The first Trussoni book I read was Angelology…if you haven’t read it, you should. Since then, Trussoni has written a number of books, one of which was The Puzzle Master, where our protagonist is Mike Brink, a fascinating character with ‘acquired savant syndrome. You see since Mike suffered a traumatic brain injury whilst playing football, he’s been able to create and solve intricate puzzles. He sees and, at times, feels patterns and solutions to the most complex and compelling puzzles. In the novel The Puzzle Box, Mike is challenged by Japan’s Imperial Family to open the infamous Dragon Box. But solving this puzzle is more than problematic. It’s deadly. Scores of individuals have died attempting.
This novel is great fun. I find the character of Mike Brink fascinating; he is brilliant, socially awkward, and silently lonely, and it is hard for someone to understand him and his gift. The premise and plot of this book are highly engaging, and you will have read it in its entirety in a day.
This novel would make a compelling read for high school students, especially those who enjoy logic puzzles and mysteries.

2nd in the series that I really enjoyed. Full of intrigue and twists and turns and puzzles…love this kind of book!!!

Thank you for the chance to read and review this book.

Danielle Trussoni's sequel to The Puzzle Master is SUCH a triumph! I loved being pulled back into this twisty, intelligent world. I need these adapted to TV or film asap!

This is the second book I the series, but does work as a stand alone book. In the year of the dragon, Mike Brink travels to Japan.to unlock the legendary dragon puzzle box. The story is filled with puzzles within puzzles, adventure, intrigue, and twists. I found that I did not enjoy the arrogant, know it all attitude of the main character. Possibly the plot was too complicated for me to enjoy, although it does have some interesting sections.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for the chance to read an advance copy. The opinions and review are voluntary..

The action starts right away, with Puzzle Master Mike Brink being personally invited to Japan to open a deadly puzzle box, which can only be opened during the year of Dragon. The box can kill you, and no one has been able to solve it in 200 years. Inside the box is a secret that will shake Japan to its core.

If you think solving this puzzle is just the box, think again. Brink ends up on a wild ride around Japan with a woman he's not sure he can trust. And obviously nemesis Jameson Sedge is back and as ridiculous as ever. Is anyone else picturing him as Bobby Flay?

I enjoyed this book overall. Yes, it's silly and overly dramatic at times, but it's a fun and interesting read. Mike does a little bit of introspection in this book and shows more personality.

I love this author's writing, but this book was not for me. I was confused and felt dumb. Maybe if I was smarter or more into The Da Vinci Code and American Treasure is he more into this book.

I didn’t realize this was a sequel when I started reading it which made me want to go pick up the initial book before continuing the series. Will come back in the future - DNF 20% for now

From what I read it was decent.

This was such a unique thriller. I loved that it was different than anything I’ve read before. I also learned a lot and really appreciated that. I didn’t read the first book in the series, but don’t think it was necessary.

I love Danielle Trussoni writing.

This was the second book in the series and i cannot wait to read more. Was well written and kept you engaged to want to read more.

Will read more from this author.

Thanks NEtGalley for letting me read and review.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this eARC.

A Mesmerizing Labyrinth of Secrets and Revelations

In The Puzzle Box, Danielle Trussoni artfully weaves a tale as intricate and multi-layered as the very object at the heart of her novel. Trussoni takes her readers on a journey that is deeply personal and universally resonant.

Trussoni's narrative is a masterclass in suspense; every twist and turn of the plot is meticulously crafted to keep the reader on edge, eagerly anticipating the next revelation.

One of the stellar aspects of The Puzzle Box is Trussoni's ability to create a rich, immersive atmosphere.

This is a novel where the environment is as much a character as the people who inhabit it.

Trussoni's characters are equally compelling. The supporting cast, each with their own secrets and motivations, add layers of complexity to the narrative, ensuring that the reader is never quite sure who to trust.

The Puzzle Box is more than just a mystery novel; it is a profound exploration of family, identity, and the legacies that shape us. Trussoni delves into the intricacies of generational trauma and the ways in which the past can haunt the present. The puzzle box itself becomes a powerful metaphor for these themes, representing the convoluted and often concealed connections between history and personal experience.

