With a cover as charming and a title as whimsical and cosy as this, I think we all know that it was love at first sight. I was delighted to be approved for this debut novel and really excited to get started.

Crossword queen and founder of the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, Pippa Allsbrook has recently passed away and she has left a final puzzle for Clayton, the boy who was abandoned as a baby on the doorstep of the Fellowship’s HQ. He was raised by a band of clever, creative eccentrics within the tight-knit community of the Fellowship but Pippa’s last challenge will take him on a journey outside of their walls and on a path to solve a puzzle that no one has ever been able to crack.

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is a book for outsiders. If you’ve always felt different and lost amongst human company, you’ll resonate with the inner monologue of Pippa and the words of several other members of the Fellowship. I really enjoyed seeing the world through Pippa’s eyes and reflecting on life in her unique manner.

Much of Clayton’s chapters see him grieve Pippa and think about how her brilliant mind shaped his upbringing and the man he has become. There are several word puzzles dotted throughout the text, giving the reader a little something extra to enjoy while they’re reading. I’m not sure they materialised quite as well in the eBook as they probably do in the print version but I thought it was a lovely, relevant touch.

Before the Fellowship is formally established, we learn that Pippa publishes her crosswords under the name Squire, obscuring her gender. As the world of cleverness and puzzles is dominated by men, everyone naturally believes that Squire must be a man. A woman couldn’t possible devise such complex crosswords! Although Pippa makes herself known to those who become close to her, she is still undoubtedly uncredited under her own name by the majority of people who come across it. In this, Pippa represents thousands of clever, hard-working women all over the world.

There is a love story in both strands of the novel and to be honest, I didn’t love either of them. I didn’t think that Earl was good enough for Pippa and I was a bit baffled as to why she liked him. He wasn’t nasty but I just found him very bland. I think the lack of depth within most of the characters was the book’s biggest downfall. There is a large cast of characters and I only felt like I got to know Pippa and Clayton, despite some of them playing significant roles in the action.

The Fellowship is a warm, safe space for its members and the theme of found family and community was really strong. I’m not sure I could quite picture the layout of the house well enough to fully understand the logistics of them all living together but the vibes had a certain glow. I wish I’d cared about more of the characters, as there are some quite fuzzy, lovely moments towards the end of the narrative, which I think I missed due to a lack of connection.

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers wasn’t quite the addictive, charming read I thought it would be. It was enjoyable and aspects of the story, such as the idea of the Fellowship itself and the bonds between outcasts, were really lovely. However, I was bored by the plot and the two-dimensional characters didn’t help it along very much. I would still recommend it, if you’re looking for a gentle story about family and belonging. However, if you want something a bit more intriguing and interesting, it’s perhaps not for you.

Original book, which I found really uplifting.

Thank you NetGalley for my complimentary copy in return for my honest review.

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is a gathering of people who make puzzle, does what it says on the tin! What makes this all the more interesting, is that these people from all sorts of different walks of life make different puzzles. Coming together to form the fellowship, a shared passion.

But the fellowship is fading as the members and the only youngster among them Clayton Stumper has his own mystery to solve. How did he come to be left at the fellowship steps twenty six years previous?

Two story strands, Clayton on his own quest and Pippa, the founder of the fellowship and the surrogate mother figure of Clayton before his arrival at the beginning. Of course it is all a puzzle to be solved and we get there as the story meanders in the sort of slow way which is just needed to calm the mind, bathe the soul and show that many parts of life are a mystery to us all.

A debut novel with an interesting premise, which is excellent at tapping into the nerdy geek in all of us. I adore the cover and made me want to dig my jigsaws out again! I would love to know more about the puzzle makers but certainly see what else this author brings us in the future.

What a lovely book this is. A beautiful and enchanting story of friendship and love. Clayton, Pippa and the whole cast of characters as well as the puzzles (a very neat touch) made for a very pleasurable read. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me read this book. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

What a lovely book! Strong themes around friendship, love, fellowship, and self-discovery make it a truly endearing read.

The book follows two timelines: going back in time, it follows Pippa on her journey to set up the fellowship, and in the present day, Clayton, abandoned as a baby, sets off to discover who his biological parents are. His quest is the last puzzle Pippa ever created, as Clayton sets out to solve it, he discovers much more along the way than just where he came from.

The puzzles are a fantastic touch and definitely add to the story and plot.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Orion Publishing Group for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Really enjoyable book. Highly recommend.

5 stars.

I really enjoyed this book. I also love problem solving and puzzles, which may have helped!

It was easy to read, likeable characters and reminded me a little of the Thursday Murder Club books in a way.

I would recommend it as an easy going read.

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is an original, heartwarming journey and a truly wonderful and compelling read.

The Prologue is in 1991 and Part One is split between the present day, 2016, and past starting in 1979. It follows the fellowship’s beginnings and fills in the backstory. Part Two is ten years later, 1991, and the story finishes at the twenty-fifth annual puzzle fair. The story covers a lot, jumping between the two timelines as you gather both the present story and backstory.

