The Puzzle Box by Danielle Trussoni
Published by Random House
Publication date: October 8, 2024
Genres: Fiction, Mystery, Suspense
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What do a traumatic brain injury, the imperial family of Japan, and a puzzle have in common? If you’re Mike Brink, a man whose football injury left him a savant in the world of patterns and mathematics, the answer is easy: the myth of the Puzzle Box of Japan. For Danielle Trussoni, this is the jumping off point for her new novel, The Puzzle Box, a fiendish thriller that made me all kinds of book happy.
We first met Mike in The Puzzle Master where he was tasked with solving something known as the God Puzzle. Now, years later, he’s approached by Sakura, a young woman sent by the Japanese emperor inviting him to solve a mystery over 150 years old. It’s the fabled Puzzle Box which is not a myth after all. Created in the 1860s by a master of mechanical puzzles it has rigid guidelines for how and when it can be solved, but is said to contain a priceless treasure.
Mike doesn’t hesitate, but heads to Japan, leading himself and the reader into the addictive and intricate maze that is The Puzzle Box. But, like any great game involving the mind, there must be an opposing force that is as determined to unlock the box’s treasure. In this case, it’s Sakura, one of two women who have been trained their entire lives in the tradition of the samurai. Her sister Ume is even more dedicated to the role, devoting her life to samurai training, all in service of this final quest. Trussoni also brings back a character from the first novel, an ego-maniacal billionaire obsessed with immortality.
As the puzzle reveals itself it leads Mike through parks, temples, palaces, and forests, places in Japan with few people around, adding to the novel’s almost surreal feeling. What begins as a box turns into a treasure hunt, designed by a sadistic genius, whose delicacy and precision in creating each segment of the Puzzle Box is unparalleled, leading even a brilliant mind like Mike’s to the breaking point.
Trussoni makes use of a highly condensed timeline and the abuse of artificial intelligence to create a pervasive sense of unease in The Puzzle Box. These elements, combined with her attention to detail and world building, make the novel F.U.N. It’s the first book in months that I haven’t wanted to put down, that fully occupied my attention, leaving me to read on the edge of my seat, clenching my Kindle tighter with each passing page. This is the joy of reading, when there’s no other world than the one on the page. I loved The Puzzle Box and am hopeful that there are more puzzle novels to come.
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*I received a free copy of this book from Random House in exchange for an honest review.*
I totally agree with you. I loved “The Puzzle Master” and “The Puzzle Box.” Th puzzles are fun and interesting and both books captured my attention from page 1. I am looking forward to more books about Mike Brink and his puzzles.
I’m so happy to hear from a fellow puzzle lover! We always have a jigsaw puzzle going at our house and the New York Times Games (Spelling Bee, Strands, Letter Boxed, and Connections) are my sanity savers.