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A Puzzle in a Pear Tree
by Parnell HallThe Chicago Sun-Times crowns Parnell Hall’s Puzzle Lady mysteries “a joy for lovers of both crosswords and frothy crime detection...Cora Felton is a lovable and unique sleuth.” Now the crime-solving powers of the inimitable Cora and her clever niece, Sherry Carter, are put to the ultimate test as they square off against a yuletide killer who hides within the white-and-black shadows of an acrostic....A Puzzle In A Pear Tree’Tis the season to be jolly, but Cora Felton, shanghaied into “The Twelve Days of Christmas” as a most reluctant maid-a-milking, has every right to feel like a grinch. When someone steals the partridge from the pear tree and replaces it with a cryptic puzzle she has no hope of solving, it’s almost more than the Puzzle Lady can bear. But then smug crossword creator Harvey Beerbaum solves the acrostic, and it turns out to be a poem promising the death of an actress. This is more like it! Could the threat be aimed at Cora and her thespian debut? Or at Sherry, one of the ladies-dancing? Or at Sherry’s nemesis, the pageant’s predatory lead, Becky Baldwin? Cora and Sherry barely have time for a mystery, what with trimming Christmas trees and buying Christmas presents, but rehearsals go on, under police protection--until a killer strikes elsewhere in a most unexpected manner.Ordinarily Cora Felton would be delighted to have two murders to solve. But this time she finds herself vying with a visiting Scotland Yard inspector who appears to have an all-too-personal stake in solving the crimes. Cora does too when her own niece becomes a prime suspect and the murderer strikes again. Is someone trying to shut down the Christmas pageant? Cora would be only too happy if that were the case, but she fears the secrets lie deeper. Now she is interviewing witnesses, breaking into motel rooms, finding evidence, planting evidence, and having a merry old time. In fact, she would be perfectly happy--if this wasn’t turning out to be a Christmas to die for!From the Hardcover edition.
A Puzzle in a Pear Tree (Puzzle Lady #4)
by Parnell HallThe Chicago Sun-Timescrowns Parnell Hall's Puzzle Lady mysteries "a joy for lovers of both crosswords and frothy crime detection. . . Cora Felton is a lovable and unique sleuth. " Now the crime-solving powers of the inimitable Cora and her clever niece, Sherry Carter, are put to the ultimate test as they square off against a yuletide killer who hides within the white-and-black shadows of an acrostic. . . . A Puzzle In A Pear Tree 'Tis the season to be jolly, but Cora Felton, shanghaied into "The Twelve Days of Christmas" as a most reluctant maid-a-milking, has every right to feel like a grinch. When someone steals the partridge from the pear tree and replaces it with a cryptic puzzle she has no hope of solving, it's almost more than the Puzzle Lady can bear. But then smug crossword creator Harvey Beerbaum solves the acrostic, and it turns out to be a poem promising the death of an actress. This is more like it! Could the threat be aimed at Cora and her thespian debut? Or at Sherry, one of the ladies-dancing? Or at Sherry's nemesis, the pageant's predatory lead, Becky Baldwin? Cora and Sherry barely have time for a mystery, what with trimming Christmas trees and buying Christmas presents, but rehearsals go on, under police protection--until a killer strikes elsewhere in a most unexpected manner. Ordinarily Cora Felton would be delighted to have two murders to solve. But this time she finds herself vying with a visiting Scotland Yard inspector who appears to have an all-too-personal stake in solving the crimes. Cora does too when her own niece becomes a prime suspect and the murderer strikes again. Is someone trying to shut down the Christmas pageant? Cora would be only too happy if that were the case, but she fears the secrets lie deeper. Now she is interviewing witnesses, breaking into motel rooms, finding evidence, planting evidence, and having a merry old time. In fact, she would be perfectly happy--if this wasn't turning out to be a Christmas to die for! From the Hardcover edition.
