The Puzzle Master started off really strong. I really loved the first 30% or so. The thriller vibes and the MC’s giftedness with puzzles made for an interesting and exciting read. And I loved it as we started getting some of Jess’s backstory. The horror vibes at Sedge house were a wonderfully unexpected surprise.

But then the nature of the story shifted and dragged. There was a lot of info dumping on a multitude of topics. I didn’t enjoy reading long stretches of detail about binary code, computers, etc.

I picked up this book because of the reference to Jewish mysticism in the synopsis. I am Jewish and was excited by the prospect of a uniquely Jewish story (I don’t know if I’ve ever read a thriller or mystery with Jewish representation). But I didn’t like the Jewish representation here, which says a lot because I love golem stories. This didn’t feel authentically Jewish. The Jewish mysticism felt like a fantastical curiosity to be used by the characters to serve their own interests. And so the use of Jewish mysticism felt irreligious and like a cheap plot device.

In the end, this was a 3⭐️ read for me based on the strong start and the action throughout.

Interesting book that started really strong. It grabbed my attention right away and I didn't want to put it down. It threw us quickly into a mystery that involved all sort of complex puzzles. It was very Dan Brown-esque. I enjoyed the puzzle and mystery element, but for me it just dragged out a bit. And I didn't really like how things wrapped up - it felt a bit superficial. Overall, it was a mostly enjoyable read and I wasn't tempted to stop reading, just wanted it to get to the point a bit faster.

The Puzzle Master is a wild ride of a genre mash up. It is a thriller and a mystery with elements of the supernatural and history. After sustaining a head injury as a teenager, Mike Brink, has savant level puzzle solving skills. He is called by a prison to help decipher a puzzle in the possession of Jess Price, a famous writer turned infamous murderer.

At one point while reading this I thought to myself, “this book has no idea what it wants to be when it grows up.” It is a story of personal tragedy, ancient secrets, immortality, murder, and high technology. Personally, I think there was too much going on. Taken alone, or in smaller combinations, the various elements could have worked better. There were a lot of elements that I truly enjoy in books – secret societies, a haunted home, family secrets, technology, puzzles, mysteries, supernatural elements, religious conspiracies – but this story leapt around too much for any one element to be truly great and I think the book ultimately suffered. I never felt invested in any of the characters. I finished the book because I needed to know how it all worked out in the end, but I wouldn't say that I loved it.

I commend the author for her ambition, and I would be willing to pick up another book by her.

Much thanks to Random House and NetGalley for allowing the opportunitiy to read this early.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. I highly enjoyed this book, it had elements in it that I haven't read since the Da Vinci Code, and I really enjoyed every minute of it. I will be keeping an eye on this author's future works. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

It's hard to know where to start when describing The Puzzle Master. There's murder, mystery, romance, horror, Jewish mysticism, but none of it felt cohesive for me. In short, Mike Brink is a puzzle creator who suffered a traumatic brain injury in his teens that left him with the uncanny ability to look at and solve problems in unusual ways. He is approached by a prison psychiatrist to meet with a female inmate who is serving time for murder and who has drawn a complex puzzle that the doctor doesn't know what to make of. From there, the book goes through haunted dolls, lucid dreams, golems, determined billionaires, but it never really picks up to the pace of a good thriller. I'm really not sure what to make of this book, to be honest. It just didn't captivate me the way it did some other readers. Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

Yall looking for a profoundly cryptic and mind-bending novel, with potentially biblical ties???? Okay, just jump right into The Puzzle Master. While you're reading, I'd suggest listening to either Hans Zimmer or some other A24 composer because it will help your other-worldly experience to flourish.

I am so thankful to Random House Books, PRH Audio, and Danielle Trussoni for granting me a physical copy and audiobook access before this baby publishes on June 13, 2023.

Mike Brink's entire life changed after a traumatic sports-related accident leaving him Acquired Savant Syndrome, unlocking a whole new world of wisdom with all things puzzles and numbers. His life continues to spiral after meeting a convicted murderer who hasn't spoken since her sentencing, only to leave Mike a cryptic coded puzzle with the intent of him unraveling its hidden secrets.

