Death By Sudoku
by Kaye Morgan
Liza Kelly (half Irish, half Japanese) used to be a
hotshot PR specialist, working for a demonic boss in Hollywood. But
now she has left Tinseltown and a failed marriage behind, and has
headed home to Maiden’s Bay, Oregon where she devises Sudoku
puzzles for the local paper. A Sudoku tournament in Orange County
proved too much to resist, but this once again puts Liza back where
she is likely to bump into old clients. One such is has-been TV actor
Derrick Robbins, who is also a Sudoku enthusiast and who has entered
the tournament too. Back at his palatial home in the hills afterwards
he tells her his conspiracy theory about hidden codes in Sudoku and
introduces her to his niece, wannabe actress Jenny. But next time
she goes up it is to view Derrick’s body…maybe there is
something in his paranoia after all?
The latest in the current trend for hobby themed cozies, Sudoku enthusiasts
get five puzzles to solve as well as a murder mystery, plus lots of
advice about solving strategies. The plot itself is linear, and although
it does not exactly take a backseat to the puzzling comes to an abrupt
and rather disappointing end. “Fizzles out” is a good
way of describing what happens, leaving me with a fat section on solving
Sudoku and some jokey, rather obvious hints on what not to forget
to take to a tournament. Despite this reviewer’s love of the
puzzles this is a novel not a puzzle book, and a beefier plot is required.
It starts off just fine, and is imaginative enough to be interesting
but some more substance plus an inventive climax would make the second
book a lot better.
|
The
Book |
Berkley
Prime Crime (Penguin Group) |
3
July 2007 |
Paperback
|
0425216403
/ 9780425216408 |
Mystery/Cozy
- Contemporary, Hollywood and Oregon |
More at Amazon UK
|| US |
Excerpt |
NOTE: |
The
Reviewer |
Rachel A Hyde |
Reviewed 2007 |
NOTE: |
|