I recently started reading "The Puzzle Wood" by Rosie Andrews with high hopes because it had an interesting cover, a good summary, and an appealing title. Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy the book as much as I thought I would, so I gave it two stars.

When I first heard about historical fiction, I was drawn in by the idea of a teacher going on a mysterious trip to Locksley Abbey in the Black Mountains. A mood of tension and expectation was made by the accounts of the creepy house and its few staff, the old woods nearby, and the scary dogs. But the story quickly lost its appeal as I tried to make sense of a confused background that didn't fit in with the main plot.

In a historical fiction setting, the present-day plot had some draw, but the complicated connection to the main character's sister's strange death in the woods confused me. Trying to combine stories, memories, and killings didn't work out well, and I had a hard time seeing how the past was connected to what was happening.

There were a few surprising turns that really sparked the story, even though Andrews' writing style is usually slow. These shocks piqued my interest for a moment and gave me a hint that things might get worse in the story. However, these exciting parts were not enough to save the reading experience as a whole.

When I think about Andrews's other work, I feel the same way: I was slowly drawn into the story, with a few moments of interest here and there. Unfortunately, "The Puzzle Wood" doesn't have the interesting parts that would make it a great book.

I was really attracted to "The Puzzle Wood" by Rosie Andrew - the cover, the description, the name... sadly this book didn't meet my expectations. I enjoyed the current narrative which sat nicely within the genre of historical fiction: governess wanted and will be residing in a remote location that is full of mystery. I also enjoyed the description of the journey to the house and the potential that the woods held. I was however greatly confused by the back story and how it linked with the current plot. There were a few enjoyable twists but sadly this isn't an outstanding read.

My review for this one feels very similar to her previous book.
It's a slow burn, takes a while to suck you right in.
However, with this book, there were a few surprises, and they made me sit up a little straighter, and almost rub my hands with glee that the action was hotting up.
Enjoyable.