But newsflash, Mike is way in over his head, because what comes next unlocks the past, and very far in the past, something like 2000+ years ago, taking it back to the foundational basis of God himself. That's right, reader, you're going to journey into a different dimension filled with succubuses, demons, and otherworldly specimens that are all after the same thing this convicted killer is pining for.

I won't spoil too much, but you'll just have to trust me on my word.

Mike Brink is a well known puzzle master due to a rare condition known as acquired savant syndrome from a head injury sustained playing football in high school. He lives a pretty quiet life until he is asked to come visit a prisoner, Jess Price. She was found in an old gothic house with her dead boyfriend 5 years prior. She has not spoken a word about it and is now serving out a sentence for his murder. She has written out part of a puzzle that her psychologist thinks will answer many questions if solved. She opens up a little bit more to Mike and he becomes obsessed with solving the mystery, but it gets way more complex than he could have ever expected (including the search for a creepy, possessed doll).

This book was compulsively readable and is impossible to put into one genre. That is both to its credit, as well as to its disadvantage. I love books that cross genre lines and contain different subplots. The Puzzle Master has elements of historical fiction, mystery, thriller, romance, horror, religion, as well as science fiction. It is very reminiscent of Dan Brown's writing only maybe a little bit smarter and a lot more thrown in. I never felt confused in it, but Trussoni definitely tried to tackle a lot of subjects in one book. There is something for everyone, but that also means that no one thing could be investigated in detail.

To sum it up, it tells a really good story and I would give it a solid 4.5 stars. After it was over, I sat there for a minute thinking "what did I just read?". Did all of it make complete sense? I don't even know since I know absolutely nothing about Jewish Kabbalah or quantum computing. All I can say was that it was a really fun, suspenseful ride.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the early release digital copy. It will be released on June 13, 2023.

The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni, a good book that makes you wonder where its going. I enjoyed it and do recommend it to others.

The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni is an intriguing look at humankind’s quest for immortality with the spin of one’s soul living forever, not one’s body.

Mike Brink was an ordinary high school football player until his accident on the field which left him with some extraordinary gifts, resulting in his ability to solve and create puzzles. This ability draws him into a world in which he must solve the ultimate puzzle which has many consequences.

I found the novel to be fast paced and very interesting. There was a point, about 3/4 through where it got bogged down in a lot of detail but it recovered nicely. And the ending was great! I will definitely be reading more from this author.

Thanks to the author, NetGalley and Random House for the opportunity to read this digital ARC.

Wow! What a thriller of a novel!

Danielle Trussoni’s “The Puzzle Master” is an ambitious and oh-so-intelligently written thriller involving today’s cutting-edge science and technology, ancient religious mysticism, and the highest stakes.

As a high school football player, Mike Brink suffered head trauma that resulted in “sudden acquired savant syndrome” and left him with some extraordinary talents, including an incredible memory and the ability to solve and construct tremendously difficult puzzles at almost light-speed.

Prison psychologist Dr. Thessaly Moses has just such a puzzle. One of her charges, famous author Jess Price, was convicted of murdering her boyfriend while housesitting at an old mansion overlooking the Hudson. Since the day of the homicide more than five years ago, Jess’s only attempt at communication has been to draw a puzzle in the form of a circle and direct it be given to Mike.

When Mike visits Jess in prison, they establish an almost other-worldly connection, one that sends him to investigate the death for which she’s been imprisoned. Suddenly, Mike finds himself at odds with a very powerful man obsessed with discovering the next stage of human evolution, with entering the next plane of human existence.

This is the first novel I’ve read by Ms. Trussoni. I’m sure it won't be the last. She gives us interesting characters we can care about and root for, a plot that ranges across centuries and continents, and settings as exotic and varied as the Adirondacks Mountains, New York City, a NY state prison, a Gilded Age mansion, 19th-century Paris, a Prague synagogue, and J.P. Morgan’s Manhattan library. Her story employs a number of current-day issues and exotic elements, including puzzle making and solving; cryptography; psychic phenomenon; antique porcelain, antique dolls; Jewish mysticism and the Kabbalah; demonic possession; other dimensions; immortality; gender fluidity; and quantum computing and how it may affect the future—just to name a few.

