The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr caught me by surprise in the best way. Clayton’s adventure of self-discovery during a time of grief was so unique - it felt simultaneously like a warm hug and a heart-breaking conversation with a best friend. Told in a parallel format with Pippa’s adventures to build/grow the fellowship, Clayton reminds us to enjoy the act of solving a puzzle rather than simply focusing on the finished product. Pippa, Earl, Hector, Nancy, and the rest of the fellowship rounded out a cast of characters that were each immensely talented, deeply-flawed, and a perfect found family. I will be thinking about this book for quite some time to come.

4 ⭐️

Received as an ARC from NetGalley! Very sweet story with a quirky cast of characters and dual timeline. Clayton is dropped off as a baby at the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, and is the one riddle they can’t seem to solve. Def recommend for a cute little read.

This sweet story combines found family with a scavenger hunt to facilitate self-discovery for the main character, Clayton Stumper. It alternates timelines between Clayton's present, beginning at the passing of his beloved adopted mother Pippa, and Pippa's past from the inaugural meeting of the Puzzlemakers up to Clayton appearing on their commune's doorstep. Burr does a nice job of dropping clues and weaving the two timelines together to give the reader enough to predict the ending in a satisfying way. The characters are all charming and flawed and loveable, as is the tradition of many British writers (which I adore).
I found this book to be a lovely, easy read that could have a broad appeal to many patrons/readers.
Thanks so much for the ARC!

I loved the game playing element in this novel, and how it fit into the plot. The different generations in the story contribute to its warmth and heart. It is a charming and emotionally honest tale of belonging and self discovery.
Many thanks to Vintage Anchor and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is a coming of age story, even though the main character is 25 years old. Clayton has lived with, and been protected by, a quirky group of adults his whole life. As an infant, he was found on the doorstep of a group of adults united by their love of various types of puzzles, and has never really been independent in any way. After the group's founder and mother figure Pippa dies, Clayton embarks on a quest to learn about his parentage. Before her death, Pippa organized his way with a series of puzzles to solve. Although I enjoy puzzles, I found the pace of this novel to be slow enough that I had no interest in engaging in the puzzles embedded in the narrative. Somewhat predictably, Clayton learns a great deal about himself, and while his world opens up, solves many of life's puzzles in the process.

Absolutely loved this sweet story that expands through multiple generations. It had a bit of a Harry Potter-esque feel to me, which may be what drew me to it so thoroughly! An intriguing and unique story.

What a concept! Several puzzle lovers form a fellowship of like minded people, who all are experts at various types of puzzles. Living together as a commune allows them to bounce ideas off one another and be available to also help each other for the common good. Many had lived nerdy type lives before, but now find themselves as part of the togetherness that they had been missing out on.

A baby is left on the doorstep and adopted by the group, but now the baby is an adult and it is time to find out where he came from. Of course the solution is to solve several puzzles laid out for him and which he can't do alone.

A cute story, but a bit long. Not all the detail needed to be in there to get to the same ending, but that is my only complaint. 3.5 stars for this one. Thank you NetGalley for an advance reader copy. Opinions expressed here are my own and are freely given.

A surprisingly wonderful story of found family. I truly enjoyed the interaction between the quirky puzzle makers and Clayton.

Told in a dual timeline, we learn about the history of the puzzle makers from Pippa and then learn about Clayton and his quest to find his roots.

I really enjoyed this book and the reveal at the end was great.

Thanks, Vintage Anchor | Doubleday, for the early review copy of the e-book via NetGalley and @PRHAudio for the #gifted audiobook. #PRHAudioPartner #sponsored (AVAILABLE NOW!)

I was utterly charmed from the first scene to the end of this story about a young man (Clayton Stumper) following clues to his past and future after the woman who raised him (Pippa Allsbrook) passed away.

Clayton grew up in a commune, but different from the type you're thinking of. Theirs is a collective of puzzle makers (crosswords, jigsaws, etc.) who took Clayton in and raised him after he mysteriously arrived on their doorstep as a baby in a hatbox. (His last name alludes to the fact he was the one puzzle they couldn’t solve. He stumped them. Hence: Stumper.)

The two timelines follow Pippa as she founded and led the Fellowship and Clayton as he follows her clues to uncover his parentage. I loved the themes of found family and was thrilled to watch Pippa stand up for herself in a predominantly male profession. Clayton is adorable, charming, and a little naive, having grown up around 60- and 70-year-olds. Pippa is a PIP (pardon the pun): strong-willed, brilliant, and maternal. The surrounding cast of characters is perfectly eccentric.

The narrators on the audiobook do a perfect job capturing Clayton and Pippa’s personalities (I couldn’t help seeing Helen Mirren in my head) and (here is the true sorcery) patiently explaining the various puzzles that appear in the story. I grinned and felt warm and fuzzy throughout.

A fantastic debut from Burr! I hope we see more from him soon.

