The first book by this author and it was a pleasant and very entertaining story. Well plotted, excellent storytelling.
A solid story that I thoroughly enjoyed due to the well plotted characters and the solid plot
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Cosy mysteries are my favorite, and cosy queer mysteries even more so. This was a wonderful book to curl up with and find some knew characters to love. It was a really fun book and I'm looking forward to reading more from David S. Pederson.

What a lovely little gem of a book this is! It reminds me of nothing so much as the best of Dame Christie’s work, with every detail carefully laid out before the reader, seemingly insignificant, until things are looked at through the proper lens, and then, suddenly, all those unconnected bits and pieces form a complete and pristine image.

Our protagonists, however, are as un-Christie-like as they can be; not only are they two queer men in a romantic relationship, but they are also young, very bright, and naïve–sometimes painfully so.

When the novel starts, Horace “Skip” Valentine, a 22 year old librarian of some means, and 25 year old WWII veteran Henry Finch, currently unemployed and with a widowed mother and several younger siblings to help support, have known each other for less than a year, and have been a couple almost as long. They are good with and for each other, so when Henry must travel out of town to pay a duty visit to a distant relative, Skip readily agrees to accompany him. It’s not, by far, his idea of a dream getaway, but when the one you love needs some moral support, you show up for them.

Once at Rutherford house in Ann Arbor, however, things seem to be just a bit off–from the house itself to every one of its residents.

The cover and title caught my eye, because I enjoy jigsaw puzzles, and the blurb, as it so often does, clinched it, so I requested and received an ARC.

Beware: death of a child; miscarriages; stillbirth; dementia; mental health issues; elder neglect/abuse; homophobia; sexual abuse/rape; botched back alley abortion.

The novel, set over the course of one weekend in early October 1950, is told in third person, past tense, and almost exclusively from Skip’s point of view. The chapter headers are the setting and the time of the scene, such as “After dinner Friday evening, October 6, 1950, The Rutherford house” and so on; I found this delightful.

The narrative voice is just a bit rambling, with a lot of little details thrown in, which may not be to every reader’s taste, but which helped bring the period and setting to life. It is also dialogue-heavy, which worked really well to give the reader a lot of information without long paragraphs of exposition, as well as deepening the characterizations.

The two young men travel to Ann Arbor to visit Henry’s uncle and great aunt; as it happens, there is some family money and, due to a sparse family tree and some old legal stipulations, Henry is the heir presumptive, and therefore his signature is required on several legal forms.

The household they are visiting consists of Uncle Ambrose Rutherford, a bachelor in his late forties; his elderly mother Gabria, who seems to suffer from rapidly advancing dementia; Jane Grant, the housekeeper, and Jake Bartlett, a somewhat truculent young man acting as the household’s dogsbody. A more recent addition is sister Barnabas, a nun and nurse from a nearby convent, who has been living at the house for the past few months to help take care of Mrs Rutherford as the latter’s condition worsened.

The interpersonal dynamics between these people, however, are not as straightforward as one would expect. Mrs Rutherford has moments of acute lucidity interspersed with confusion, yet even when she is most herself, she’s acerbic towards her son, and occasionally downright cruel, especially to Jake.

Jake is a physically imposing youth, just about 18, who is probably autistic and perhaps also intellectually disabled; we are told that he is clumsy, has trouble interacting with people, which led to him dropping out of school, and that he gets very angry, very easily. It is strange, then, that the Rutherfords would keep him on.

There’s his aunt Jane, the curt-to-the-point-of-rudeness housekeeper. Efficient and non-nonsense, Miss Grant could easily get a position involving less backbreaking work in a household with other domestic staff; yet, she remains a Rutherford house, where she is now cook, maid, and part-time nurse to the difficult and often abusive Mrs Rutherford.

Uncle Ambrose, by all appearances a friendly man, suffers his mother’s abuse with patient forbearance; she has only gotten this bad over the past few months, he explains to Henry and Skip, and her older sister, Mrs Lillian Waters, will come over on Sunday night to help move Mrs Rutherford to a long-term care clinic for the elderly.

