A Most Puzzling Murder by Bianca Marais ~ a Review

by MK French

Former prodigy and orphan Destiny Whip is alone, but she was used to it. A letter invites her to interview for the position of Scruffmore family historian, but she never applied in the first place. Encoded in the letter is a promise to learn her own family secrets, so she goes to Eerie Island to meet the Scruffmores. They all mistrust one another and carry untold secrets themselves. In the midst of cryptic ciphers, hidden passages, and the family’s magical 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.

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

June 2025; MIRA; 978-0778387695
audio, ebook, print (480 pages); mystery

Mortimer Scruffmore is the magician king, expected to pass along his crown to his heir as his magic wanes. Instead, he plans to sacrifice others, including his children, to achieve immortality. He isn't a good person, regularly cheating on his wives and holding himself as superior to those without magic. His own family hates him, and the jockeying between the siblings for control shows that. Destiny is dealing with immense grief, and is so isolated that the thought of potentially being his daughter isn't a complete turnoff. From the start, getting to the island is tricky, and there are scores of feral cats, a raccoon that somehow can go anywhere in the castle, and secrets that others were keeping from Mortimer. Once he dies, Destiny has thirty hours to solve the murder before the island opens up.

The book includes puzzles and encrypted messages that the reader can decode, as well as the opportunity to send results to an email address for more clues or scenes. Some choose-your-own-options exist as well, a neat touch that's difficult to pull off. The graphics updating the Scruffmore family tree is amusing, and the shifting POVs gave us more insight into the characters and their motivation. I liked Destiny and cheered her on as she went through the novel. She was young and alone at the start, so unsure of herself despite her intellect due to loss. She has such optimism in some ways, despite that, which helps her fit in with a world of magic, ghosts, and tangled family ties. The ending was a fitting one, and no matter what you choose, Destiny is a stronger woman than she was at the start.

Buy A Most Puzzling Murder at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever. 

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