A Most Puzzling Murder

A quirky, humorous locked room murder mystery with riddles and puzzles for the reader to solve

by Bianca Marais

On Sale: 06/10/2025

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A Most Puzzling Murder

A quirky, humorous locked room murder mystery with riddles and puzzles for the reader to solve

by Bianca Marais

On Sale: 06/10/2025

Format:

Amazon Indigo

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Author Info

About the Book

How do you solve a murder that hasn't happened yet?

Destiny Whip is a former child prodigy, world-renowned enigmatologist and very, very alone. A life filled with loss has made her a recluse, an existence she's content to endure until a letter arrives inviting her to interview for the position of Scruffmore family historian. Not only does an internet search for the name yield almost nothing, it's a role she never applied to in the first place!

After she decodes the invitation's hidden message with ease, the promise of her family secrets being revealed is too powerful a draw for the orphaned Destiny, who soon finds herself on Eerie Island. It's a place whose inhabitants are almost as inhospitable as the tempestuous weather. The Scruffmores themselves turn out to be not much better, a snarled mess of secrets and motives connected by their mistrust for one another.

Their newly arrived guest proves to be just as much an enigma to them as they are to her. While Destiny slowly works to unravel the mysteries hidden throughout the ominous castle, she struggles to interpret disturbing nightly visions of what is to come. In the midst of cryptic ciphers, hidden passages, and the family's magical heritage and line of succession, Destiny is certain of two things: one of the Scruffmores is going to die and she's running out of time to stop it.

Interspersed with riddles and puzzles that both Destiny and the reader must solve, A Most Puzzling Murder is a one-of-a-kind mystery that will leave you guessing and gasping until the very last page!

Critical Praise

"Utterly unique, immersive and intriguing, Marais has created an unputdownable entry into the murder mystery genre. A Most Puzzling Murder is a twisty, magical delight and I loved every second." —Frances White, author of Voyage of the Damned

"Filled with conundrums, murder most foul, and more spells than you can shake a magic wand at, this original novel is a puzzler's delight." —Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid series

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Murder She Wrote in this fun, fresh and quirky take on a gothic mystery.” —Jessica Bull, author of the Miss Austen Investigates series

"A Most Puzzling Murder is a delightfully one-of-a-kind reading experience. Not just because the reader gets to solve a variety of clever puzzles alongside the characters (bring your pencil and notepad!). But also for a beguiling ensemble cast that are both wickedly fun and unexpectedly heartrending. Bianca Marais has written an inventive story with several twists that you'll never see coming—including a stirring ending that sends shockwaves from her world into ours." —Kirthana Ramisetti, author of Dava Shastri's Last Day

“How can so many delights be contained within one novel? A cracking mystery, a Succession-level feud in a magical family, talking animals, a brilliant heroine with a wounded heart that needs healing, and puzzles. Did I mention puzzles? Which help the reader solve the mystery? Bianca Marais’s A Most Puzzling Murder is a treasure trove disguised as a book.” —Elizabeth Renzetti, author of What She Said

“This is not your grandmother’s mystery. (Or maybe it is, if she’s a smart old bird who’s up for a challenge.) A MOST PUZZLING MURDER is a masterclass in multitasking. Puzzles and plot are brilliantly interwoven to fuel this turbo-charged concept. The most fun I’ve had reading a book in a long time. A truly outstanding accomplishment.” —Sue Hincenbergs, author of The Retirement Plan

"Knives Out, but it's a family of sorcerers—an original and wildly entertaining mystery with a choose-your-own-adventure dimension that keeps you guessing until the very last page. Marais draws the reader in with a pantheon of layered, vicious characters and smart, interactive puzzles. Hats off!" —Jenna Satterthwaite, author of Made for You and The New Year's Party

“A magical, puzzling and tremendously enjoyable mystery, featuring a great cast of characters and some of the best dialogue I’ve ever read. Fans of Bianca Marais’ The Witches of Moonshyne Manor will be pleased to see she’s topped herself with another wildly original and immensely readable book. And first-time readers are in for a treat.” –Will Ferguson, co-author of I Only Read Murder, a Miranda Abbott mystery

“I love, love, loved this book! I was hooked from the very first line, “Destiny Whip’s bedside table could easily be mistaken for a miniature graveyard,” right to the final line or “lines,” and I’m not going to spoil anything by explaining further. The intrepid Destiny attempts to solve a murder that hasn’t happened yet, and there are enough twists and turns along the way to give you whiplash. I’m hoping for a series, or at least a sequel.” –Ian Ferguson, co-author of Mystery in the Title, a Miranda Abbott mystery
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