There’s Sister Barnabas, peering disapprovingly over her thick-lens glasses, imparting unwanted and unwelcome advice, and doing a rather poor job of keeping track of Mrs Rutherford; and Mrs Savage, a widowed neighbor who used to visit Mrs Rutherford every Friday for years, but who has kept her distance since around the time of the fire that killed the groundskeeper.

Then there’s the house itself. Clearly once a magnificent home, it is now gloomy and musty, after years, if not decades, of neglect; between the dust, must and cobwebs, to say nothing of the nightly barking and pounding, the atmosphere is quite unnerving and unwelcoming.

For their part, Skip and Henry are very earnest and wholesome, and so adorably transparently into each other, it triggers a couple of ugly conversations with Henry’s Uncle Ambrose, the story’s main stand-in for a bigoted wider world. Skip in particular is deeply kind, and not shy about speaking out when someone else is unkind; he even admonishes Henry a couple of times over some unfortunate comments.

The author does not make light of the risks queer people of every persuasion faced in the U.S. in the 1950s; instead, the writing shows how people can give themselves away even when they’re well aware of the need for discretion–especially young people in the throes of their first serious relationship. So even though Skip and Henry code-switch between their private conversations and when they interact with other people together, someone paying attention would see the relationship intimacy subtext between them.

Speaking of intimacy, though some of their banter is fairly risqué, there’s nothing more explicit on the page than a couple of kisses.

Skip has a deeply curious mind–generally a good quality in a librarian–and he is also quite observant, and keeps track of details marvelously. He also shares both his observations and conclusions with Henry as soon as the opportunity to do so presents itself (relationship goals right there). Whenever possible, Skip seeks outside confirmation of whatever he’s been told, and occasionally he gently steamrolls over Henry in order to do so.

Even though I got some of the essential details of the crime right fairly early on (not for nothing have I read literally hundreds if not thousands of cozy mysteries in my life), the author managed to sneak a few surprises into the narrative. The build up to the climactic scene was very well done, and the traditional “here is what actually happened” conversation at the end was very welcome.

Between the two main characters interactions and the way the facts of the case are both revealed and then connected to each other, I thoroughly enjoyed the ride; I would definitely read more if the author turns it into a series. And may I say, I loved the author’s historical facts list at the end of the book.

Puzzles Can Be Deadly gets a 9.00 out of 10

Skip Valentine accompanies his boyfriend Henry Finch to visit Henry’s “uncle”—a distant relative—in order to sign some papers to do with his eventual inheritance. While there, they learn of the death of the groundskeeper and his dog in a fire, and Skip is promptly sucked into trying to solve all the curiosities that surround that fatality. There’s a nun, knocking and barking at night, a riddle, an old woman who is irritable and losing her memory, and more besides.

I guessed the riddle fairly quickly, but that was probably because the text immediately directed one’s attention to what the solution would be. I also figured out basically most of the rest of the mystery as well. I enjoy seeing if I’m right or wrong, so it was fun to keep reading.

I didn’t really love the dialogue, though? The author had a tendency of putting description of people and things in conversation, which was stilted, and the chapters ended without tension, which isn’t what I’m accustomed to with mysteries. I do love to see gay characters in fiction, however, and doubly so if the author is gay as well. All things told, it’s a rather short book, so perfect to curl up with for an afternoon.

I received a copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Set in 1950, Puzzles Can Be Deadly is a fun cozy mystery perfect for a summer beach read. The main characters, Skip Valentine and Henry Finch, are a couple at a time when such couples had to keep their relationships secret, and Skip has a passion for solving puzzles.

The book opens with Skip solving a crossword puzzle in his apartment together with his cat Purrvis. Then the phone rings and it’s Henry inviting Skip to take a road trip with him to Ann Arbor to visit his Uncle Ambrose and Ambrose’s mother. Ambrose is technically a cousin, but Henry has always called him Uncle. Henry received a letter saying that he will be the heir to the family money if something happens to Ambrose after his mother passes, and that Henry needs to go there to sign some papers. Also, Henry is hoping to ask Ambrose for a loan to help him get back on his feet as he has struggled since being discharged from the Army three years ago. Skip works for the library and has a few days off so he happily agrees to accompany Henry.