The Puzzle Box is a testament to Danielle Trussoni's storytelling prowess. It is a book that challenges the mind and stirs the heart, leaving a lasting impression long after the final page.

Whether you are a fan of mysteries or historical fiction this novel is a must-read.

This was the first book I've ready by Danielle Trussoni. I enjoyed the overall story and really enjoyed the beginning of the book. It did get to be kind of long-winded in the never-ending attempt to solve the puzzle. While reading it, it seemed to take place much longer than 24 hours that Mike Brink was required to solve the puzzle in. The setting of Japan was interesting as was the little bit of history I learned. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

This was a good story like the first book in the series. Now I have to wait for the next one. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Sadly not quite what I was hoping for! The Puzzle Box element was fascinating, and all things Japan--the cultural elements and lore were just superb. I sadly had a really hard time with the main character--he was too much of a "Superman" perfect character for me--and I greatly missed having a deep character arc to follow. The writing is also very 'telling' and does not 'show' very much, which is a struggle for me.

Still, I think fans of DaVinci Code would love this one, and I'm very grateful to Netgalley and the publisher for the arc!

The following review was published or updated in several Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia newspapers and magazines in November and December 2024:

Booking a full year of reading

Review by Tom Mayer

If only us readers could just spend our days … reading. What would a year look like? Here, the editors of Home for the Holidays present their yearlong list of books, culled from the past 12 months of reading and reviewing. A few of the titles you’ll immediately recognize, and you’ll likely have more than few in your own library. But just in case you missed a title or two, we’re showcasing the whole year’s worth of books that we’ve read and reviewed, month by month.

Except for the first title, the list is simply a list. To find the reviews of many of these titles, visit our newspaper parent, The (Athens) News Courier at enewscourier.com — with a slight caveat. Our newspaper webmasters are currently working overtime to improve our content management system, the foundation of any website, and while many of our archives are now found there, it may be a few weeks before everything is fully re-uploaded — including the most recent editions of Limestone Life and Home for the Holidays. For now, though, enjoy our literary stroll through 2024.

And about that first title: Not every college professor can make statistical analysis approachable, let along interesting to their students and the general population, but Athens State University emeritus professor of psychology Mark Durm is not every college professor. After spending nearly five decades teaching thousands of students, the “ol’ psychology professor” decided that he’d best get around to writing the one book out of his nearly 100 published pieces that’s he always wanted to write. Call it a legacy piece, but what it really is is a “best of” Durm’s peer-reviewed, book reviews, non-peer reviewed and magazine articles from his 47 years in higher education.

The result is “Professional Publications of an Ol’ Psychology Professor” (Dorrance) with full previously published articles ranging from studies on the effects of glasses on a child’s self-esteem to his ever-popular parapsychology pieces, Durm presents his internationally recognized efforts with a twist.

“It’s a different kind of book because it doesn’t talk about the research, it presents the research,” the professor says from his second-career office at Durm Properties in Athens, about a half-mile from where he first presented that research in person. “I’ve spent hours on all of these articles, especially in the peer-reviewed journal articles.”

And so, articles on divorce, sex, religion and other topics now populate the pages of Durm’s most recent book in an effort to both continue his teaching and satisfy what has been a lifelong wonderment.

“You know, most people don’t understand statistics, so it’s all in there,” Durm said. “What I’m trying to do is a more critical approach to ‘just don’t believe everything you’re told.’ … It’s things that were in my life that I wanted to see if they were so, by using a psychological analysis.”

And like any good professor, Durm didn’t do that research on his own — or take all of the credit. Among the co-authors of many of his articles in the book were students — many of who he’s lost touch with, but all of whom who he credits by name in his acknowledgements and for each of who, if they look up their ol’ mentor, he has a signed book ready to hand over. For the rest of us, you can find the book at any online bookseller — just as you can with the remainder of our list, presented by the month in which the book was published, read and reviewed.