In the present the focus is on Clayton, with Pippa being focal in the past. Both are brilliant characters and the combination together provides a great context and thorough picture of both theirs and the fellowship’s history. Pippa’s life, circumstances and all that lead her to the arrival of Clayton on her doorstep is such a fantastic story. She feels like she could be a real person because there is so much raw emotion and honesty to her character.

Clayton is a great character and his sense of not really understanding himself and the mystery of where he comes from is very realistic and his feelings are so open. The uncertainty surrounding his arrival and the puzzling nature of it really gripped me from the outset. I felt an eagerness to know the truth. Pippa posthumously presenting clues to him regarding his past in a puzzle format was so fitting but also extremely inventive and engrossing.

I have always enjoyed puzzles and the focus on them in the book is such a unique feature. Their prominence in the narrative and how important they are to the storyline is a really unique concept. The fact they bring so many people together who would ordinarily not have been felt fitting.

There are so many brilliant characters within the fellowship (and outside of it) and getting to know them through their past and present circumstances creates such a rounded picture of their lives. A community that feels both authentic and realistic, a commune with a truly positive feel and real struggles.

A delightful debut from Sam Burr that posits the biggest puzzle of them all: How do I fit in the world?

This is a dual-timeline story featuring the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers and Clayton Stumper, who was left on its doorstep as a baby. Now 26 and facing a future without his adoptive mother, he's trying to solve the puzzle of his life: Who is he and where does he fit?

With a large cast of colourful characters to help him answer the question, Clayton is trying to figure out where he fits. Meanwhile the readers learn about the history of the fellowship and the people who populated it.

Charming. Funny. Life affirming. Everything you would want in a novel.

When I met Samuel Burr at The Book Party last Christmas, I simply knew that I had to read his work. Not only is the author themselves an absolute darling, their writing is nothing short of spectacular. It was such a comforting read, with characters that I easily got attached too and a storyline I fully got submerged within. Amazing.

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is an absolutely beautifully crafted story of love, friendship and finding yourself. It draws you in and captivates your entire being.

I always think that books I always love are the hardest to review and it is definitely the situation with this book. Totally different to my usual crime and historical fiction, it’s not even a book I’d choose to read something completely different but this is a book that I’d seen a lot of praise for so I decided to see if I agreed.
I have to say that I definitely did agree. The characters, the dual narrative and the entire storyline worked perfectly. This novel is perfection.
The novel focuses mostly on Pippa over a period of years as she built the fellowship and the friends she made throughout that and Clay in the short time after her death where he attempts to find his birth mother. He does so with help from clues she leaves him, the handful of friends who have outlived her and a few he has made since. I found both fascinating, especially meeting all of Pippa’s friends, seeing her loyalty, her regrets and their reactions to both over the years.
But it was Clay who I had the strongest liking for, there were parts of his storyline that were very emotional. Not his quest to find his birth mother but his attitude to others he met on his journey. For those who’ve read it, you will understand exactly what I mean. For those who haven’t, be prepared to feel exactly the same. I wish there were more like him, both in fiction and the real world.
This is a book I’ve recommended to nearly every reader I know, not something that I do often but this book is so good. Perfect for when you need a break from everything that is rotten in the world right now.
I say it quite a lot but this would make a brilliant TV series or film, I just need to pick my preferred casting.

I loved this. It was so sweet, and thoughtful, and engaging. It's a debut, but it doesn't read like a debut, probably because Samuel Burr already has experience of writing. This book is really well pitched, with a wide array of characters and a back-and-forth narrative that switches between modern day hunting for birth parents and the past founding of the fellowship and establishment of the fellowship hall. It was by turns sweet and gently painful, but never saccharine or maudlin, with a side romance that doesn't overpower the main story of finding oneself and taking a step out into the real world. I really did enjoy this, and the crossword puzzle that headed each chapter was a lovely additional touch of fun.

Really enjoyed this book. The crossword clues added a really fun addition to the chapters, i felt like a junior member of the puzzlemakers.
A great story of discovering your past and untangling how this shapes your current life and future.

This book is the literary equivalent of sitting down on the sofa on a Sunday afternoon with a cup of tea and a slice of Battenberg cake. It's cosy and heart-warming and not particularly challenging. The book starts with a baby in a hatbox being left on the doorstep of a crumbling mansion owned by an eccentric group of puzzle-lovers. Now an adult, Clayton is determined to find out about his roots. The only thing to guide him on this journey is a set of clues left by Pippa Allsbrook, the woman who raised him as her own and founder of the extraordinary Fellowship of Puzzlemakers who has just died peacefully in her bed. The narrative flips between Clayton's quest as he untangles a series of puzzles and flashbacks to earlier in Pippa's life as she founds the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers.