When they arrive in Ann Arbor they find a rather odd bunch of people, other than Ambrose who seems rather normal but was not informed that they were coming. His mother was the one who wrote Henry and invited them to come. After the uncomfortable welcome, Ambrose tells them they can stay. In the house with Ambrose is his rather odd mother who seems to be suffering from severe dementia, a nun who is caring for her, a strange housekeeper/cook, and her nephew Jake who does odd jobs around the house and obviously has anger issues. There is also a neighbor who claims to talk to dead people at seances, and possibly a ghost or two.

They soon discover that the groundskeeper and his dog died recently in a fire, and Ambrose’s mother is convinced they are both haunting the place. Skip and Henry begin to wonder if that might be true when they hear odd noises in the night. Then accidents begin happening and Skip is determined that something isn’t right and wants to investigate, though Henry is hesitant. Skip’s love of puzzles has the pair gradually putting all the pieces together of this complex mystery where no one is quite who they seem.

Puzzles Can Be Deadly is filled with secrets and surprising twists. Skip and Henry are delightful. Skip is very flamboyant and fun—which causes Ambrose some concern and he fears Skip will lead a “naïve” Henry down the “wrong path.” Even though the bigotry against the LGBTQ+ community of the 1950s is a very serious side to this story, Skip and Henry don’t let that deter them from their relationship. I absolutely love these characters—Skip is witty and Henry is sweet, and they make a perfect pair. If you enjoy a cozy mystery with quirky and great characters don’t miss this book. My only negative is that this is a stand-alone—I would love to read more of Skip and Henry. My hope is someday they return in another book!

This is a historical cosy mystery set in 1950s America. When Skip and Henry travel from Chicago to Michigan to visit Henry's uncle for the weekend, some strange events occur, and Skip and Henry decide to investigate.

Historical cosy mysteries are a favourite of mine, and I like them sophisticated, with some quirky and eccentric characters. This did tick all the right boxes in that regard. I quickly warmed to Skip and Henry as they were such a lovely couple. I loved their banter, and their chemistry. At times, I felt like the story was maybe carried along by the dialogue, but given that I liked the characters and their exchanges, that wasn't really an issue for me. I found this an entertaining cosy mystery, it was light enough to read in one sitting, and I would happily read about these characters again.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.

I recently finished reading this cozy mystery book and I must say, it kept me hooked with its well-crafted blend of mystery, romance, and tension. The unexpected twist was a delightful surprise, adding depth and excitement to the plot. One of the highlights for me was the main character, Skip, whose penchant for snooping and meddling in others' business added a lot of charm and humor to the story. The plot itself was engaging, with plenty of information and quotable moments that added richness to it.

I particularly enjoyed how the author developed the mystery and a little bit of romantic elements. Skip's curiosity and determination to uncover the truth made for a compelling protagonist, and I found myself rooting for him throughout the story (with a curse of whatever 'brave' actions he took tho). The way the plot unfolded was satisfying. In the end, I always scream wtf wtf wtf because it twists! Lol

However, there were a few aspects that didn't quite meet my expectations.

The book was filled with conversations, which I found overwhelming at times. A more balanced approach, I think, will contain dialogues around 30% or a little more of the pages, would have been preferable. Additionally, 40% of the book (in the beginning) felt kinda dragging and so, it made me sleepy, which affected the overall pacing. While I understand that this is a cozy mystery, it leaned a bit too heavily into the "cozy" aspect for my taste, lacking the intensity I had hoped for.

Despite these drawbacks, I would still give it 3.5 out of 5 stars for its enjoyable mystery, engaging protagonist, and well-thought-out plot.

This is my fourth read by this author. I’ve been on a bit of a 50s romance and mystery kick lately and I’m really enjoying this subgenre. This story is told in third person and follows Skip, a librarian in Chicago, who has been invited by his beau of eight months, Henry, to accompany him on a trip to visit extended family in Ann Arbor, Michigan to sign some legal documents pertaining to a future possible inheritance. Upon their arrival, they discover that they weren’t as expected as previously thought. And there’s been a supposed accidental death on the grounds in previous months.