JANUARY

Unbound (Blackstone) by Christy Healy NG/F

The Devil’s Daughter by Gordon Greisman NG/ARC

FEBRUARY

Almost Surely Dead (Mindy’s Book Studio) by Amina Akhtar NG

The Chaos Agent (Gray Man 13) (Berkley) by Mark Greaney NG

The Lady in Glass and Other Stories (Ace) by Anne Bishop ARC

A Haunting in the Arctic (Berkley paperback) by C.J. Cooke NG

Ghost Island (Berkley) by Max Seeck

MARCH

Hello, Alabama (Arcadia) by Martha Day Zschock

The Unquiet Bones (Montlake) by Loreth Anne White

I am Rome: A novel of Julius Caesar (Ballantine Books by Santiago PosteguilloMarch 5: Murder Road (Berkley) by Simone St. James

The Luminous Life of Lucy Landry (Holiday House) by Anna Rose Johnson

Ferris (Candlewick) by Kate DiCamillo

After Annie (Random House, Feb. 27) by Anna Quindlen

Crocodile Tears Didn't Cause the Flood (Montag Press) by Bradley Sides The #1 Lawyer (Little, Brown and Company) by James Patterson, Nancy Allen

Lilith (Blackstone) by Eric Rickstad

Life: My Story Through History (Harper One) by Pope Francis

APRIL

Matterhorn (Thomas & Mercer) by Christopher Reich

Friends in Napa (Mindy’s Book Studio) by Sheila Yasmin Marikar

City in Ruins (William Morrow) by Don Winslow

The House on Biscayne Bay (Berkley) by Chanel Cleeton

Two Friends, One Dog, and a Very Unusual Week (Peachtree) by Sarah L. Thomson

For Worse (Blackstone) by L.K. Bowen

A Killing on the Hill (Thomas & Mercer) by Robert Dugoini

The Clock Struck Murder (Poisoned Pen Press) by Betty Webb

The Book That Broke the World (Ace) by Mark Lawrence

The Forgetters (Heyday Books) by Greg Sarris

Lost to Dune Road (Thomas & Mercer) by Kara Thomas

Warrior on the Mound (Holiday House/Peachtree) by Sandra Headed

Pictures of Time (Silver Street Media) by David AlexanderBare Knuckle (Blackstone Publishing) by Stayton Bonner

Murder on Demand (Blackstone Publishing) by Al Roker

Home is Where the Bodies Are (Blackstone) by Jeneva Rose

MAY

Matterhorn by Christopher Reich

The Hunter's Daughter (Berkley) by Nicola Solvinic

The House That Horror Built (Berkley) by Christina Henry

In our stars (Berkley) by Jack Campbell

Freeset (book 2) (Blackstone) by Sarina Dahlan

Southern Man (William Morrow) by Greg Iles

Camino Ghosts (Doubleday) by John Grisham

JUNE

Specter of Betrayal by Rick DeStefanis

Lake County (Thomas & Mercer) by Lori Roy

Serendipity (Dutton) by Becky Chalsen

Shelterwood (Ballantine) by Lisa Wingate

The (Mostly) True Story of Cleopatra’s Needle (Holiday House) by Dan Gutman

Jackpot (Penguin) by Elysa Friedland

The Helper (Blackstone) by M.M. Dewil

Winter Lost (Ace) by Patricia Briggs

Shadow Heart (Blackstone) by Meg Gardiner

Lake Country (Thomas & Mercer) by Lori Roy

The Out-of-Town Lawyer (Blackstone) by Robert Rotten

Love Letter to a Serial Killer (Berkley) by Tasha Coryell

Sentinel Berkley) by Mark Greaney

JULY

Three Kings: Race, Class, and the Barrier-Breaking Rivals Who Redefined Sports and Launched the Modern Olympic Age (Blackstone) by Todd Balf

