Chapter #50: The Puzzle Book That I'm Currently Obsessed With

In my Benoit Blanc era 🔍

Feeling My Shelf is a bi-weekly newsletter about books, life, and, well, life with books. Grab your favorite caffeinated beverage and get comfy. First up, some recent reads.

Between Friends & Lovers by Shirlene Obuobi

Dr. Josephine Boateng, aka Dr. Jojo to her fans, is a content creator known for her advice on sex and dating—despite being a pretty late bloomer. She’s also secretly in love with her best friend, a rich and famous actor. But after he shows up to a party with her childhood bully on his arm (😒), she decides to move on and soon meets a shy bestselling author who sweeps her off her feet (😍). More than just a romance, this story transcends the traditional love triangle trope and explores how cultural expectations, communication challenges, and personal choices shape relationships and self-growth.

Last One to Die by Cynthia Murphy

Sixteen-year-old Niamh (pronounced like Neev, I learned!) arrives in London for a summer drama course. But soon after, a terrifying mystery unfolds when young women who look eerily similar to her are brutally attacked. This forces her to confront a chilling, supernatural threat. I didn’t read the synopsis closely enough and wasn’t as thrilled about this part, but the story kept me interested! A solid YA mystery read!

Note: I also wanted to have finished Humor Me by Cat Shook before I wrote this newsletter. LOL. Word to the wise: don’t wait until the day before Libby says your book is due to start reading it. I got about 100 pages in before they snatched it back and loaned it to the next person! So, I will share my thoughts on it in about nine weeks when it’s back in my possession.

Who can resist a good murder mystery novel? Each one is like a 300+ page puzzle that pulls you right in and makes you question everything and everyone. Whenever I pick one up, I find myself completely engrossed, flipping pages at lightning speed and rereading small details in search of hidden meanings and clues. The thrill of connecting the dots and that moment when it finally clicks is pure magic, the ultimate payoff for the hours spent reading. It is an experience that (more often than not) leaves me wanting more.

Insert, Murdle by G.T. Karber! The brain-teasing mystery book of my dreams.

I was scrolling through Instagram one day recently when I came across this book. I immediately drove to the bookstore to purchase it—I didn’t waste a single second. The bookseller raved about it, and once I got home and cracked it open, I completely understood why.

Now, you might be wondering: what the hell is a Murdle?

In a nutshell, it’s like Wordle (surprisingly, i was terrible at this one) but with a murder mystery twist! As soon as you open the book, you’re greeted by a meticulously crafted crime scene and a compelling narrative that sets the stage for the mystery. The blend of narrative and gameplay is what makes Murdle stand out to me in a sea of other puzzle books. The writing is especially great — the weapon and character descriptions are very sarcastic.

The puzzles range from “elementary to impossible,” with scenarios requiring logic and deduction. You really gotta use your brain! They get harder and harder as you go. Each case provides clues, with extra hints tucked away in the book’s appendix (in addition to the answers, of course), but I’m proud to say I’ve only gone for a hint once (so far.) 😇

You can also find daily puzzles at murdle.com!

The whole book is like stepping into a detective’s shoes, where every clue and piece of evidence should be thoroughly scrutinized to find the killer. And after the month I’ve had (i.e. it’s been shitty and exhausting), it’s been a welcome (and, dare I say, fun?) brain break. I’d recommend it to any mystery-thriller enthusiast who loves a good puzzle every now and again.

Speaking of mysteries — if you’re in search of a good one, here are a few of my favorites from the last few years.

• A Good Girls Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson follows high school student Pip as she investigates the unsolved murder of a classmate, uncovering dark secrets and putting herself in danger along the way.

• Stay Awake by Megan Goldin is a psychological thriller about a woman who wakes up daily with no memory of the past two years and becomes entangled in a web of deceit and danger as she tries to piece together her lost memories.

• Grown by Tiffany D. Jackson centers on a teenage girl who, after being involved in a toxic relationship with a famous music producer, becomes entangled in a murder investigation that forces her to confront the dark realities of her past.

Have you read any exciting mysteries or thrillers lately? Got an all-time favorite that’s an absolute must-read? Let me know in the comments!

The Blonde Dies First by Joelle Wellington. It’s a YA horror novel where a fun night at a private school party turns deadly after a teen and her friends accidentally unleash “a demonic force that acts according to horror movie rules in the spirit of the Scream movies.”

At least It Ends With Us knew how to end, and the cast drama and controversy explained. Casey McQuiston is a method writer — in a “non-douchebaggy way.” Romance novels are literature (written by Casey McQuiston!) Seven social media accounts that lean into living the Bridgerton lifestyle. A 481-year age difference? For some readers, that’s hot. The best US cities for book lovers in 2024. A book start-up wants sexy reading to be guilt-free (no dragons, either). The hidden racism of book cover design.

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