Thanks to Random House and NetGalley for the chance to read and review Danielle Trussoni's 'The Puzzle Master.'

This novel sits squarely in The Da Vinci Code' Dan Brown universe.

It's an entertaining read that, I think, could've been judiciously edited to reduce the length by easily a quarter and have lost nothing. I think inevitably with this genre, the longer it goes on, the more strands and characters are added and the potential for confusion and dropped threads increases. That happened for me with 'The Puzzle Master' - I found myself beginning to skim and mentally discard bits and pieces just to get to the dénouement.

It's a pity because there were enough intriguing elements that could've been focused on - Kabballah, mathematics - and kept the story going and the reader engaged.

I suspect that this will see a sequel or the main character will get a series in which case I hope the stories are kept a little more focused.

The premise of The Puzzle Master drew me in, and I enjoyed Mike Brink as a character. But there just wasn't enough substance to the book, and when the author threw in the Jewish mysticism aspect, the golem, etc. I felt she was just trying too hard to hold the audience. The last quarter of the book (and especially the ending) left me cold. I really wanted to love this, but in the end, it was only a middle-of-the-road read for me.

Thanks to Random House and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this title prior to publication. Mike Brink suffered a traumatic brain injury during high school football, and after this he develops a rare medical condition, a superpower, where he can solve puzzles and see patterns in a way most people cannot. Now a respected puzzle creator for the New York Times, Mike meets Jess, in prison for murder, who has drawn a puzzle that baffles her psychiatrist. Thus begins a thrill ride into an ancient mystery and the future of technology. I loved the puzzle aspect of this story and the propulsive writing - this was my favorite part by far. I thought the writing could have been tightened up a bit - the book had a saggy middle - and while I understand the ending fit with the story, I didn't like it at all. The comps to The DaVinci Code make sense, but the conclusion was a bit too heavy handed for my taste. Still, I want to pick up some of this authors other work, and I am glad to have read this one.

The Puzzle Master has a great hook. A murder has been committed, but the apparent culprit refuses to say a word: not to the police, not to her attorney at trial, not to the prison psychologist. Then she says to call a famous guy who makes his living creating and solving puzzles. At this point, however, things start to go downhill. There seems to be a supernatural component to the crime and to the woman. How could a puzzle guy deal with that? Then there are some BDSM sex dreams that appear out of nowhere. Also, the pacing suffers, like when the antagonist gives a lengthy lecture on the history of porcelain in the middle of a tense scene. I didn’t care for the main characters enough by that point. Even a historical plot involving a doll and the golem of Prague couldn’t save the book for me.
Many thanks to the publisher for providing this free copy on NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

I’m not quite sure how to describe this novel. It was certainly attention grabbing from the very start and took many turns to the weird, eerie, and strange. Although there was A LOT going on and I sometimes had to reread or refocus to make sure I was getting every thing, I definitely needed to finish it to see how it would end.

3.5

The Puzzle Master is many things. Its a puzzle. Its a cat and mouse game. Its an adventure. Its a discussion on religion/politics/ethics/mathematics. At times it is very good at all things, and at times it leans far too heavily on the religion/mathematics/history of things. For me, The Puzzle Master is at its best when it leans into the puzzle. When the story focuses on getting from point A to point B, Trussoni's work moves along at a perfect clip. But when the characters are forced to sit down and explain very technical ideas about puzzles and mathematics and religion, if feels like it all grinds to a halt.

Trussoni's work is thorough and its definitely well researched, but at times it does feel a little like the reader is supposed to be impressed by the research and what she is able to put together. Again, for me, the story is at its best when its not so focused on those elements. My favorite part of the book was learning about the mysterious Sedge House and the hauntings that were happening there. I wanted to spend more time with that aspect of the mystery and less with the religious implications.

For all that the math and religion were leading up to one conclusion, there was very little time spent explaining it. And in the end, the characters seemed to forget that there was another ending that they were speeding toward and its all seemingly forgotten. I find it hard to believe that none of those involved would have done their due diligence to make sure that the ultimate conclusion that Jameson Sedge was headed toward did not come to fruition.

This is the first book I have read by Danielle. THE PUZZLE MASTER is so addictive and effervescent that you won't be able to put it down. Trussoni displays tremendous range, moving effortlessly from intricate puzzles to a traumatic murder to ancient secrets. A tantalizing and delightful read that engages both heart and mind. I also loved the cover of this book. I will be recommending this book.


Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read this ARC in advance for my honest opinion.

This book has A LOT happening. It moves fast and has multiple plots happening within the story. I enjoyed it and would recommend it although I found the latter half of the book full of a lot of science, religion, and mythology which made it hard to follow and comprehend. I had to read some passages a few times to make sure I understood. It's an extremely interesting and unique plot I just wish it was dumbed down a bit for my average brain. It's been coined as a mix of The Silent Patient and The Da Vinci Code and I have to agree completely, so if you enjoyed either of those books you'll like this one.