The Night Ends with Fire (Berkley) by K.X. Song

Echo Road (Montlake) by Melinda Leigh

It’s Elementary (Berkley) by Elise Bryant

You Shouldn’t Be Here (Thomas & Mercer) by Lauren Thoman

Back In Black (Blackstone) edited by Don Bruns

The Recruiter (Blackstone) by Gregg Podolski

AUGUST

You Shouldn’t Be Here (Thomas & Mercer) by Lauren Thoman ARC

Not What She Seems (Thomas & Mercer) by Yasmin Angoe NG

Fatal Intrusion by Jeff Deaver/Isabella Maldonado

Death at Morning House (HARPERTeen) by Maureen Johnson

Fire and Bones (Scribner) by Kathy Reichs

Some Nightmares Are Real (University of Alabama Press) by Kelly Kazoo

The Brothers Kenny (Blackstone) by Adam Mitzner

Blind to Midnight (Blackstone) by Reed Farrel Coleman

The Wayside (Blackstone) by Carolina Wolff

Enemy of the State (Blackstone) by Robert Smartwood

You Will Never Be Me (Berkley) by Jesse Q. Sutanto

On Settler Colonialism: Ideology, Violence, and Justice (W.W. Norton) by Adam Kirsch

We Love the Nightlife (Berkley) by Rachel Koller Croft

Talking To Strangers (Berkley) by Fiona Barton

An Honorable Assassin (Blackstone) by Steve Hamilton possible interview see email

Dungeon Crawler Carl (1 of 6 but see next two months) (Ace) by Matt Dinniman

SEPTEMBER

Fatal Intrusion (Thomas & Mercer) by Jeffrey Deaver and Isabella Maldonado

When They Last Saw Her (Penguin) by Marcie Rendon

American Ghoul (Blackstone) by Michelle McGill-Vargas

First Do No Harm (Blackstone) by Steve Hamilton

A Quiet Life: A Novel (Arcade) by William Cooper and Michael McKinley

One More From the Top (Mariner) by Emily Layden

No Address (Forefront Books) by Ken Abraham.

Tiger’s Tale (Blackstone) by Colleen Houck

An Academy for Liars (Ace) by Alexis Henderson

Rewitched (Berkley) by Lucy Jane Wood

Gaslight (Blackstone) by Sara Shepard and Miles Joris-Peyrafitte

Counting Miracles (Random House) by Nicholas Sparks

The Village Library Demon-Hunting Society (Ace) by C.M. Waggoner

The Hitchcock Hotel (Berkley) by Stephanie Wrobel

In the Garden of Monsters by Crystal King

Carl’s Doomsday Scenario (2 of 6 see next month also) (Ace) by Matt Dinniman

OCTOBER

The Hushed (Blackstone) by K.R. Blair NG

A Grim Reaper’s Guide to Catching a Killer (Berkley) by Maxie Dara

On Settler Colonialism: Ideology, Violence, and Justice (Norton) by WSJ Weekend review editor Adam Kirsch

Framed (Doubleday) by John Grisham and Jim McCloskey

This Cursed House (Penguin) by Del Sandeen

The Puzzle Box (Random House) by Danielle Trussoni

Two Good Men (Blackstone) by S.E. Redfearn

Dark Space (Blackstone) by Rob Hart and Alex Segura

This Cursed House (Berkley’s open submission)by Del Sandeen

Vindicating Trump (Regnery) by Dinesh D’Souza

The Book of Witching (Berkley) by C.J. Cooke

The World Walk (Skyhorse) by Tom Turcich

The Waiting Game by Michael Connelly  ARC, possible interview see email

Beyond Reasonable Doubt (Thomas & Mercer) by Robert Dugoni

Dungeon Anarchist’s Cookbook (3 of 6, with bonus material) (Ace) by Matt Dinniman

Frozen Lives (Blackstone) by Jennifer Graeser Fronbush NG

Vincent, Starry Starry Night (Meteor 17 Books) intro by Don McLean

Paris in Winter: An Illustrated Memoir (PowerHouse Books) by David Coggins

NOVEMBER

The Waiting (Little, Brown) by Michael Connelly

The Teller of Small Fortunes (Penguin) by Julie Long

Shadow Lab (Blackstone) by Brendan Deneen

Trial by Ambush (Thomas & Mercer) by Marcia Clark

Devil Take It (Heresy Press) by Daniel Debs Nossiter

SerVant of Earth (Ace) by Sarah Hawley

All the other me (Blackstone) by Jody Holford

The Perfect Marriage (Blackstone reissue re-edit) by Jenny Rose

DECEMBER

Trial By Ambush (Thomas & Mercer) by Marcia Clark

The Close-Up (Gallery Books) by Pip Drysdale

The Silent Watcher (Thomas & Mercer) by Victor Methos

Leviathan (Lividian Trade HC) by Robert McCammon

The Silent Watcher (Thomas & Mercer) by Victor Method

Assume Nothing (Thomas & Mercer) by Joshua Corin

One example link:
https://enewscourier.com/2024/11/29/in-review-booking-a-full-year-of-reading/