The author clearly has an appreciation for puzzles and quizzes in all forms and the conceit is a fun one. The book bumbles on at a pleasant if sometimes pedestrian pace. It's easy-reading, but I found the characters lacked depth and the plot somewhat predictable, although it was still still a nice journey with some fun settings and set-pieces. I think I would have preferred it to be a bit punchier or for it to lean into the quirkiness a bit more.

Abandoned at birth on the doorstep of The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, home to a group of the country’s best enigmatologists, Clayton Stumper has never known where he came from or why he was left where he was. Now twenty-six, Clayton has been raised by the fellowship and after the death of the main maternal presence in his life, Pippa Allsbrook, she leaves Clayton one final puzzle - and solving it will tell Clayton all he needs to know about who he really is.

Well, what a charming little read this book was! Incredibly cozy with a lovely cast of characters, a really good bit of puzzling, and just a really tender and heartfelt story. If like me you’re a bit of a nerd when it comes to all things puzzles, you will absolutely love this! (But even if you aren’t, it’s still such a fab story).
I adored the array of characters in this book, although because there are so many, sometimes it’s easy to get a bit lost with ones that aren’t particularly central. I kind of wish we got to know a bit more about each of them - a lot of the descriptions or bits of info aren’t the most detailed and quite superficial in my opinion. I will say though that I loved the inclusion of the queer storyline(s) in this (unintentionally stuck to my pride TBR 🏳️‍🌈😂), but I would’ve loved them expanded upon. A lot of the book revolves around finding love and family and I think in regards to one particular character (no spoilers here), I felt like we were kind of robbed of seeing where their story went, particularly at the very end 🫠.

Overall, this was just a lovely little read. It’s the type of book that makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside and restores your faith in humanity! Certainly would recommend grabbing a copy! <3

I knew I would love this one it has everything I love in a book: a group of older people who are all interesting, a young person trying to find themselves and a good puzzle/mystery. Samuel Burr, wrote all the characters so well and they all felt so real and it made me want to go on reading the story for ever. The dual timelines, the present and the past really helped the story come together. I can't wait for Burr's next release.

This is a book that is as beautiful on the inside as it is on the outside!

Pippa Allsbrook is a crossword creator who finds an abandoned baby - Clayton Stumper - on the doorstep of the fellowship and takes him in. After Pippa’s death, Clayton wants to find out who he is and where he came from and as readers we follow his journey of discovery. There are many interesting characters to meet along the way along with a number of puzzles to solve, of varying difficulty.

This was a fun read for me. Not only with the puzzles, which are throughout, but also due to learning several new (to me) and interesting words.

It’s a very accomplished debut and I very much look forward to reading more of this author’s work.

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is a warm, cosy hug of a read. Perfect to pick up of an evening before drifting off to sleep.

As a baby, Clayton is left on the doorstep of a house of puzzle creators. Raised by the lovely Pippa, when she dies she leaves him clues as to who his parents really are and he takes up the puzzle challenge.

Packed full of unique characters you'll love, this is such an easy read.

I do love novels that have a niche theme running through and puzzles woven through the story absolutely tick that box. An interesting and enticing book.

This book has me enchanted from the first page when Pippa finds a hatbox on the front step. Inside is a beautiful baby boy who becomes the son she never had.
Years before Philippa Allsbrook had been a renown crossword compiler working under the pseudonym of The Squire. She decides that there are lots of puzzlers in the world and wouldn't it be wonderful to get some of them together on a regular basis and so the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is born.
There are many different types of puzzlers represented in the Fellowship. From Hector who paints wonderful pictures to turn into jigsaws, Nancy with her amazing general knowledge and Earl who designs fantastic mazes.
The fellowship goes through disasters and triumphs but the story is really about the baby boy, Clayton, now an adult, finding out about his birth parents. Pippa, who has died, leaves him a series of clues intended to take him on an adventure. Along the way he meets Nancy who left the Fellowship to find love and Neil who lives on a narrowboat.
A thoroughly enjoyable book about love in all it's forms; about adventure and about finding oneself.

This is one of those delightful books that just makes you smile, and the puzzles running through it add a little something extra that makes this a very special book.

25 year old Clayton Stumper was left on the doorstep as a baby at the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, a community of puzzle creators of a certain age. As a result of living amongst them, Clayton is somewhat old before his time. When Pippa, the woman who has brought him up and become a mother figure, dies, he discovers that she has left him with a series of clues to help him discover who his biological parents are.

We see Clayton following the clues to find himself, whilst at the same time going back to learn more about Pippa and understand the origins of The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers. With an eclectic but utterly engaging cast of characters, who you will fall in love with, it is a gorgeous tale of found family, a group of people, each with their own story, who may all be very different but are brought together by a shared interest, and of belonging. Add to that the cleverly weaved puzzles which add an element of fun if you like a puzzle (though fear not if that is not your thing as the answers are provided at the end of the book). It is a fun read and an absolute delight that I wholeheartedly recommend.