Thank you @netgalley and @randomhouse for the ARC

What a journey this thriller takes you on!. You think it is all about Mike Brink and his amazing abilities to create and solve puzzles after his football brain injury results in his having acquired Sudden Acquired Savant Syndrome. But no! It involves eccentric millionaires wanting to find immortality. It has a celebrity writer arrested for murder. It has art historians flying helicopters out of a prison. It has early 1900s doll makers creating realistic porcelain dolls that a rabbi uses as a golem. Don't believe these things have any connection? Well, the author has crafted a tale that connects them all in a page turning quest to find out how Mike Brink solves the puzzles that have been left undone for decades! If you are looking for a unique story of old and new, murder and redemption, conundrums and faith, this is the book for you! Enjoyed how the author began with the early 1900s plot and then switched gears to the present day where Mike Brink is drawn into a puzzle mystery at a women's prison. I liked how the story progressed from there as the author added another detail and another character to blend all of the characters together to provide depth to the book. The author brought the characters and storylines together by the end in an amazing and unbelievable turn of events.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Net Galley for an ARC of The Puzzle Master in exchange for an honest review.

"Forgive me. I know I’ve sent you blindfolded into a maze, one that has you turning in circles, but you might be the only person who can solve this. Now that it’s started, it’s impossible to go back. We must navigate the maze together."

Wow I'm still thrown after reading it but hopefully I can get my thoughts together. Mike Brink has sudden savant syndrome after having a traumatic brain injury during a football game. Since then his mind has worked differently, and he's able to see things others can't. He has used those kills to become a one of a kind puzzle maker.

He's contacted by a physician taking care of a very special patient, Jess Price. Jess Price has been convicted for a murder, and has refused to say anything since the arrest. But Jess has drawn a very strange puzzle, and only Brink can solve it.

Jess only gives her more puzzles, except in the puzzles are encoded messages, bringing Brink into a dangerous conspiracy.

This story is so well done, and we only know what Mike Brink does at any time, as we get to put the pieces together along with him. At first it seems like the story is totally disconnected, bringing this random scenes that can't possibly tie together.. until they do.

I definitely get the comparisons to the DaVinci Code, but I just want to say that I'm thrilled to see my own religion represented in a cool way like this, because it's usually not. And don't worry if you're not religious, it's not that kind of book.

Thank you netgalley and Random House Publishing Group for giving me an advanced review copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The Puzzle Master by Danielle Trussoni as all the makings of a brilliant, puzzle filled mystery but didn’t quite stick the landing for me.
After a traumatic brain injury, Mike Brink develops the very rare condition known as Acquired Savant Syndrome which allows him to work out the toughest puzzles and the most mundane patterns become complex in his mind. This amazing ability also makes him very lonely as no one else quite understands. However, when an author who serving time in jail for a murder reaches out with a puzzle Brink can’t solve, he falls down a rabbit hole he could never imagine.

This book was so promising to me. The synopsis sounded intriguing and it reminded me of The Davinci Code but for a new generation. I think I read The Davinci Code about in my very late teens so it has been about 12-15 years but I remember how engrossing the reading experience was so I was wanting something similar to that with this book but unfortunately, it just didn’t deliver. Early in the book, we find out that Brink is in his early 30s. I am in my early 30s and he felt so much older to me. I also found the writing style a little strange. We would get detailed descriptions on the most minute details but then when it came to the puzzles, we would glaze over parts of them to the point where I was rereading pages to make sure I didn’t miss anything.
There was a bit of a romance in here that felt placed for the sake of having a romance. As an avid romance reader, I like for a romance to feel justified. I would rather have none than something that feels cringey.
That being said, I know this book will find its target audience. I would say “elevated dad” would fit the bill. I did find the story as a whole fascinating and I can’t even imagine the sheer amount of research the author had to go through to write this book with all of its puzzles. I would actually love to read more from this author because I feel like she has the ability to really write a story that would work for me. This one just wasn’t it. I think parts of it got tired up in the details but not really the parts that needed to.

I would recommend this one to anyone who likes puzzles and isn’t super picky about writing style or a weird romance. I would say this book is very comparable to a Dan Brown book. The short chapters also help keep the pace. There were several times where I wanted to put the book down but persevered because the next chapter would only be a few pages and it would hook me again.

Hard to rate this one. I really enjoyed the first 2/3, but then it got slooooooow. An interesting, fast paced story with many different intriguing pieces turned into an academic treatise, and then the conclusion just was a total mess. This could do with another major edit before pub date. So much needs to be tightened up to find the great book that exists within this.

Five enthusiastic stars. It’s one of those stories that makes you think “how?” How did the author come up with this story? What was the process of discovering the pieces and how did she make them fit together? I’d love to sit down with Trussoni and pick her brain because it all just seems like pure magic to me. Such a clever premise. I loved every word of this one.

I really enjoyed this read!! The pace of the action and the intrigue of the actions kept me engaged and turning pages. I really liked the whole puzzle aspect of the story.

