This one started strong, lagged a bit in the middle and ending sort of preposterously. I liked it but it won’t be for everyone and I’m not sure I’d continue if there was another book in the series. 3.5 stars

This was a capturing read! It reminded me of The Da Vinci Code with the God puzzle. But it was so thrilling and fun. It has everything from murder to porcelain dolls. Advanced technology to billionaires who think they can get away with everything and get everything they want. I felt like the author left it in a way that there could be a second book, and I would be ok with that.

While the book itself was pretty far-fetched, it did make me more inquisitive of acquired savant syndrome. Not a bad read, just so unlikely that it was hard to get into.

I really wanted to like the Puzzle Master more. It started out pretty strong, reading a lot like the Da Vinci Code. But then it went off the rails. I did keep reading it, it was very entertaining. It's not a supernatural book, yet there are some elements of characters sending messages in their dreams. There is a romance that doesn't make sense at all. Parts of the book seemed pretty anti-semitic to me. And I don't think the author did much research on how the New York State prison system works - there were some massive issues and really made it seem pretty easy for someone with no training at all to sneak in, around and out of a prison.

This wasn't a bad book, it held my attention long enough to finish it. Jess Price is an inmate at a women's prison, she hasn't spoken since she was convicted and jailed 5 years ago. But, she gives her psychiatrist a puzzle she had drawn, which included the name of Mike Brink, a man who had suffered a traumatic brain injury in his youth that left him with the ability to see patterns in everything he looks at, which made him a master a building puzzles (mostly various crossword type). The psychiatrist invites Mike to visit Jess in the hopes that Jess will speak, Mike isn't convinced she will but does visit out of curiosity. Jess convinces him that she's in danger and he's the only one that can save her. This sets Mike, and his dog, off on a varied route to find what the puzzle means and how to solve it. The story includes part of a letter from a man who had created a golem (an inanimate object that can be brought to life and could be good or bad) way back in the 1700's, he did it to replace another one that was wearing out. It was created in the image of the man's daughter who had died earlier. Back in the present Mike meets with a couple that also want to solve the puzzle and will stop at nothing to get the solution. There were points in the story that I really enjoyed the writing, mostly when Mike was involved, the story covers many genres, horror, supernatural, science fiction, thriller, romance. I would recommend. Thanks to #Netgalley and #Random House for the ARC.

Everything is a puzzle to Mike Brink, a brilliant puzzle constructor. Before a brain injury in high school, he was a typical guy, a football player. But afterward, he found out that the injury caused a rare medical condition: acquired savant syndrome. The huge changes in how he saw the world led him to leave football behind. He got advanced degrees on scholarships. But being so different from almost everyone else also left him feeling isolated.

When a psychiatrist at a women’s prison reaches out to him about a puzzle an unusual inmate drew, his curiosity is piqued. When he meets Jess Price, incarcerated for a horrific murder, he’s not just fascinated by the complex and drawing; Mike feels a connection to her.

Jess hasn’t spoken a word since her arrest, not even to defend herself, and Mike wants to figure out the meaning behind her strange puzzle as well as find the true culprit of the murder.

One mysterious puzzle leads Mike into a dangerous situation, going up against very powerful people and forces. But he can’t turn away.

The Puzzle Master blends ancient Jewish mysticism, scholarly research, complex puzzles, horror, and cutting-edge technology into one page-turning story. By the conclusion, the parts were all put together to reveal some curious answers. I personally wasn’t quite on board with a few pieces of the whole at the very end; some of the answers just didn’t work for me. But that may not be the case with many readers; overall, it’s a tantalizing and smart read.

I loved the premise of this, but it just didn't hook me as much as wanted. The concept is very intriguing, but I didn't love the characters or where the story went. I would be interested in picking up future works by this author though, as I found her writing style enjoyable.

This mystery/suspense follows Mike Brink - a celebrated puzzle constructor with acquired savant syndrome that allows him to solve any puzzle. So when he gets invited to a prison to solve a puzzle one of the inmates has drawn, he isn't expecting this day to be much different than any other. But when he isn't able to solve the puzzle, he ends up getting drawn into the prisoner's case and the hunt for the truth.