Puzzle in Patchwork (Church Choir Mysteries #12)
by Roberta UpdegraefWith the help of her friends in the choir at Eternal Hope and her cat, master chef and sleuth Gracie Lynn Parks unravels mysteries while cooking and praying to God. Everyone is preparing for the Founder's Day picnic in Willow Bend. It's sure to be successful, filled with community pride and good fellowship. But when someone seems to be stealing antiques, fingers are pointed - and Gracie must try to soothe hurt feelings while finding out what's really going on. This is book 12 in the Church Choir Mysteries series
A Puzzle in Pearls (The Patrick Dawlish Mysteries)
by John CreaseyA stolen necklace has British detective Patrick Dawlish running in circles to find the culprit in this classic Golden Age mystery. A famous jewel thief has struck again, stealing a fortune of gems from Lord Hillmorton and kidnapping his daughter to ensure his silence. But there&’s one man to call when there are no other options: Patrick Dawlish. Hot in pursuit, Dawlish, his wife, and Cedric Forbes find themselves caught between a notorious gang of thieves and a quirky family who may or may not have their own part to play in the crime. As a strand of valuable pearls changes hands, it&’s up to Dawlish to orchestrate a plan to root out the fakes from the genuine article—and bring the innocent home alive . . .
Puzzle in Purple (Connie Blair, Book #3)
by Betsy AllenWhen Connie Blair goes to art school she enters an exciting new world in which glamour and mystery mingle. Connie expects to meet unusual and colorful personalities, and she is not disappointed. But she hasn't bargained for a skeleton named Adam who turns up in a purple cloak at the midwinter fancy dress ball and leaves his signature scrawled across the ceiling! From that moment on, tension mounts in the stately old Philadelphia mansion that houses the art school. Who is back of the debacle of the masked ball? Eric Payson, the shy, sensitive young painter whose mural was the only one not defaced? Roby Woodward, irresistible young dilettante who despises Eric for his ability? Fritz Bachman, sharp faced and sardonic, and determined to win the Fairchild Prize by fair means or foul? Puzzle in Purple Sensing the impending catastrophe that later dwarfs the episode of the ball, Connie tries feverishly to fit into place the scattered pieces of the puzzle. How she accomplishes this, and what she sees when the picture finally becomes clear is told in a thrilling mystery story set against the fascinating background of art school.
The Puzzle Master: A Novel
by Danielle TrussoniReality and the supernatural collide when an expert puzzle maker is thrust into an ancient mystery—one with explosive consequences for the fate of humanity—in this suspenseful thriller from the New York Times bestselling author of Angelology &“This novel has it all and more. In the nimble, talented hands of Trussoni the pages fly.&”—#1 New York Times bestselling author David BaldacciA WASHINGTON POST AND POPSUGAR BEST BOOK OF THE YEARAll the world is a puzzle, and Mike Brink—a celebrated and ingenious puzzle constructor—understands its patterns like no one else. Once a promising Midwestern football star, Brink was transformed by a traumatic brain injury that caused a rare medical condition: acquired savant syndrome. The injury left him with a mental superpower—he can solve puzzles in ways ordinary people can&’t. But it also left him deeply isolated, unable to fully connect with other people.Everything changes after Brink meets Jess Price, a woman serving thirty years in prison for murder who hasn&’t spoken a word since her arrest five years before. When Price draws a perplexing puzzle, her psychiatrist believes it will explain her crime and calls Brink to solve it. What begins as a desire to crack an alluring cipher quickly morphs into an obsession with Price herself. She soon reveals that there is something more urgent, and more dangerous, behind her silence, thrusting Brink into a hunt for the truth.The quest takes Brink through a series of interlocking enigmas, but the heart of the mystery is the God Puzzle, a cryptic ancient prayer circle created by the thirteenth-century Jewish mystic Abraham Abulafia. As Brink navigates a maze of clues, and his emotional entanglement with Price becomes more intense, he realizes that there are powerful forces at work that he cannot escape. Ranging from an upstate New York women&’s prison to nineteenth-century Prague to the secret rooms of the Pierpont Morgan Library, The Puzzle Master is a tantalizing, addictive thriller in which humankind, technology, and the future of the universe itself are at stake.
Puzzle Master (Hello Neighbor #6)
by Carly Anne WestAaron Peterson feels like he's trapped in a recurring nightmare. After moving halfway across the world to flee his father's latest theme park failure, yet another disaster has occurred: A roller coaster car jumps the tracks at the Golden Apple Amusement Park, resulting in the death of his friend, Lucy Yi.As the town of Raven Brooks turns against the Peterson family, drudging up his father's past failures and seeking legal action against his flawed designs, Aaron withdraws into his own investigation. Because now Aaron knows the town is hiding a dirty secret: a secret enmeshed in his grandparents' research, the deadly defects in his father's theme park rides, and a secret society that will stop at nothing to keep their existence hidden.Don't miss this newest installment in the Hello Neighbor series, which features blueprints and secret documents throughout, to help readers unwind the mysteries at the heart of the games.