Whatever you think this story is going to be, it isn't, in the best way possible. This is a rollercoaster ride of a novel, just strap yourself in and enjoy the ride. This has echoes of one of my favorite novels, Marisha Pessl's Night Film, because of its desperate search into the unknown, the hidden crevices of New York City, where we can believe that magic is real, it's pressing up against our world, and the characters we meet along the way are fascinating and endearing. In short: I devoured this!

The Puzzle Master, the latest book by Danielle Trussoni, can be summarized in one word: fantastic. It's a puzzle book that expertly weaves together elements of mystery, thriller, horror, science fiction, and science with a mix of reality and the supernatural. The book covers a wide range of topics, and the author's thorough research and deft writing style had me wanting to learn more about several areas that I didn't have a background in.

The book's protagonist is Mike Brink, a celebrated and ingenious puzzle constructor with acquired savant syndrome who understands patterns like no one else. He is summoned to an upstate New York women's prison where Jess Price, a detainee and presumed murderer, has drawn a puzzle with Mike's name on it. Jess, a promising writer, allegedly killed her boyfriend while house-sitting in a Gothic mansion that had a creepy doll collection, including a very valuable and very Chucky-like doll. The prison psychiatrist asks for Mike's help, as what Jess has drawn is a puzzle that he can't solve immediately. However, the bigger puzzle is Jess herself: is she another puzzle master who has been imprisoned for other reasons, or the victim of psychic malevolence?

Mike's puzzle search takes him on a ride that spans centuries, belief systems, and dimensions. It includes secret rooms in the J.P. Morgan Library, golems in Prague, and modern-day Jewish mysticism, all intertwined in a fascinating story that had me turning pages.

The research done by the author is mind-boggling, and I appreciated the illustrated puzzles included in the book. They helped me fully imagine the puzzles described in the story. Mike Brink is a likable character who deserves to be played by a young Tom Hanks-like actor in the film versions of the sequels that should be written after this book.

“The Puzzle Master” will fill the longing of Dan Brown fans who desperately want to experience another mesmerizing “DaVinci Code” and have the appeal of a chase as clues are discovered, solved, and then point to another clue. This book is absolutely amazing, layered, haunting, mystical, beguiling, horrifying, and twisted.

I loved Ms. Trussoni's “Angelology” many years ago, and I'm delighted she's back writing in this mystical sort of genre. The Puzzle Master is highly recommended and is set for release in June of 2023. I urge you to preorder it now; you won't regret it.

In conclusion, The Puzzle Master is a masterfully written book that seamlessly weaves together different genres, creating an enthralling and unforgettable story. It's a puzzle book that is not just about solving riddles but also about uncovering the mysteries of the human mind and the supernatural. I give this book five stars and thank Random House and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Looking for a clever mystery that moves fast and has a weird, weird plotline? This is for you. Trussoni is known for unusual interpretations of mythical beings (check out her Angelology series) and here she tackles one of the most terrifying, the golem. There’s one scene involving a living doll parting the curtains in a room that literally gave me nightmares!

The last third of the story becomes supremely metaphysical and requires some close reading to keep track of the complicated mysticism that drives the plot. This unique blend of ancient mysticism, mythology, and religion with modern day quantum computing is fascinating and could spark some lively discussions.

This is a unique story, clever, interesting and exciting. I really enjoyed Mike and the crazy puzzle he finds himself pulled into. I don't want to give anything away, but it was deeply woven through with history and religion, both fascinating.

Hi, it's you, you're the problem it's you.

This one is toted as THE SILENT PATIENT meets THE DA VINCI CODE and that's what is. Almost exactly. Oh there is a freaking romance between the puzzle master and the inmate that refuses to talk. It felt forced and really unnecessary.

While I did enjoy the puzzles, clues and brain teasers- some of it just went over my head. I mean I understand that the guy is a savant and that his mind is on a completely different plane to us 'plebeians' but wow did it make me feel stupid.

And not in the good Blake Crouch way.

So while I wanted to love this one because of the way it was described... I just can't.

Oh and btw- there's a dog and I may have skipped to the end to make sure nothing happened to her. Stupid horror and thriller books make a nasty habit of including dogs just to kill them off- like we're not emotionally damaged enough!

Mashups: The Silent Patient, The Da Vinci Code, crosswords, sudoku, word puzzles, ciphers and random romance.

An incredibly epic and genius read, I couldn't put down The Puzzle Master! From the first page I was sucked into the murder and secrets of this book, and it didn't let up until the very last page. From intricate puzzles to ancient religious rites, AI to art history, it's immediately clear that Trussoni dove deep in her research to bring us not just an action-packed story, but one that goes deeper than you could possibly imagine. ⁠
My advice to readers is to not let the knowledge of this book overwhelm you. Don't rush through reading this, but also know that you'll be able to follow along and understand the concepts to follow this story just fine.