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing Group and Danielle Trussoni for the opportunity to read an ARC for The Puzzle Box. This is my honest and unpaid review of the book. As soon as I see this author has a new book coming out I am eager to read it. Years ago I read Angelology and the subsequent books and knew that she would become one of my favourite authors. Mainly because her book ideas and stories aren't like anything else you're likely to read. This new series set around the world of puzzles has been very entertaining to read. It's inspired me to pick up some puzzle books of my own, but sadly I'm not on the level of Mike, but I'm sure I'll improve!

I wasn't the biggest fan of the first installment in this series featuring a wildly talented puzzle creator who crosses the globe doing dramatic and exciting things. But I felt this sequel reined in some of the overexuberence of the first book and focused more narrowly on a specific task for Mike, who is invited by the Japanese Royal Family to try to open a legendary puzzle box. I love alt-history and The Puzzle Box was inspired by real people in a way that I found fascinating!

I love this series because it’s so incredibly unique. I’m a big fan of adventure thrillers, but having a character like Mike Brink is such a unique experience. I’ve been fascinated by the idea of synesthesia and by puzzle masters for years. So seeing a character with both qualities is a real treat. This story is very reminiscent of a Preston & Child story, and Sedge is the AI version of Diogenes. As far as characterization, Trussoni herself is a master! She did an incredible job. They are all so easy to get attached to. Especially Conundrum. Even my dachshund Blitz Von Bratwurst is a fan! And for some reason, I can’t help but picture Cam as looking like Dolph Lundgren. His character gives off a very eighties martial arts thug vibe to me.

The story itself is incredibly written. There were so many twists and turns, and it was so hard to know who to trust. Hint: I didn’t trust anyone but Mike and Conundrum in this one! One thing I thought was really interesting was the author’s switch to present tense as Mike worked on the Dragon Box puzzle. It was a great way to make the reader feel as if they were doing the puzzle with him. I felt all the anxiety as he did. It was a brilliant strategy that I’m not at all confident I could pull off in my own writing. I did expect a more explosive ending, but that’s where the surprise is. Although it wasn’t action-packed per se, the ending was still explosive. I did not see it coming and it sets up a very interesting twist for the next book in the series! And I’ll definitely be reading that one!

Huge thanks to Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley for sending me this ARC for review! All of my reviews are given honestly!

I struggled here. I think this one went over my head. It’s a complex story and smartly plotted but I just wasn’t entirely invested either.

Dear The Puzzle Box,
Second books can be challenging. Having to continue a world and characters in a consistent but new way is always a challenge, and I really enjoyed you. Jumping back into the fantastical brain of Mike Brink is a wonderful place to be, and your story brought freshness into his world. I loved the twists and turns as Mike took on the Dragon Box and the controversy it brought to Japan. Fast paced and complex, I loved unlocking your story.

After reading THE PUZZLE MASTER, I was intrigued enough by Mike Brink's savantism and the building suspense to read its follow-up, THE PUZZLE BOX. While I enjoyed the first book, it didn't blow me away. But this second installment is phenomenal.

Mike Brink is invited to Japan to open a secretive puzzle box that has killed everyone who has tried to open it before. What's more, there are others after the box, its secrets, and even Mike Brink's own extraordinary talent. Coupled with this fiendish task is Mike Brink's introspective quest to learn more about himself.

I can see that Danielle Trussoni is building up to something great. With any other writer, the conspiracies might fall flat or feel cartoonish. But she has a way of making them feel very real and very concerning. I look forward to where she takes the series next.

While THE PUZZLE BOX continues the overarching narrative of THE PUZZLE MASTER, it is not necessary to read them in order. This would work perfectly fine as standalone.