Some parts of the novel reminded me of the “The DaVinci Code,” although this is much more sophisticated and complex. Other parts reminded me of “The Exorcist,” “Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” Mary Shelly’s “Frankenstein,” and even some of the novels by Michael Chabon and Stephen King. Readers who enjoy those kinds of works may find much to entertain and enlighten within the pages of “The Puzzle Master.”

My thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with an electronic ARC. The foregoing is my independent opinion.

I began this book wondering how the author would possibly weave the storylines together: an ex-football player whose injury left him with a savant-like ability to solve puzzles and to recall complicated details in an instant; a former writer, imprisoned after her boyfriend’s gruesome death; a gothic haunted mansion filled with antique dolls, one almost disturbingly lifelike; a Parisian doll-maker, fleeing painful memories in the Jewish quarter of Prague. The story came together seamlessly, and cinematically. I was fascinated by the weaving of ancient myths and scriptures into the hustle and bustle of our modern world. Brink was an interesting and sympathetic character, and I’d be happy to follow him on more adventures.

The book was not perfect, however. I had a sense that the author rushed the ending, just needing to wrap it up - even though the ending did not quite match up to the pacing and complexity of the rest of the story. Until the last 10% of the book, this was a five star contender for me - and then it fell a bit flat.

Still, I really enjoyed this novel, from a new-to-me author, and I truly appreciate the opportunity to read and review it! Thank you!

I read this for a buddy read and probably should have ignored my FOMO. I recommend this to others who enjoy this kind investigative mystery.

This was intricate and full of rich, clear research, but it wasn’t for me. I was bored and while there were aspects I really enjoyed, as a whole, I could not find enough to pull me into the story.

There were some interesting moments and insights in this book. The writing was totally there! This is steeped in supernatural elements and culture that I enjoyed reading. The art of porcelain doll making/collecting, the golem lore, the demonic possession aspects- all parts I enjoyed. But the rest of the time I was just waiting to be gripped again.

Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for the ARC.

Love it when a story immediately pulls you in, entertains and pays off with a satisfying conclusion. The Puzzle Master accomplishes all of that!! It's mystery and suspense with otherworldly and mystical happenings with just the right amount of creepiness to boot. The twists at the end did have me gasping out loud!

The story centers on Mike Brink, who as a high school quarterback suffered a traumatic brain injury and as a result became a puzzle savant. It's a terrific premise and Mike is such a likeable character. Mike's ability to create and solve puzzles brings him into contact with a woman incarcerated for murder and he is drawn into a centuries old mystery. This was just a fun time!! The mystery of ancient puzzles is perfect for me and the breakneck pacing really makes you feel the urgency of Mike's situation. Highly recommend this for anyone wanting a compelling mystery that brings historical figures and puzzles to a story full of fascinating characters!!!

The Puzzle Master is a race against time. It has its fair share of dramatic moments, atmosphere, action, and even creepy dolls.

After suffering a traumatic brain injury, Mike Brink’s life drastically changed. The injury resulted in a rare medical condition known as acquired savant syndrome. Now, Mike is known for solving and creating complex puzzles that leave others stumped.

His life changes again when he meets Jess Price, a woman convicted of murder who hasn’t spoken for five years since her arrest. When Price draws a perplexing puzzle with Brink’s name below, her psychiatrist invites him to visit Price to determine if it will shed some light on her case. But Price reveals to Brink that the puzzle is dangerous, and she fears who might be watching. Soon, Brink goes on a risky pursuit to solve this puzzle that carries religious intonations.

This story has multiple POVs and alternating timelines. It incorporates letters, journal entries, and transcriptions.

I really enjoyed the parts that showcased Brink’s mind at work as he tried to figure out this puzzle while trying to get out of sticky situations. Things became slightly muddled for me amidst all the lengthy religious and scientific discussions.

This was the first book I read by the author, and I think I’ll go back and read some of their backlist.

Thank you to Random House for providing an arc via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

https://booksandwheels.com

Mike Brink.