Strange accidents occur during their stay as well as noises that awaken them at all hours purported by some to be ghosts and others to be nonsense. Awkward relatives and odd circumstances cause Skip to become suspicious and begin to investigate to Henry’s mortification. While I found the mystery to be a bit predictable, I really enjoyed all the period details from the cars to the manners and customs. I loved Skip’s character but often found Henry to be a little oblivious. The formal cadence of speech patterns especially noticed during telephone calls may seem awkward or stiff at first, but once accustomed I no longer noticed and imagine that it’s more period appropriate than our current more casual conversation.

Maybe my interest stems from nostalgia or just a simple longing for a time before current technology, but I love reading about bookworms, three-cent stamps, Mercurochrome (remember the stain?) and party lines. I was amazed when I asked a question about party lines in a previous review (for this author I think) and very few followers knew what they were. Not that I miss them, but it was fun as a child to eavesdrop on neighbors’ telephone calls and get all the local gossip. That was my idea of misbehaving as a child/teenager, pick up the phone and listen in on an adult conversation not meant for me. The good old days. LOL.

Recommended to queer cozy mystery fans who enjoy historicals.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bold Stroke Books for a copy provided for an honest review.

Skip and his guy friend Henry goes to visit Henry uncle, whose mother is very sick. It turns out that there are happening a lot of mysteries af their old mansion. Not everything is as it seems, and they often hear a strange barking at night from a dig, The uncles mother thinks that it is their old groundskeeper and his dig, who both died in a fire not long ago.

I really enjoyed reading this story, but I went into it thinking it was a crime book, but eventually reading it as a cozy mystery book. I liked the fact that it hadn't too much with the police to do, and it was different in that way. There was a lot of good plot twist, and page turner, but even though the book was kind of short, it still felt a bit like a longer read
But we learn one very important thing, which is that puzzles can be deadly

While the book initially sparked my interest, it ultimately fell flat. The plot unfolded predictably, lacking tension or suspense. Despite its brevity, the pacing dragged, with significant stretches where little happened. The main mystery only began to develop around the 30% mark.

The narrative relied heavily on exposition rather than action. Additionally, several key clues were overly transparent, with the riddle scene blatantly hinting at the solution. The character development was shallow, leaving them feeling like one-dimensional sketches rather than fully realized individuals.

However, the dynamic between Skip and Henry was a bright spot. Their interactions were engaging, and I would have loved to delve deeper into their relationship.

This revised version achieves several things:

Stronger opening: "Initially sparked my interest" is more nuanced than just "high hopes."
Varied vocabulary: Replaces repetitive words like "felt" with synonyms like "unfolded" and "dragged."
Emphasis on specific aspects: Highlights both the pacing and lack of suspense.
Conciseness: Tightens the language for a more impactful read.

I had high hopes for this, but was ultimately underwhelmed.

The story itself was pretty straight-forward without much tension or suspense, but for a fairly short book it felt really long. It felt like a lot of time was spent waiting for things to happen and it wasn’t until about 30% in that anything related to the mystery happened.

There was also a lot of telling instead of showing, and many of the clues were especially obvious. Even in the scene where we get the riddle there are very obvious clues signaling the solution to the puzzle. In terms of the characters, several of them could have been better fleshed out. Our knowledge of them was somewhat superficial, almost like they were outlines for characters instead of fully realized participants in the story.

The best part of the book was the relationship between Skip and Henry. I enjoyed their scenes together and would have enjoyed learning more about them.

Thanks NetGally and Bold Strokes Books for the advanced copy.