Puzzle Me a Murder (An Alice Pepper Lonely Hearts and Puzzle Club Mystery)
by Roz NoonanEmpathetic to a fault, librarian Alice Pepper always had a natural talent for figuring out people and puzzles in the small Oregon town of West Hazel. But as a mystery permeates the quiet Pacific Northwestern community, murder is a challenge she&’s not prepared to solve . . . Down-on-her-luck Alice had hoped to retire before turning sixty-five, not struggle to keep her cozy home and dependable job. But even after divorce leaves her golden years a mess, the pieces always come together with a little help from her friends—a fun-loving crew who thrive on jigsaws over coffee, cocktails, and gossip. So, when it&’s time to defend close confidant Ruby Milliner, she springs into action. Only, in this case, supporting Ruby means proving she didn&’t murder her cheating husband! Ruby never wanted to kill George, although anger can make a person say questionable—and incriminating—things. And scheming, deceitful George made a lot of people angry. A quick investigation reveals the man was blackmailing whoever he could for a quick payday, from his mistress to the most prominent residents in town . . . Alice dives into a secret search to exonerate Ruby, fiercely committed to cracking the crime and patching up torn relationships along the way. Despite using her unassuming persona to fly under the radar, slimming down a massive suspect list and restoring peace to West Hazel is a real gamble. Because if successful, Alice will meet a vengeful killer whose game she doesn&’t yet know how to play.
Puzzle Me This
by Eli EastonLuke Schumaker designs computer games, working from his home. Every day he walks his dog in the woods nearby, never suspecting that someone who is completely smitten is watching. The watcher is Alex Shaw, and he too works from home, designing logic and crossword puzzles. Alex's options are limited: he's too shy to approach Luke and his wheelchair won't let him follow into the woods. His solution? Secret messages for Luke in the crosswords he writes for the local paper. When Luke decodes them, romance begins, but then they face greater puzzles, like Alex's interfering sister and what commitment to a man in a wheelchair really takes. And, most puzzling of all, how do you know if love is real?
The Puzzle of Blackstone Lodge (Rachel Savernake Golden Age Mysteries #3)
by Martin Edwards"A triple-decker banquet honoring the golden age of mysteries and bidding fair to continue it to the present."—KirkusThe Puzzle of Blackstone Lodge is a complexly layered mystery perfect for fans of impossible mysteries inspired by Agatha Christie. Martin Edwards pens the perfect locked-tower puzzle with a gothic edge set in 1930s Northern England. 1930: Nell Fagan is looking for a second chance at a career in investigative journalism and the call of Blackstone Fell's sanatorium is irresistible.In 1606, a man vanished from a locked gatehouse in a remote Yorkshire village, and 300 years later, it happened again. Nell confides in the best sleuth she knows, Rachel Savernake Looking for answers, Rachel travels to lonely Blackstone Fell in Yorkshire, with its eerie moor and sinister tower. With help from her friend Jacob Flint – who's determined to expose a fraudulent clairvoyant – Rachel will risk her life to bring an end to the disappearances at Blackstone Fell where people go in, but never come out. "A pitch-perfect blend of Golden Age charm and sinister modern suspense."—Lee Child
The Puzzle of the Blue Banderilla (The Hildegarde Withers Mysteries #7)
by Stuart PalmerA corrupt politician&’s trophy wife is targeted during a train ride: &“The best of the Hildegarde Withers stories, and that is saying a good deal&” (The New York Times). Oscar Piper doesn&’t belong on Mexican trains. A New York City detective, he&’s in the Dominican Republic as part of an international delegation come to cut the ribbon on a new transcontinental highway. This grants him the honor of a trip to Mexico City on the hottest, dustiest train in North America—a crowded slow coach that&’s about to become a crime scene. The alderman&’s wife does not know how the bottle of Elixir d&’Amour got into her bag. She only knows that when the porter smelled it, he dropped dead. She seems to have been the intended target for the poisoned perfume—but who would want to kill a corrupt politician&’s trophy wife? Oscar sends a wire to his friend Hildegarde Withers, a schoolteacher and amateur sleuth, whom he knows will not wilt in the Mexican heat. Before she begins her investigation, she has only one question: &“¿Cómo se dice &‘murder&’?&” The Puzzle of the Blue Banderilla is part of the Hildegarde Withers Mysteries series, which also includes The Penguin Pool Murder and Murder on the Blackboard.