How many times I sighed heavily over that name while reading The Puzzle Master. Mike Brink. (It doesn't help that the author goes on sprees throughout the book where she refers to her protagonist--Mike Brink, if you couldn't tell--by his first name and surname without seeming rhyme or reason. For better or worse, it won't be a protagonist's name I forget soon. )

The Puzzle Master is a well-plotted and crafted book, one that was difficult to put down thanks to tight pacing and well-plotted chapters. While the supernatural/paranormal aspect wasn't one that strictly worked for me, it didn't ruin the novel.

However, The Puzzle Master is a book that proves that a good plot does not a perfect book make. Because while the mystery itself was solidly written and engaging, Mike Brink leaves...quite a bit to be desired in his characterization. Trussoni has created a character both bulletproof with his intelligence but also, in her attempts to make him rounded, unlikable in the wrong ways. His reminisces of how difficult intelligence makes his life read like a Facebook post from an angsty teen boy.

SPOILERS BEYOND THIS. What truly rubbed me the wrong way was the power dynamics of the romantic relationship between Mike Brink (are you noticing how awkward it is to always use both names yet?) and Jess Price. While her status as a prison inmate and his as a consultant did not bother me, it was that thanks to the literal demon inhabiting her body, they began a sexual relationship in his dreams (again literally) and then Mike Brink assumes that even sans-demon Jess Price wants him and then they are together once she's out of prison. It just felt, quite bluntly, gross.

Will I read another book by Danielle Trussoni? I’m not sure. I admire her plotting and pacing, but the jury is still out on how much I enjoyed the experience of the book.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for the ebook ARC. All opinions are mine alone.

This starts with the exact type of prologue I hate. It feels so disjointed from chapter 1, stylistically and content-wise, and it sets up poor expectations for readers as it throws them into a second book. Chapter 1 was exposition-heavy, which I don't enjoy.

All that said, I *DO* see it going over well for our patrons. I see a lot of them enjoying it. I stopped at 4%, but easy three stars and four or five for the right readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

I’m not sure how to review this book. I did not like it, but I know that other people would! I think you have to have a very specific taste in books to enjoy this one. It is well written and at the beginning, I was interested in Mike and his ability to solve puzzles. I started to fall off when the dolls started coming alive, but I was still interested in the story. Then, this book takes a VERY weird turn halfway through. It’s doing too much! Dolls and religion and demons and suicide and puzzles and the blockchain and coding and quantum computing. I had to skip entire paragraphs because I just didn’t care for the lengthy explanations of yet another element of the story. I also found Jess and Mike’s romantic connection weird and forced. Simply put, this is not my type of book, but I can understand how someone who is interested in religion and the supernatural would enjoy it.

Summary: Mike Brink is a brilliant puzzle maker. Jess Price is a convicted murderer. Together they must solve an ancient puzzle that reveals the truth surrounding Jess’ murder conviction, mankind, and what is in store for the future. A captivating story of puzzles, technology, the past and the future.

Read if you like
Art history 🖌️
Puzzles 🧩
Philosophical musings 🎭
Mysteries 🧐

My review
I loved the inclusion of the puzzles in the book. Such a unique way to get the plot going. If you enjoy descriptive writing this is for you. Danielle describes things in such vivid detail you can form a clear picture in your mind. This book was so different from anything I’ve ever read and I’m so thankful @randomhouse and @danielletrussoni gave me the chance to read this ARC that comes out 06/13/2023!!

My rating
🔎🔎🔎/5

Thank you to the publisher, and Netgalley for a copy to review.
This was so so good. It was incredible fast paced. I didn't want to put it down. I like puzzles myself (I'm not very good at them, but still enjoy them). This book was full of twists, turns, and surprises. Which is exactly what I like in a book. If you're a fan of thrillers and or puzzles I suggest you pick this one up.

The blurb on this book had me totally excited and the first part lived up to the hype. Puzzles and a mystery silent prisoner- great. It was a quick escapist read which I read it in one sitting- also great. The main character had an interesting brain anomaly that was fun and different-I’m hooked.

Then it went all whack-a-mole

Telepathy…whack
Haunted dolls…whack
Jewish mysticism…whack
Evil AI plot…whack

All over the place.
It reminded me of those poor people who follow their GPS instructions straight off a cliff.



*personal pet peeve. An emotional support animal is not the same as a service dog and does not enjoy the same right of access.