I do not read a lot of murder mysteries and to my knowledge I have not read any book set in the 50s, so I did not know what to expect. What I read was a gentle relaxing story which after the books I had read was a well needed change.
The story follows Skip and Henry who due to the timeline had to hide their relationship as they spend a weekend at Henry's uncle's home and after finding out about the death of the groundsman, Skip a lover of puzzles wants to investigates.
Whilst I liked both characters, Henry was my favourite, I cannot explain why but Skip felt that he was more prim and proper maybe it was his background I just do not know. Henry had a more carefree nature. But as a team they understood each other, their partnership worked well and I loved reading how their minds worked with this mystery.
When I do read mysteries, I like to see if I can guess who did it and why and whilst I got quite a bit I was still surprised at the end. The era was well researched and whilst their fashion was mentioned a lot this just added to story. I found it interesting.
If you are looking for a cozy mystery with twist then this is the book for you. This is the first book I have read by this author and I am going to check out what else they have read. Oh and if there are any more stories of Skip and Henry count me in.

I was really excited when i saw what this book was about!
I am a big Agatha Christie fan, but let´s be real there was never a chance that there would be any (positive) queer elements in her stories.
So to have a fun mystery premise AND a cute queer couple too?
Yes.

Romance:

The romance/couple aspect of the book wasn´t bad. They really were quite the sweet duo.. And it was nice seeing them in a full-fletched relationship instead of a "will-they-won´t-they buddy cop"- esque dynamic.

Writing:

My main problem was the writing.
The story begins with our MCs talking on the phone with each other, retelling their meet-cute. The story would have been fine, even if it was purely for the sake of giving us a quick backstory, but i would have prefered just having it in third person or snippets, as a way to introduce them to us. Instead we get a point by point retelling between both the characters that were present when it happend. It just doesn´t sound natural to me.
This lack of being subtil was a concurring pattern thru out the book.

For example Character A tells our MCs about a (seemingly) relevant case or circumstance, but the way they tell it sounds more like a report than a casual chat. i would get it if it was a culprit trying to confuse or distract the amateur detectives, but it really is just someone giving you yet again a too detailed account of relevant infromation you as the reader potentially need.
I think it would have worked a lot better, if we got these informations in chunks, thru different people or clues, and had to puzzle them together ourselves.
It was also weird, when one character get´s asked where they were at a specific time, and they tell you BUT also say, unprompted, were all the other characters were. It doesn´t make sense to me. Why would they do that, if they weren´t asked?

Plot and Mystery:

It was kinda predictable, which doesn´t have to ruin the whole experience per se, but some aspects of the mystery stood in the way.
Mainly the end, Without going into spoiler territory, let me say, it didn´t feel high stake. All the characters were too chill about it. It was no built up to the confrontation, i didn´t feel the tension or any fear for anyone.


So yeah. I am sorry.
I did like the idea and enjoyed Henry and Skips moments, but overall i couldn´t get into it as much as i hoped.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for this eARC! Puzzles Can Be Deadly was a super sweet historical cozy mystery. It follows two main characters Skip and Henry who are dating in 1950. They decide to take a getaway to Michigan to visit Henry's second cousin after learning he is the heir to the family fortune. What ensues is murder, mystery, and puzzles. This was a nice read that really made me feel like I was in that old victorian house with them! Everyone was a suspect and had motive, but the ending was definitely a surprise! I really enjoyed this book.

4.5/5 ⭐️ There’s nothing like a good murder mystery to cleanse the reading palette. I really, really enjoyed this one. It’s my first mlm story and it being a historical fiction on top of that was even better. The story was soo twisty and kept me guessing until the big reveal, and while I had a hunch for a few things it still took me by surprise when it was all laid out (though I’m glad to say I deciphered the note on my own, haha). The MCs were so likeable and funny with a very sweet and realistic relationship. It’s a very accurate depiction of the stigma of being a gay man in the 50s but still lets them be happy, which I appreciated. The puzzles were just so well done with so many twists and turns, I enjoyed the guessing and speculation quite a bit. It includes all the best parts of the murder mystery genre and is a must read for anyone interested. I can’t wait to read book 2 if there ever is one and hope to read more of the authors other series’! — thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review 🤍

If I am being completely honest this book is only worth reading for the last 30 or so pages. The plot hinges around a riddle, that I unfortunately figured out instantly, however I did test it on other people who did not figure it out as easily. Thelast 30 pages of this book are just entirely unhinged and I am here for it. As someone who often struggles with thrillers due to pattern recognition, this book was quite the reprive as it was just so bonkers that I would have never been able to guess what had happened.