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is a wonderful read. Pippa created a wonderful fellowship full of expert puzzlers like herself. When Clayton is discovered on her door step as a baby, he is immediately taken in and under the care of Pippa and the fellowship. Upon Pippa's death, Clayton is left with one last puzzle, the mystery of his parentage. Along the way, Clayton learns more about Pippa, the fellowship, and his family. The story is told from Pippa's and Clayton's points of view. It gives great insight to the overall story. There are themes of loss, grief and ultimately family. The characters are fun and interesting, especially as they help Clayton on his journey of discovery. The book is a quite heart filled read that I think puzzle lovers and readers of all kinds will love.

This is such a perfect book for book lovers. The story is about a fellowship of puzzlemakers (duh), and actually it has a few puzzles (like cryptograms and mazes) for you to solve along with the characters.

This was a very heartwarming story of found family, sense of community, going after what you want in life, and PUZZLES. All the characters are loveable and quite flawed. The book covers two timelines and perspectives, one, Pippa covering the forming of the fellowship up to the baby on the doorstep, and the other, after Pippa, who’s been the abandoned baby’s mother figure for 25 years passes away.

I really enjoyed reading this book but it is a bit slow. I think the main reason for it is that the premise of the book didn’t fully start until about halfway through. And soon enough it was obvious what the “solution” to the mystery was gonna be, so that plotline never felt gripping, though I enjoyed the journey.

I really enjoyed the non-mystery aspects of the book. I loved reading about the forming and then the tribulations of the fellowship. I loved the romance plotline. I feel like I would have enjoyed the book more if it was just about those relatively mundane things. Though I did appreciate that the mystery forced the main character to get out of their shell and go on a small adventure, open their door to possibilities.

I loved the focus on different kinds of love, and their importance to our lives, like friendship, self-love, familial love...

It was also really enjoyable to read a book about a group of people who are so clearly passionate about their hobbies, and find a community within that. It really made me wish this was a real place I could visit, and real people I could meet.

If you liked books like Remarkably Bright Creatures and The Lost Ticket, and want a slower paced book with puzzles, this is the book for you!

Thank you Vintage Anchor, Doubleday and NetGalley for the eARC!

I was invited to review an ARC of The Fellowship of the Puzzlemakers, written by Samual Burr. I'm glad I took the opportunity to read this book as it turned out to be an absolute jewel of a story. In a general sense it is all about what brings people together and what pulls them; it's about dreaming and achieving and loss and grief. In particular it is about Pippa, a woman alone in her middle years, she bravely went forth and began the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, a group of people who specialized in puzzles of all kinds from crosswords to jigsaws to trivia to mathimatical conundrums. They began to increase their income by working together and eventually, Pippa brought them all to live with her in the sprawling old home she'd grown up in. This book is also about Pippa's son, Clayton, who was left on the doorstep of the Fellowship, in a hat box. After Pippa's death, Clayton follows a set of clues Pippa left him to help him discover his birth parents. I don't usually enjoy stories told alternately in two timelines but this one is so magnificently done that I can't imagine it being told any other way. The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is a lovely story, worthy of reading slowly in order to savor every word.

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr is part heartwarming story of found family, part bildungsroman, and part mystery/puzzle. A fun read for anyone, it will be especially beloved by puzzle-lovers of all kinds: crossword fanatics, trivia lovers, jigsaw aficcionados, and brain teaser enthusiasts. One note of frustration, however, is that the jigsaw puzzle portions of the story were not realistic. As a competitive jigsaw puzzler, I can say with confidence that several parts of the story revolving around jigsaws made no sense. It's highly unlikely that there would be any surface on a houseboat large enough to assemble a 3 or 4,000 piece puzzle, and it certainly couldn't be done by two amateur puzzlers in a matter of a few hours. A 44,000 piece puzzle is exponentially harder than a 1,000 piece puzzle, and absolutely could not be completed in a matter of hours, no matter how many people helped. In fact, having more people working on it would likely make it more difficult to complete. But other than those flawed plot points, it was an enjoyable story with quirky, interesting characters.

This was a lovely story told from 2 main points of view. Pippa was the founder of the Fellowship of Puzzle Makers and started this group to form a sense of community for herself and others who enjoy puzzles of all kinds. The story tells how the group started and continued throughout the years. Clayton, who is now in his 20’s, was left on the steps of the Fellowship when he was an infant and now that Pippa, his caretaker, has passed away he starts a search for his birth parents with the clues to puzzles that Pippa has left for him. I enjoyed all the fun characters and the way they all came together to form this fellowship and showing that family isn’t always made by blood. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc.

Looking for a sweet gentle read with a hint of romance and a lot of heart? The Fellowship of Puzzle Makers is your solution. The story interweaves the journey of Clayton Stumper to find out who his birth parents were with the life of his adoptive mother, who was the recently deceased leader of the Fellowship of Puzzle Makers who range from crossword creators to painters of puzzles to creators of intricate hedge labyrinths.

