The Crossword Murder

Thompson C. Briephs, an eccentric crossword puzzle editor, is found strangled to death. The police think it's kinky sex gone wrong, but Rosco Polycrates, a private investigator hired by the victim's mother, soon has reason to believe otherwise. In an effort to understand the victim and his world better, Rosco talks to Annabelle (Belle) Graham, another crossword puzzle editor, and the two find themselves more intrigued by and comfortable with each other than is maybe wise, considering that Belle is married.

Belle suspects that Briephs included a clue about his murderer's identity in one or more of several unpublished puzzles he created prior to his death. Unfortunately, most of the puzzles have gone missing. Even if that weren't the case, show more each puzzle includes a different name. How are they supposed to narrow things down, especially when several people had a motive for the murder?

This started off okay. Blackmail, murder, and Briephs' odd home, which was designed to be a labyrinth. Rosco had a bit of a noir detective vibe to him, but less hard-edged. Belle was devoted to her work, smart, and beautiful. It was clear, early on, that her marriage was a sore spot for her. If I remember right, her husband was away on an archaeological dig. Belle seemed lonely, but at the same time she and her husband didn't seem to mesh well, right down to Belle not really feeling comfortable in the parts of her house that most featured her husband's decorating touch. It was obvious that the author planned to end Belle's marriage at some point and pair her off with Rosco. I just didn't expect this to progress as quickly as it did, and it didn't sit well with me.

The mystery was okay, but forgettable. I thought that the whole "clue in the crossword puzzles" bit was very contrived, and I'm not sure the logic held together well. It seemed like quite a leap from those puzzles to figuring out the identity of the murderer.

I did really like the labyrinth, though. It made for an excellent location for a tense chase scene involving the killer.

Extras:

Each of Briephs' crossword puzzles is included in the book. I didn't bother to try to solve them because I'm terrible at crossword puzzles at the best of times.

(Original review posted on A Library Girl's Familiar Diversions.) show less

Crossword puzzles are a bit like trivia games, and I’m always surprised at how many pieces of weird trivia my brain contains. I enjoy digging around in there for the answers to crossword clues, so I thought the idea of The Crossword Murder sounded like a lot of fun. It’s Book #1 of a new mystery series by Nero Blanc, a pseudonym for husband and wife authors Cordelia Frances Biddle and Steve Zettler. Mr. Zettler is known for his international thrillers while his wife is known for her historical mysteries. Together they’ve joined up to write a cozy mystery series with a mental twist and a sharp edge to it (pun intended). Read the rest of my review at http://popcornreads.com/?p=7801

Thompson Briephs, Newcastle playboy (Massachusetts) and crossword editor is found murdered in his bed in his Minoan-style mansion on his private island.

Briephs always works five days ahead of his deadline and he outwits his murderer by leaving five unpublished crosswords which reveal the murderer's identity. These will be published in the Newcastle Herald by his assistant on five consecutive days. The first two crosswords are published and then the other three go missing when Briephs' assistant is threatened over the phone and decides to post them to various people as insurance.

These crosswords are provided for the reader to play with both in the book and online, and so there is the opportunity to solve the mystery along with the show more sleuthing pair, cop-turned–private investigator Rosco Polycrates and Annabelle Graham, the crossword editor for a rival paper. Many of the crossword clues are cryptic, and Briephs also taunts some of the people he worked with by naming them in the crosswords. In the story these provide red herrings although the murderer is actually named (using a nickname) in the very first one.

The murder mystery is quite well plotted while the crossword clues are designed to further tantalise the reader.

This was the first in a series written by husband and wife team, Cordelia Frances Biddle and Steve Zettler who are serious crossword buffs. show less

I liked it. But did not take the time to work the crossword puzzles. I just skipped over them. They were important part of the book however. I would have liked the puzzles to be in back of the book for easy finding when I wanted to work them.

There is a lot of quotes, crossword questions and answers throughout the story. I should have bookmarked some of the facts. There is the death of a Crossword Puzzle editor Thompson C. Briephs from the Newcastle Herald.

private investigator Rosco Polycrates is hired by Thompson's mother to find out what happened to her son. Rosco does not know anything about crossword puzzles so he goes to Annabelle Graham crossword puzzle editor for his rival newspaper to learn.

Annabelle sees the crossword that show more comes out after Briephs death and she works the puzzle and realizes that he is hinting about his own murder. She tries to get people to believe her. They find Briephs had 5 more crossword puzzles with clues in them.

Lots of suspects, a smart mystery I was kept guessing till the reveal. There is some suggestive motives for the murder. but really a clean story in all.

I was given this ebook to read by Net Galley and Open Road Integrated Media

and in return I agreed to give honest review of The Crossword Murder. show less

As a crossword addict, I had to find this book to be good—and it was.

As a crossword addict, I had to find this book to be good—and it was.

The story was interesting. Clues embedded into a crossword puzzle. Quick & easy read.