mysteries to read.
20 perplexing puzzles to solve.
1 mystifying murder to unravel…
Mastermind Puzzlemaster Sarah Dunnakey cordially invites you to crack the code of who killed Edward Luddenham.
It’s the first anniversary of the mysterious death of Edward Luddenham, found dead at his home on the Yorkshire moors one frosty Christmas Eve. Now nine people gather at his manor house for the reading of the Will. Each has their own motivations for coming: curiosity, duty, unrequited love, desperation, greed. They have been instructed to bring a “festive mystery story” to share.
But all you need is a pencil.
Safe from the biting cold and the relentless snowfall outside, settle in with your favourite tipple in hand, as the storytelling begins. Though you’ll need to keep your wits about you – for among those present is Edward’s killer…
Can you solve the puzzles and unmask the murderer before they strike again?
REVIEW
I'm back with another amazing option for your Christmas Crime reading lists and TBRs - however this one comes with a twist! The 12 Murders of Christmas is one main novel (with an overarching plot) which is split up into twelve short stories, each with their own mystery or puzzle for you to solve. If you can solve each of the first eleven puzzles, the answers can then be used to crack the final case - the mystery of who killed Edward Luddenham.
I thought that the idea of this kind of book was brilliant but wasn't sure how it would work, but actually it was really successful. At the beginning of the story the characters each receive an invitation to attend the reading of a will. As part of the conditions of their time together, each of them has been asked to come prepared with a 'festive story of mystery and murder' to share with the group. As each of the stories is being told by a different person, the result is that there are twelve very different styles and genres of story being told - some modern, some historical, different themes etc. This is brilliant because it guarantees that there will be something for everyone's tastes. I know that for me personally, I had two favourites from the selection but it didn't stop me from enjoying the rest of the stories. What it actually did was increase the excitement, wondering what style the next story would be and what it would be about.
Also, breaking up each of the stories with a puzzle section really gave it an interactive feel that was quite unique. The puzzles themselves were very challenging - this was not a silly Christmas gimmick to add into the novel, there were a variety of different types of puzzles and I'll admit that I had to call in help for some of them! It was a lot of fun and as someone who always loves to play detective, it added a whole new layer onto the typical murder mystery format.
Loved the writing, loved the stories, loved the characters and loved the puzzles - so basically it's an easy 5 stars from me! The 12 Murders of Christmas would be the perfect Christmas gift for crime fans and, as you don't have to have read the stories to complete the puzzles, it's also an opportunity for a really fun activity for friends and family during the Christmas holidays.
Thanks to Anne Cater - @RandomTTours, Sarah Dunnakey - @SarahDeeWrites and Avon Books - @AvonBooksUK for the opportunity to read and review.
Publisher: Avon Books UK Genre: Cosy Crime / Mystery / Christmas Crime / Crime Puzzles
ISBN: 978-0008720032
Pages: 352pp
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