{"id":8425,"date":"2025-07-19T16:08:16","date_gmt":"2025-07-19T16:08:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/8425\/"},"modified":"2025-07-19T16:08:16","modified_gmt":"2025-07-19T16:08:16","slug":"whodunits-interactive-twists-prove-deeply-engaging-winnipeg-free-press","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/8425\/","title":{"rendered":"Whodunit\u2019s interactive twists prove deeply engaging \u2013 Winnipeg Free Press"},"content":{"rendered":"

Destiny Whip is an exceptional riddlemaster who once earned the title as a world-renowned enigmatologist for her ability to decipher clues and solve puzzles.<\/p>\n

She is also a former child prodigy who grew up orphaned after her adopted mother tragically died; Destiny\u2019s an outcast, and an incredibly lonely young adult with only an emotional support urn for company.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you\u2019re declared a child prodigy, everyone expects you to go far in life, but all Destiny has managed today is a slow shuffle to and from the bathroom. Even that required Herculean reserves of energy,\u201d Bianca Marais\u2019 writes at the opening of her fourth novel, a genre-busting, closed-room murder mystery with fantastical elements of magic and sorcery. It\u2019s like entering an escape room and reading a whodunit fantasy at the same time.<\/p>\n

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A Most Puzzling Murder<\/p>\n

A grief-stricken Destiny is on track to remain a depressed recluse for the rest of her life. Yet there\u2019s one thing that can pull the renowned enigmatologist out of the confines of her meagre existence: an opportunity to uncover the identity of her biological parents who abandoned her at birth. She longs for connection, friendship and belonging within a family.<\/p>\n

A chance opportunity presents itself when a letter arrives one Sunday morning through Destiny\u2019s mail slot. At first glance, the letter is an invitation to participate in a competition to become a historian for the legendary Scruffmore family. A deeper examination reveals a hidden message within that letter that invites you, the reader, to solve the riddle alongside the grand puzzle-master herself.<\/p>\n

As Destiny arrives at Eerie Island where the Scruffmores live, she quickly concludes that she\u2019s likely related to the notorious family. Clues lead her to believe she is the illegitimate offspring of the senior patriarch, Mordecai Scruffmore, a power-hungry evil sorcerer who won\u2019t stop at anything until he\u2019s claimed the keys to his own immortality and secures eternal rein over his kingdom. What\u2019s more, the clues reveal to Destiny that a murder is about to happen on Eerie Island \u2014 and one of the family members is about to die. Destiny is the only one who can stop it.<\/p>\n

What ensues in the next 400 pages is a race against the clock with hidden clues at every turn. The novel itself becomes a bag of tricks with puzzles, magical elements and family drama galore. There\u2019s even a clever raccoon allegedly possessed with a human spirit at the centre of the mystery.<\/p>\n

While the interactive components embedded within the novel are unique, the reader is not left to their own device in solving any of the riddle before moving on. The deeper level of engagement is there for those who want to play along, but an answer key at the back of the book is available for those who don\u2019t want an interrupted reading experience. Bonus scenes are also unlocked after solving some riddles, along with an email address for additional content.<\/p>\n

While the interactive components aren\u2019t overly cumbersome, nor do they slow the plot down, the twists and turns within the family saga and multiple murder mystery plotlines compete with one another, demanding a lot from the reader. Yet for anyone looking for an adventurous ride with a rewarding payoff, A Most Puzzling Murder \u2014 with its messy family drama, intrigue and mystery \u2014 may be your next great read.<\/p>\n

Rochelle Squires is an avid book reader and adamant puzzler who lives in a quiet abode far from Eerie Island and the Scruffmore family.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Destiny Whip is an exceptional riddlemaster who once earned the title as a world-renowned enigmatologist for her ability…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":8426,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[30],"tags":[353,49,48,75],"class_list":{"0":"post-8425","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-books","8":"tag-books","9":"tag-ca","10":"tag-canada","11":"tag-entertainment"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8425","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8425"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8425\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8425"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8425"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8425"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}