Early preview of what I am currently reading. To be continued…… I finished it. The Sudoku Puzzle Murders A Mystery by Parnell Hall was light and quick and, to me, entertaining. The story centers around the deaths, or should I say impaling, of two PI’s by one or several individuals. The instrument of choice in these two incidents is a samurai sword. Several clues have been left at the crimes scenes: a crossword puzzle and a Sudoku. Herein begins the mystery. We must answer the question, “Who done it?”. The solving of this puzzle is does not become apparent until near the end of the book. The chief protagonist, that keeps us on course to solving these crimes, is Cora Felton. She is a middle aged female that lives in Bakerhaven, Conn. She has been divorced several times over and currently lives with her niece. A recognized master at solving Sudoku puzzles, she conducts her own investigation into the nature of these crimes occurring before us. Although she operates in a nonofficial capacity, her quick wit and sharp tongue in questioning suspects has earned her the respect and frequent consultation with the local Sherriff who calls upon her to utilize her skill at piecing together evidence and clues. The story is mostly written in prose. Like reading a play of sorts. Very little extensive explanations describing events and scenes. I found this method very easy to follow and lucid. At times, I felt bonded with the character. No sex or foul language evident and at times mirthful. So perhaps, a good read for mature college students. I would recommend 3.5-4 stars.
