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.

This was a great story about a subject I'd never heard of before. Mike was an engaging character to follow, and I couldn't help but root for him. I loved reading about the puzzles he created and how his mind worked. The author seemed to be very familiar with Kabbalah, and I enjoyed learning more about it. I felt like it was a great backdrop for the story. I did feel like the author's explanation of Judeo-Christian beliefs was a bit muddled and inaccurate. I'm not sure if she was trying to advance an agenda or just generally confused.
Thanks to Net Galley for the book to review.

I was excited by the premise of this book. I enjoyed both The Silent Patient and The DaVinci Code, so the blurb had me at the beginning. However, this book tried to be too much.

There were porcelain dolls, Kabbalah, a puzzle master who didn't really solve a puzzle, and a rich man using another for his dirty work. I like Mike Brink's character, but the story was so convoluted that I just got bogged down and didn't love it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Supernatural meets reality and it goes off with a BANG!
What can one say, "In circles we move at night and are consumed by fire."
Let me begin by saying not only is God good but God is male and female and this may be shocking to some.
Let me also note that a puzzle is made up of many blank spaces and it's up to us to decide how to fill those spaces.
Hidden messages are found everywhere one looks but not everyone sees or feels the sensations.Those who do may be killed for this knowledge.
There's so much action that it's impossible to not notice from porcelain dolls to therapy sessions to crimes involving death and destruction.
What does come out with the laundry is the bleeding colors of truth and justice and Lord -Hear our Prayer...we need you, stat!
It's more than just a circle of life when everyone has something to say, a part to play, and a move to make.Good vs evil needs to take a step back for the powerful women are here to stay!
Do I say an acquittal coming your way is a blessing in disguise but for some it's already too late.
Love it all!
Great Job Danielle Trussoni in all regards!

interesting book with maps and code and seeing images and able to do things in dream. very interesting book that dealt with religion and science. slight romance and issues with dolls

This is a good story, with many different genres mashed together. It's part thriller and part mystery, with some horror and techno science-thriller elements thrown in. I enjoyed the characters and puzzle/problem solving aspects, just maybe too many different elements to the story that didn't quite all come together and make sense.. It's an easy quick read, and if you enjoy those genres you'll probably enjoy this book.

Haven’t you always wanted to know what it would be like to have a photographic memory and be able to solve any puzzle. Mike Brink now has this ability after a football accident. Of course having a perfect memory isn’t always perfection. We see what it’s truly like to have a mind that is always at work. And when people want to use his talents to their advantage, things can get dangerous.
I really enjoyed this book. There was a lot of layers to the story that we had to unfold. The story ended up being not what I was expecting but I still enjoyed it.
3.5/5 stars

I couldn’t put this one down. I found myself reading at every opportunity and was so excited to see the ending. I really enjoyed reading this but was slightly disappointed with the ending. I wasn’t surprised by the final reveal but really wanted to be. I was sucked in the whole time so it made the ending more of a let down. I do think it’s worth the read but you have to go in knowing that there won’t be any surprises— aside from realizing that everyone talking about this being a genre mashup is correct. This was a great read and I wish I could give it more stars.

Wow!!

I went into this read not knowing anything about this author and what I got was an amazing book that was not at all what I was expecting.

Some supernatural and lots of suspense with a unique puzzle.

Mike Brink was in an accident and learned that his brain injury had resulted in an extremely rare condition called sudden acquired savant syndrome.

Jess Price was a author convicted of murder.

She’d lured him to the prison with a puzzle, drawn him closer with a cipher, and now he felt a desperate need to figure her out.

I was so engrossed in this story I literally couldn’t put it down. It was so different from anything I’ve read before and I’m so glad I stepped out of my comfort zone.

A young man who is a puzzle savant becomes involved in a murder mystery. Sounds simple, right? Nope. This is a complicated cerebral thriller. There’s a small detour into creepy doll land, but it is short and feeds the narrative. Likewise spiritual, religious, and supernatural aspects that feed the narrative. It is well written and thought out and has good character development (though he falls for the wrong woman) and I could have done with less of the schlocky Mission Impossible stumbles. Worth the read.

I requested this one because it might be an upcoming title I would like to review on my Youtube Channel. However, after reading the first several chapters I have determined that this book does not suit my tastes. So I decided to DNF this one.

The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussini introduces us to Mike Brink whose life is altered after a football injury. He is drawn into a puzzle by Jess Price who is in prison for murder. She draws a puzzle to get Mike involved. The story is a thriller with strange events happening and effects for the future. It takes us to upstate NY, NYC, and Prague. A suspenseful read with a good pace! I recommend this one! Thank you NetGalley for letting me review this book in exchange for an honest review.