Overall, I liked this book just fine, but I think it was a case of mis-matched expectations. The one big selling point for me was a blurb I saw that compared this to The DaVinci Code + The Silent Patient. Unfortunately, that blurb along with the premise of Brink being a puzzle master gave me a very specific set of expectations that I didn't feel the book lived up to. I was expecting a book titled The Puzzle Master, with a main character who literally can solve any puzzle he comes across, being compared to The DaVinci Code to be really involved with the puzzling aspects. And sure, the puzzles were important to the overall plot, but used much more infrequently that I was expecting.
The mystery plot was overall satisfying and I think it all came together really well. There were a lot of moving parts, but Trussoni was able to balance them all well. We get some flashbacks from a journal entry and those did slow down the pacing some for me but we get a lot of background information that really fleshed out the details and stakes of the overall mystery. I did find the goalposts of the mystery kept moving because the characters would solve the first mystery, which would lead to the next, etc. Since all the parts were interconnected, it did still feel cohesive. However, I really love the big build up and investigation for mystery reads and these collection of smaller mysteries didn't quite give me the big satisfaction of having all the pieces fall together at the very end.

The characters felt like they were a little too one dimensional for my tastes. This was more of a plot-forward story instead of being really concerned about the character development. I do feel like there was some attempt at character development but it came across to me as very surface level and I didn't actually see the changes in our main character. The ending did leave the door open for a book 2 so there's potential for more development if this continues into a series. I usually prefer my reads to be more character-centered and since the mystery plot and lack of puzzles fell short for me, there wasn't enough plot for me.

Overall, this was a pretty satisfying mystery read, but it wasn't quite what I had expected. I liked a lot of the elements on their own, but the overall execution veered away from my personal tastes in mysteries. I was expecting a more complex, puzzle-forward mystery but this didn't quite rise to the level I was hoping for. I have heard really good things recently about this, so I think readers overall are enjoying it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC. Publication date was June 13, 2023

This reads like a cross between Dan Brown and Alex Michaelides. The perfect summer thriller and the best thriller since Girl with a Dragon Tattoo. Very unique from Angelology but equally as compelling.

The best part of this difficult-to-read, hard-to-understand novel is the condition of the lead character. Mike Brink suffers from acquired savant syndrome, a condition that gives him the unique ability to solve puzzles of any kind. He is pulled into a very involved plot that I found almost impossible to follow. Others will disagree, but this book was not for me. Thanks to NetGalley and to Random House for providing an ARC.

The Puzzle Master is an intriguing story that is masterful in the telling. It begins with Mike Brink, a puzzle developer for major outlets, such as the New York Times, who gets summoned to a correctional facility to meet a woman, Jess Price, who has been incarcerated and her attempt at communication was to summon Brink to the prison with a puzzle. Brink’s back story is interesting as to how he developed his gift with making and solving puzzles. He was a high school football player and a major head injury changed everything. He suffered a concussion that left him with an ability to see and think patterns in the world around us. He often visualized numbers as colors and that allowed solutions to come to him differently than most people experience puzzles. Jess knows that she has stumbled into a situation that is complex and fraught with danger and needs an ally who can maybe help her before its too late.
Overall, the book is an interesting mix of the story and the puzzles, allowing the reader to glimpse how Brink’s brain works. The story is well developed and engaging, although at times I felt like it dragged a bit. Power through these slower parts of the story, it is worth it in the end.
Definitely recommend!
#ThePuzzleMaster #NetGalley#RandomHousePublishingGroup

Thank you to NetGalley for an early edition of The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni.
This was a strange story, requiring a leap of faith, so keep an open mind. It is the story of a high school quarterback hero, who it is injured during a game, ending his football career. However, the head injury he suffers brings with it a savant ability to see numbers and puzzles. This ability leads him to get a degree at MIT, but ultimately landed at the NYT making puzzles.

When a partial puzzle arrives in the mail and requests his presence at a penitentiary, Mike is intrigued and cannot help himself. He goes to the penitentiary and is thrown into a theoretical puzzle like no other he’s ever experienced. As noted above, it is a strange/interesting story on the meaning of numbers and patterns in the universe and their relationship to religion. The ending is as expected, as you read.

The author did a good job of explaining the more complex parts of the theory. The character development was OK. Parts are too detailed, however, other parts are not detailed enough, so there were a few times, I got lost as to where we were in the story. The ending felt a little rushed.

Thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for the early read.

This book was intriguing and thought provoking. I'd rate it 3.5 (4 star round up). I'd definitely recommend you check it out.

Book Summary:

Mike Brink is famous, but perhaps not for the reasons you might expect. He's known for his ingenious puzzles – and his ability to solve them. In truth, he can't resist the opportunity to solve strange and curious puzzles.

