The 52 Book Club: 2025 / 2026 Challenge discussion

48) Related to the word “puzzle”

Every year, The 52 Book Club votes on a select few prompts for the following year’s challenge. Prompts 48-51 on this year’s challenge were chosen by you!

For this prompt, we gave 52 Book Club members ten different words to vote on. (Everything from “opulence” to “intergalactic” to ” wanderlust.”) The two words that received the most votes were then put into a random draw on YouTube live and we picked one winner — “Related to the word ‘puzzle.'”

Any book related to the word puzzle will fit this prompt. A puzzle may be a game, toy, or problem designed to test ingenuity (for example: a crossword puzzle, logic puzzle, etc) or it may also relate to the state of being puzzled or in a situation that is difficult to understand. (Ex: “That situation was a puzzle to us all!”)

Examples of ways a book might relate to the word puzzle:

* The puzzle may appear as part of the cover design (Ex: a puzzle piece on the cover)
* The word “puzzle” or the name of a specific type of puzzle may be a part of the title, subtitle, or series title (Example: The Crossword Murder or The Puzzle Box.)
* Character related: A character who loves to solve puzzles, a character who expresses feeling “puzzled,” a character named Puzzle (The Last Battle), a detective, etc.
* Plot related: Almost any mystery novel could be considered a puzzle and fit this prompt.
* There may or may not be actual puzzles within the book for readers to solve.


Click here for our Goodreads List of suggestions

Ian Rankin’s first Rebus novel, the only one I’ve read, fits this category very well. Also Both of Anthony’s Horowitz’s Susan Ryeland books.

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes fits as well the category- Puzzle pieces on the cover

I am leaning towards Mordet på John F. Kennedy by Bengt Liljegren that will be released in January.

I wanted to read the Puzzle Box by Danielle Trussoni but realize I should read the first book The Puzzle Master.

I’m thinking The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle or The Department of Rare Books and Special Collections

Another option is more Agatha…..Poirot does like to remind us to use our brain cells to puzzle out the solution

This is kinda stretching it, but I'm going to be reading Half a Soul by Olivia Atwater since I think it fits for this prompt.

The Fellowships of Puzzle Makers by Samuel Burr

The Bletchley Riddle by Sepetys and Sheinkin

Mr Penumbra's 24-hr bookstore

I'll go with the honkaku (locked room) novel, The Decagon House Murders by Ayatsuji Yukito. All honkaku are puzzles to solve.

The Enigma Girls would be a great option. Such a great book about the English teens who were deciding cryptographic messages during the war.

The Christmas Jigsaw Murders by Alexandra Bendict

Again and Again by Jonathan Evison- puzzle pieces on the cover

The Rose Code by Kate Quinn

I'm going with We Solve Murders by Richard Osman

Cute YA novel called Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi would work well

Wasn't sure what I was going to read for this prompt and finally decided to read a mystery to fulfill it :)

I will be reading:


The House Across the Lake by Riley Sager

HAPPY READING!!

I've just finished "It Was Always you by Emma Cooper" for this prompt as my first read this year

The Puzzle Wood

Could the Cinnamon Bun bookstore by Laurie Gilmore work? The characters try to solve secret message in book and go on a scavenger hunt? Thank you in advance.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1... For a spicy romance with puzzle pieces on the cover: The Perfect Fit by Sadie Kincaid

This is the book I am planning to read. It has puzzle pieces on the cover.


Zachtop lachen by Malou Holshuijsen

This was my first prompt if the challenge. Yesterday I finished “Puzzle Me A Murder” by Roz Noonan.

Think of a Number
Think of a Number by John Verdon. Lots of riddles.

I read Death Comes to Marlow by Robert Thorogood, the second Marlow Murder Club mystery. The protagonist is a crossword setter.

I am reading Love and Other Puzzles by Kimberley Allsopp. I don’t love the book but am persisting because now I want to know what happens

“The King’s Gambit” by Sharon K. Gilbert is the 7th book in the Redwing Series and it is amazing! Charles, one of the main characters, must solve a time maze to survive and save his children. It is awesome!

Unnatural Ends by Christopher Huang
A murder mystery "puzzle" and puzzle pieces on the cover.

The Double Helix by Trudy Trueit 2/4/25

https://titlesurfingwithtraci.blogspo...

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Going with this book because it asks a question and questions are like puzzles.

Is Earth Exceptional?: The Quest for Cosmic Life

The Puzzle Box
She Doesn't Have a Clue

I've read She Doesn't Have a Clue and it was really cute. I also have The Puzzle Box on my TBR.

I will be reading Thinking Inside the Box: Adventures with Crosswords and the Puzzling People Who Can’t Live Without Them by Adrienne Rafel.

The Naturals by Jennifer Lynn Barnes. 4 stars

I readThe Fellowship of Puzzlemakers

I read The Inheritances Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes for this!

A Puzzle in Pearls

This was on my TBR list - I read over the weekend with another book. (I enjoyed the other book a lot more)

27/52

I read The Time Trap by Will Mara.
I read it not knowing it would fit the challenge.



pg. 91...Then it came to her. All the pieces to the puzzle came flying together. And the answer was right there.

I'm reading Book Scavenger

I read The Twilight Saga: The Official Illustrated Guide by Stephenie Meyer. It has a puzzle piece on the cover

I read One Puzzling Afternoon by Emily Critchley.

All Good People Here - the main character talks a lot about trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together in the news article she is writing.

Read The Mystery of the Radcliffe Riddle

We Solve Murders by Richard Osman. I read a book about a jigsaw puzzle competition a month ago, but I disliked it so much that I don't think I finished it. 😝

I read Thinking Inside the Box: Adventures with Crosswords and the Puzzling People Who Can't Live Without Them by Adrienne Raphel.

Codename Nemo — The Hunt for a Nazi U-boat and the Elusive Enigma Machine by Charles Lachman ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read The Labrynth by Amanda Lohry for this topic (Read May 4th; 3*)

Just read the Puzzle Box, found out it was book 2 so then read the Puzzle Master. The box was better in my opinion ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I read Valentine's Day Puzzle : A Cozy Mystery with a Twist by Sharon Michaels