Do I think this book could have been 50 pages shorter? - yes, yes I do, but beyond that the writing itself was generally fine, though I would suggest having prior knowledge of 1950s menswear as it is discussed, a lot. All in all this book was fine. It was a little hard to get into, but it makes up for it in the last 15% bu being just so unhinged that I had a really good time.

A thrill of a mystery

Skip and Henry are visiting Henry’s uncle for the weekend, but their visit soon turns into a bit of a mystery that Skip is curious and determined to solve. With only the rhyme left by the dead groundskeeper to go on, and the strange goings on and stories they are being told leading them to suspect foul play, they are left wondering if they can solve it or whether they might meet the same fate.

This was such a thrill and a lot of fun! I have come to adore David’s mystery stories and this one did not disappoint! It had all the same elegance I know and love, fitted perfectly with the 1950s era in which it is set, and kept me guessing at all times, and even when I thought I had something figured out, once again I discovered I hadn’t. David writes fantastic mysteries, and this one, had some really good twists. The characters Skip and Henry encountered all had quirks and strangeness about them making each of them a suspect when clues started being discovered.

Skip and Henry were both so charming, and they shared such an easy chemistry and way with one another. They made a great team, with Skip being outgoing and determined to discover the truth, and Henry a little more reserved. After all, they were Henry’s family so he wasn’t so keen to join the dots in the way Skip was, but Skip was on the money in reading these people as characters and getting a feel for who was genuine and who he wanted to be more suspicious of. It was all those characters that made this so much fun, not only did they keep throwing Skip and Henry off the trail with unexpected actions and things they said, but they did the same with me as the reader. I got so tangled up in it all, I wasn’t sure who to point the finger at or where this would all end up, but I knew it was going to be great whatever the reveal!

A most clever and engaging mystery that I thoroughly enjoyed, and despite knowing the outcome now, I know I will enjoy reading it again and again, and getting the thrill of solving the mystery again.

Puzzles Can Be Deadly by David S. Pederson

I honestly should have known I wouldn’t like this just based off of how on the nose the title is. The rest of the book is just as on the nose. The MCs boyfriend says the title of this book in the first chapter, and you can just feel the author winking at you.

The people here don’t read like people. They read like people reading from a script, and they’re aware that the script has clues in it, so there’s certain things they have to be sure that the main characters (and you, the reader) hear, etc. Literally one of the first conversations in this book is a telephone call between Skip and his boyfriend, where they do this painfully awkward thing where they recount moment by moment, in a way two people who are aware of the events never would, how they met, and what they said to each other and how they reacted to what the other said, and so on.

The mental health representation is bad. I know we weren’t particularly sensitive to mental disabilities and illnesses in the ‘50s, so the ableist lingo is but expected. However, the characters with mental illnesses and disabilities are clearly just there as plot fodder and have no real depth to them beyond their diagnoses.

With all this going on, my breaking point is going to sound ridiculous, but I was sort of trudging along in this book, when a side character falls down the stairs. The MC describes this character laying at the bottom of the stairs with his ankle twisted in an odd direction, which sounds like a broken ankle/leg perhaps. But then the side character goes on to say that nothing is broken, just sprained his ankle. Excuse you. There is no way. And maybe at a later point, it turns out that the side character did break his ankle, idk. I honestly didn’t stay to find out. I skipped to the end. Sounds like there is an interesting twist to the mystery, and I’m just sorry the rest of the book isn’t there to support it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I've read a lot of this author's other books, so I was excited to be approved for an advance copy of this one. Unfortunately, it didn't work for me as well as I expected it to. The dialogue was very stilted and tell-y, and the attention to period detail often felt shoehorned in. I also never found any of the characters particularly compelling. The mystery itself was fine, if predictable, but again, the debriefing/denouement seemed cumbersome. I'm rounding up to get to four stars here, I'm afraid.

My thanks to the publisher/NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.