The Puzzle of the Happy Hooligan
by Stuart PalmerIt's murder on a film set...'Will keep you laughing and guessing from the first page to the last' NEW YORK TIMESHildegarde Withers is just your average school teacher but with above-average skills in the art of deduction. She often finds herself investigating crimes led only by her own meddlesome curiosity, though her friends on the NYPD don't mind when she solves their cases for them. After plans for a grand tour of Europe are interrupted by Germany's invasion of Poland, Miss Withers heads to Los Angeles instead, where her vacation finds her working as a technical advisor on the set of a film adaptation of the Lizzie Borden story. But the producer's plans for an epic retelling of the historical killer's murder-spree are derailed when a screenwriter turns up dead...
The Puzzle of the Happy Hooligan: A Hildegarde Withers Mystery (The Hildegarde Withers Mysteries #8)
by Stuart PalmerOn vacation in Hollywood, Miss Withers gets a job—and a case—in a mystery &“that will keep you laughing and guessing from the first page to the last&” (The New York Times). Hildegarde Withers—schoolteacher and occasional detective—has just finished planning her grand European tour when Germany invades Poland. Not wishing to join the international conflict, she books a ticket to Hollywood, trading the Louvre and the Vatican for the Brown Derby and La Brea tar pits. She has only been in Los Angeles three days when she&’s offered a job in pictures. Not as a starlet—Miss Withers is no ingénue—but as a technical adviser to a film version of the Lizzie Borden story. The job is perfect, for no one knows murder like Miss Withers. On her first day at Mammoth Studios, the screenwriter in the next office dies of an apparent broken neck. To understand why, Miss Withers must contend with a film producer who makes her third graders look like grown-ups—and a killer every bit as vicious as Lizzie Borden herself. The Puzzle of the Happy Hooligan is part of the Hildegarde Withers Mysteries series, which also includes The Penguin Pool Murder and Murder on the Blackboard.
The Puzzle of the Pepper Tree (The Hildegarde Withers Mysteries #4)
by Stuart PalmerOn vacation in California, the spinster sleuth stumbles onto the case of a man murdered in mid-air—&“[Withers is] still one of the best&” (Anthony Boucher). Because of the fog, the man in the brown suit arrives five minutes late for the ferry to Catalina Island. If he wishes to reach his destination today, his only option is the Dragonfly, a twelve-seat prop plane that makes up in speed what it lacks in comfort. The ride is bumpy, and all of the passengers—including a honeymooning couple, a film producer, and a would-be adventuress—find themselves feeling queasy. But none react as badly as the man in the brown suit, who sweats, shakes, and screams, &“I&’m dying! I don&’t want to die!&”—and by the time they reach Catalina, he already has. Vacationing schoolmarm Hildegarde Withers notices the corpse when they&’re taking it off the plane. An amateur sleuth with a nose for murder, it doesn&’t take her long to deduce foul play. But which of the passengers was dastardly enough to commit murder in mid-air? The Puzzle of the Pepper Tree is part of the Hildegarde Withers Mysteries series, which also includes The Penguin Pool Murder and Murder on the Blackboard.
The Puzzle of the Pretty Pink Handkerchief
by George E. StanleyWhen he finds a clue to a mystery in his tree house, Todd enlists the help of his third-grade classmates to identify the trespasser who had left it there.