The story will resonate for those who are looking for found families and a sweet lgbtq story in the vein of TJ Klune's The House in the Cerulean Sea or Under the Whispering Door. Though the Puzzle Makers lack actual fantastic powers, there is a sense of whimsy and joy that feel a bit fairy tale like with one character living on a house boat and a female taxi driver who has every country's capital memorized. Because he was raised by the mostly aged puzzle makers, Clayton has adopted many old-fashioned affectations and interests and yet he at times seems also more childlike then many in their early 20's would be.

This was a fast paced read which slowly reveals the truth of Clayton's heritage. There are also several puzzles throughout that you can try to solve.

Since my early reading days, I've been captivated by mysteries that entice me with an enigmatic puzzle and keep me engaged until the final reveal. However, as I've grown older, a compelling mystery alone doesn't hold the same allure for me; it's the depth and complexity of the characters that truly elevate a book. Samuel Burr's debut novel, The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, masterfully blends both these elements. Towards the end of last year, I received a mysterious package from his publisher. Enclosed was a manuscript cleverly disguised as a crossword puzzle and a jigsaw puzzle, with the solution revealing the book's title and cover image. While the puzzles seemed to be at the story's core, it was the depth of the characters that truly drew me into the narrative.

Pippa Allsbrook has always stood apart from the crowd. Her remarkable intelligence, rather than impressing others, often alienated her. Men found her intimidating, while women couldn't fathom her passion for deep thinking and puzzles. Despite societal expectations, Pippa's love for puzzles prevailed, leading her to craft the local newspaper's crossword under a male pseudonym. Her true passion lies in her weekly gatherings with The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, a diverse group united by their love for solving and creating puzzles, be it math problems, jigsaw puzzles, trivia, or mazes. To preserve the group's legacy, Pippa invested her family's fortune to establish a commune where the Fellowship could live and collaborate. While this haven sounds idyllic, maintaining it presents its own set of challenges, requiring Pippa to utilize all her wit and ingenuity.

Clayton Stumper is a young man with an old soul. Abandoned as a baby at the doorstep of the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, he was raised within this enigmatic community, with Pippa serving as his surrogate mother. Immersed in the world of enigmatology from a young age, Clayton grew up respecting and cherishing the fellowship's traditions. However, with the group's decline and Pippa's recent passing, Clayton finds himself among the last members, questioning his identity and heritage. After her death, Pippa entrusts Clayton with a final puzzle, promising that its solution will unveil the secrets of his lineage and equip him for the world beyond the commune's confines. As Clayton delves into the clues, he stumbles upon a mystery even the Fellowship couldn't decipher—a revelation that could reshape everything they've ever known.

In The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, Samuel Burr crafts a novel that puzzle aficionados will find irresistible. The premise of a young man unraveling the mysteries of his past through a complex scavenger hunt filled with puzzles is undeniably captivating. While I was engrossed in piecing together the intricate puzzle, it was the characters that truly resonated with me. Burr skillfully weaves the narrative through two distinct points of view: Clayton in the present and Pippa in the past. This dual perspective offers a comprehensive view of both the puzzle's creation and its solution. I was immediately captivated by these characters, empathizing with their individual quests for love. Burr explores love in its various forms—familial, romantic, and communal. Although I found myself more invested in one perspective over the other, it didn't diminish my overall enjoyment of the story. The journey itself is more than worth the price of admission in this heartfelt debut. After all, as the book aptly puts it, "The magic was always found in the solving, never in the solution."

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr is a coming-of-age/found family story.

"Clayton Stumper was left as a baby at the doors of the Fellowship. When his adoptive mother, Pippa, dies - he is sent on a quest to solve one last puzzle. He's off to find himself, where he came from and where he's going."

Burr's book is full of colorful characters. The fellowship is full of people who make every kind of puzzle - mazes, crossword puzzles, jigsaw puzzles, handmade wooden creations - anything you can imagine.
There are dual timelines - one is the beginnings of the Fellowship, giving all of the answers to Clayton's puzzle - and another of Clayton following the clues.

This is a slow read - not for those interested in a fast-paced story.

I enjoyed this one. It has lots of helpful reviews, so I'll just recommend it.

Thanks very much for the free copy for review!!

I was drawn in by the premise of The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers - I am definitely a puzzle person and this sounded like a great combination of puzzlers and a mystery. Unfortunately the execution didn’t work for me and I decided to DNF. Thank you to the publisher for the free book to review.

Pippa founds a society of puzzlemakers, turning it into a commune. The group takes in a baby, Clayton, left on their doorstep. When Pippa dies, Clayton sets out on a journey to find his birthparents, using enigmatic clues left for him by Pippa. This is a very sweet book, filled with puzzles, enigmas, and mysteries for the reader to solve along with Clayton. Set in both Clayton's time and the time of the founding of the commune, the story unwraps itself in both timeframes. Truly touching with a unique setting.