This is why he becomes obsessed with a woman named Jess Price. While in prison, she drew a puzzle. His attempt to solve that puzzle will throw Brink down the rabbit hole, and there's no coming back from that.

My Review:

The Puzzle Master both was and wasn't exactly what I was expecting. It had many surprises inside, which I loved. Yet it also held up to the premise described earlier, which is always appreciated. So, let's dive into this review!

This book has multiple perspectives, which I adore. What makes it a bit more confusing (which I didn't mind) is that the mix has different timelines. I know reader response to this mechanic is a mixed bag, so I wanted to mention it.

Where this book lost me was all of the detailed and lengthy discussions. I didn't mind the scientific elements so much, but I'm not a huge fan of religion in my books. At least not when it is this extensive, you know? I'm looking to escape reality, after all.

Overall, I would say that The Puzzle Master is a decent read. It's worth your time, especially if you've had your eye on this one for a bit (like me).

Highlights:
Mystery/Horror
Puzzles and Patterns

Thank you to Netgalley. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. The Puzzle Master was a great and easy to follow read with a mixture of mystery, thrill and a pinch of supernatural horror. Mike Brink who suffered a sever head injury when he was young as grown into an adult with the capability to solve any puzzle He comes across. Brink has been asked to solve a female inmates crypted messages that leads him to believe she was framed for murder. I enjoyed this read and felt that it was very easy to follow and the story was intriguing and kept me interested. However I did feel like the book tried to cover multiple genres but didn't have enough substance in any of them leaving me to want alittle more. Where I thought it could get more thrilling and creepy it didn't. When I thought there would be an expected twist there wasn't. I wanted a lot more out of this book and in the end found myself alittle disappointed in what could have been. Still very appreciative that I was able to get a chance to read this author and will definitely try a different book written by them.

Loved how twisty this was and it kept me on the edge of my seat! Definitely will be recommending this one!

The Puzzle Master has a similar vibe to National Treasure or the DaVinci Code series at first glance - which I love. What sets it apart is Mike Brink, a former athlete turned puzzle savant. Mike gets brought into prison to meet with Jess Price, a noncommunicative murderer when they have an instant connection.

From here, the book goes into a supernatural horror twist, involving vintage dolls and Jewish golems, as well as a lengthy, suspenseful chase by a billionaire with top secret info-technology. And a budding romance.

Danielle Trussoni maintains this tension while weaving in all the above tropes, creating a thrilling story about self, theology, ethics, and cybersecurity.

I couldn't put it down!

Mike Brink suffered a traumatic brain injury and as a result, has savant syndrome. He can now solve complex puzzles ordinary people cannot. Mike’s life is turned upside down when he meets Jess Price. Jess is serving 30 years in prison for murder and hasn’t spoken since her arrest 5 years ago. Jess has drawn a perplexing puzzle that Mike must solve. Will Mike be able to solve it before it’s too late?

I really enjoyed the beginning of this book. I like Danielle Trussoni’s writing style of lots of short chapters. I enjoyed lots of great things about this book, including the puzzle clues, history, and Jewish mysticism elements. However, a few things were a bit much for me, like current technology and AI. I wish more time was spent on history instead of current technology. However, overall, this was a good read. Fans of The DaVinci Code will enjoy this one! I give it 3/5 stars.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

After a sports injury leaves him with acquired savant syndrome, Mike Brink is a celebrated puzzle creator. He is contacted by a prison psychologist to work with a convicted murderer, Jess, who refuses to communicate with anyone but him, leading Mike into a twisty, paranormal race to figure out what happened to Jess before the rich bad guys get to the answer first. Although the narrative dragged a bit in the middle, overall I was on the edge of my seat to find out how this thriller would conclude.

After reading the book description and seeing the cover art, I was very eager to read The Puzzle Master. It started off a bit slow for my liking, but then it veered into something I was very much NOT expecting. I'm still on the fence as to whether or not I liked the direction in which the story went. However, I liked Mike Brink's character and was intrigued by his ability to solve and create complex puzzles following a TBI in high school. I was eager to read about how he was going to help inmate Jess Price and solve the unique puzzle posed to him. That eagerness turned into many "WTF?" moments when it came to the vivid dreams Mike had about Jess as well as the origins of the porcelain doll. This book certainly spanned different genres and may turn out to be someone else's cup of tea, but it wasn't for me. Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for this ARC.