The Puzzle of the Red Stallion (The Hildegarde Withers Mysteries #6)
by Stuart PalmerA model is dead in Central Park, and the only witness to the crime is a horse: &“A most readable and entertaining story&” (The New York Times). The evening&’s party is over, and modeling sensation Violet Feverel wants to get in a quick horse ride before the dawn breaks. She saddles up Siwash the stallion, and gallops onto the Central Park bridle path, eager to begin what will be the last ride of her life. On the other side of the park, Miss Hildegarde Withers—schoolmarm and expert sleuth—breaks into a grin when she hears a patrolman&’s radio mention a &“Code 44.&” As she knows all too well, &“Code 44&” means a dead body—and &“dead bodies&” mean adventure. Miss Withers follows the cop to the crime scene, where they find Violet Feverel lying dead, having apparently fallen from her horse. But if she died when she hit the ground, then why is Siwash marked with a spot of blood? For Miss Withers, answering this question will prove more exciting than an afternoon at the races—and much more risky. The Puzzle of the Red Stallion is part of the Hildegarde Withers Mysteries series, which also includes The Penguin Pool Murder and Murder on the Blackboard.
The Puzzle of the Silver Persian (The Hildegarde Withers Mysteries #5)
by Stuart PalmerWhen fellow passengers on a ship bound for London start to disappear, Miss Withers must rely on a mischievous cat to help solve the mystery. Schoolteacher and occasional sleuth Hildegarde Withers has not had good luck with vacations. On her last trip, she found herself enmeshed in the investigation of a dead man on a small plane. Now, on a three-day steamer voyage to London, she&’s about to encounter death again. A gruesome joke leads to a young woman going missing from the ship&’s aft rail. Is she somewhere onboard, or has she fallen into the sea? In either case, turning about will do nothing for her, so the ship steams on. Soon the passengers descend into a nightmare, as body after body appears. Putting an end to the chaos falls to Miss Withers, who must depend on the testimony of a particularly mischievous silver Persian cat. The teacher and the feline will make it to London safe and sound—so long as their curiosity doesn&’t get the best of them. The Puzzle of the Silver Persian is part of the Hildegarde Withers Mysteries series, which also includes The Penguin Pool Murder and Murder on the Blackboard.
Puzzled to Death (Puzzle Lady #3)
by Parnell HallMiss Cora Felton, the eccentric amateur detective better known as the Puzzle Lady, likes nothing better than to solve a good mystery-and this time she's got a killer on her hands. What isn't puzzling is why critics agree that "Cora is emerging as a lovable and unique sleuth" (Chicago Sun-Times) in "a fun series for mystery fans and cruciverbalists" (USA Today).Bakerhaven, Connecticut, seems like the ideal place to host a charity crossword-puzzle tournament-after all, the town is home to Cora Felton, the beloved puzzle columnist known as the Puzzle Lady. A slew of celebrity contestants are on the way. And the locals have been invited to challenge the veteran puzzlers head-on. But soon the town's attention is fixated on something far more controversial than crosswords...when the body of the town tart is discovered lying dead on her kitchen floor. Before anyone can stop her, Cora is hot on the trail of the truth, interviewing nosy neighbors, digging up dirt, and drawing out a lonely recluse who just may hold the key to cracking the crime. But will she solve the case before the contest comes to a deadly end? Cora once again proves that sleuthing spells S-U-S-P-E-N-S-E-up, across, and down!From the Paperback edition.
The Puzzler's Mansion
by Eric BerlinFor fans of The Westing Game and The 39 Clues, a third exciting Winston Breen adventure! Winston Breen and his friends Mal and Jake accompany Mr. Penrose for a weekend of puzzles and games at the mansion of a famous musician. Over the course of the weekend, some guests' prizes and belongings inexplicably disappear. As the group continues with the elaborate puzzles--which the reader is invited to solve too--some of the guests try to figure out who is stealing things, and others become suspects. But in the end it's Winston who stumbles upon several clues, and eventually discovers the real culprit. A fast-paced whodunit, this latest Winston Beren installment will have readers hooked!
Puzzles of the Black Widowers: 12 More of the Master's Best-Loved Mysteries
by Isaac AsimovEach month the Black Widowers, an urbane club of cerebral adventurers, meets at the Milano Restaurant for dinner. And each month a single guest is invited and subjected to a genial but intense grilling on the meaning of his existence. Inevitably the guest confides some puzzling question or strange occurrence in his life--the inexplicable disappearance of a good luck charm, for instance, or how a four-leaf clover can identify a traitor--tantalizing conundrums that the great Holmes himself would have enjoyed deducing. When the Black Widowers are stumped (as inevitably happens), they turn to their faithful waiter Henry, who serves up perfectly broiled salmon and devilishly clever answers with equal aplomb. A dozen tales--including two never published before--are included in this fifth Black Widowers collection. Whether the stories revolve around dark horses, homonyms, or mysterious disappearances, all are engaging, challenging, and altogether ingenious.
The Puzzling World of Winston Breen
by Eric BerlinWinston Breen says the only thing better than discovering a puzzle is stumping someone else with it. But when his sister uncovers mysterious strips of wood with words and letters on them, even Winston himself is stumped. Soon the whole family (and some friends) are caught up in the mystery and off on a scavenger hunt that just may lead to a ring worth thousands of dollars! Chock-full of puzzles to solve, some tied to the mystery and some not, this treasure hunt will keep readers' brains teased right up to the exciting ending! Perfect for fans of The Westing Game, exciting mysteries, and, of course, puzzles! .
Pyramid
by David GibbinsPerfect for fans of Clive Cussler and Dan Brown, Pyramid is a thrilling new adventure starring fearless marine archaeologist Jack Howard, in a heart-stopping quest to uncover an ancient Egyptian secret--and make the most amazing discovery of our time. EVERYONE KNEW THE STORY OF ANCIENT EGYPT. UNTIL NOW. For thousands of years, Egypt was a rich, ingenious civilization. Then it became a fertile hunting ground for archaeologists and explorers. Now the streets of Cairo teem with violence as a political awakening shakes the region. In the face of overwhelming danger, Jack Howard and his team of marine archaeologists have gathered pieces of a fantastic puzzle. But putting it together may cost them their lives. Howard has connected a mystery hidden inside a great pyramid to a fossilized discovery in the Red Sea and a 110-year-old handwritten report of a man who claims to have escaped a labyrinth beneath Cairo. For that his team is stalked by a brutal extremist organization that will destroy any treasure they find. As people fight and die for their rights aboveground, Jack fights for a discovery that will shed an astounding new light on the greatest story ever told: Moses's exodus from Egypt and the true beginnings of a new chapter in human history.
The Pyramid: And Four Other Kurt Wallander Mysteries (The Kurt Wallander Mysteries #9)
by Henning MankellThe story of the Swedish detective&’s beginnings, told in five gripping short mysteries: &“An indispensable chapter to the saga&” (Booklist Online). Here are the stories that trace, chronologically, Kurt Wallander&’s growth from a rookie cop into a young father and then a middle-aged divorcé, illuminating how he became a first-rate detective and highlighting new facets of the character who &“remains one of the most impressive and credible creations of crime fiction today&” (The Guardian). &“Wallander&’s First Case&” introduces us to the twenty-one-year-old patrolman on his first homicide case: his next-door neighbor, seemingly dead by his own hand. In &“The Man with the Mask&”, Wallander is a young father confronting an unexpected threat on Christmas Eve. On the brink of middle age, he is troubled by a distant wife as he unravels the poisoning of a lonely vacationer in &“The Man on the Beach.&” Newly separated in &“The Death of the Photographer,&” Wallander investigates the brutal murder—and the well-concealed secrets—of the local studio photographer. In the title story, he is a veteran detective uncovering unexpected connections between a downed mystery plane and the assassination of a pair of elderly sisters. Written from the unique perspective of an author looking back on the life of his own character, these mysteries are vintage Henning Mankell and essential reading for fans of the fiction series or the BBC program Wallander starring Kenneth Branagh. The Pyramid is a wonderful display of Mankell&’s virtuosity powers as &“the unrivalled master of Swedish crime fiction and one of the finest practitioners of the genre anywhere&” (Toronto Star).
Pyramid Deception (The Hannibal Jones Mysteries)
by Austin CamachoPrivate Eye Hannibal Jones takes on the most important client of his life: Cindy Santiago, the woman he loves. Cindy has been betrayed by a close friend and taken in a scam that has left her almost penniless. The swindler has not only taken her money, he has stolen her confidence and robbed her of her will to live. Hannibal's only lead is Irene, the woman who got Cindy's friend involved and wants to run away with him. She may hold the key to Cindy's problem . . . until she is gunned down right in front of Hannibal in a drive by shooting. When Irene's body disappears Hannibal is the top suspect in a plot to help her and her boyfriend escape. Now he needs to clear his name and recover Cindy's money. As more murders follow, Hannibal must unravel the complex scheme before he and Cindy become the next victims.