The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is a wonderful cosy book dedicated to the utter joy of puzzling, quizzing, jigsaws and other mindful games that are all too often overlooked.

25 year old Clayton Stumper was found abandoned as a new-born baby outside the grand hall that is home to the community of puzzlemakers who make up the Fellowship. The Fellowship's founder, Pippa and her fellow puzzlers have brought Clayton up surrounded by puzzles, mazes, sudokus, jigsaws and the like. He has loved living there and appreciates all that the puzzling world has brought him, but when Pippa sadly dies, Clayton realises it is time to find out the answer to his own puzzle - where did he come from and why was he left at the hall all those years ago?

Pippa has pre-empted his query and left him a series of challenging clues that are designed to lead him to his final destination. Each clue is a wonderful puzzle for us as readers as well, with crosswords, codes, wordsearches and plenty more scattered throughout the story.

This is also a story about finding your own family in life; before the Fellowship was set up, many of the puzzlers thought that they were alone and lived quiet isolated lives, seeing their hobby as a private endeavour. By bringing the puzzlers together, Pippa has given them a network of likeminded people who share the same passions and interests. She hopes that Clayton will do the same as he grows up; find his place in the world with a network of people around him - and the quest for his birth parents is just the start.

I love a puzzle and a mystery so I enjoyed this quirky and charming story. As Clayton embarks on his adventure, the puzzles he must solve are shared with the reader so they can solve them alongside him. I liked this feature, although I probably spent more time trying to work out the answers than I did reading the story!

I really liked the idea of ‘The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers’; a community living and working together, offering companionship and a like minded family. It was very heartwarming to imagine that a group of people could come together and support each other through a shared love of puzzles. Their headquarters sounded fantastic, especially Earl’s maze. I was able to visualise it all and I will be adding The Fellowship’s Annual Puzzle Fayre to my list of fictional places I’d most like to visit.

Overall it’s a lovely read, an endearing story about family, community and finding your people. I recommend it for anyone who is looking for a gentle, affirming read and it’s a must read for puzzle fans.

I received this book from NetGalley and the publisher, in return for an honest review. This review is based entirely on my own thoughts and feelings.

Overall rating : 5*
Writing skill : 5*
Plot: 4*
Characters: 5*
Uniqueness: 4*
Puzzles: 5*

What a refreshing and unique story, for fans of cozy mysteries, without the murders from the likes of The Thursday Murder Club series.
It's not often I purchase the physical copy of a NetGalley that I have read, but this was an absolute must, and instant, buy.
The characters were by far the standout in this book, and they gave me all the feels. I was worried at the start when I was presented with a list of Who's Who on the first page I'd be overwhelmed but it was far from the case. Each member of the fellowship brought something new to the story and was easy to navigate their various roles. The writing was amazing and the duel timeline added to the excitement.
Ending was utterly prefect for me, a solid 5* read and will be recommending to everyone.

A charming read of community, friendship, and finding oneself. I devoured this book, and I loved that it included the puzzles so you could have a crack at them yourself if you’re up to the challenge. As a crossword gal, it was good fun trying to puzzle out the answers. There’s a fair bit of heartache in this story for various characters, but the real beauty is how the fellowship brings a lot of people together and gives them a place to call their own, and people to call their family. Pippa’s story was an interesting one, and her character is full of depth, and we uncover her layers as the story progresses.

Clayton is trying to solve the mystery of his parents, having been raised by Pippa within the walls of the fellowship after being left on their doorstep shortly after his birth. He’s ready now to solve the puzzle of where he came from and we follow his journey, and the clues Pippa gave him. It’s clear how close Clayton is to the people in the fellowship but it’s also clear it’s time for him to spread his wings and it was fascinating reading his story in the present, alongside Pippa’s from the past, from the conception of the fellowship through to Clayton’s arrival.

This is one of those stories that gives you warm feelings and such lovely ideas about community and belonging. I would say I was personally disappointed by the reveal as Clayton finds his answers, I felt there were a few loose ends from both timelines, and I also would have liked to have had a little more from the ending, to see a romantic reunion, and to know what Clayton has decided his next steps are. Those things aside, this was a cracking read and I raced through it!

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

The Fellowship of the Puzzlemakers is such a clever concept, appealing to me as soon as I'd read the blurb.

Clayton was abandoned as a baby at the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, a commune of likeminded folk obsessed with puzzles. What follows is a dual timeline story following Clayton try to find out about his birth mother, set by the woman who raised him as her own, Pippa.

Pippa's own story is told too, from the very first meeting of the puzzlers, right through to the day Clayton comes into her life.

There's a lot to love! Its so well written, keeping you entertained from the first page, and the characters are varied and mostly likeable, especially Pippa, whom I adored.

The dual timeline works well too, flipping back and forth between Pippa and Clayton on a chapter by chapter basis. The two stories marry well, complementing one another.

But it's the puzzles that work the best, which is important for obvious reasons! Being a puzzle fan myself, I loved trying to solve the clues, but didn't get them all.

A lovely story, without being twee, it's a hug in book form. I'll be recommending this to everyone.

Publisher, please note, I can't link to my socials as I'm on a blog tour and reviewing a little later this month, but thank you so much for the digital and ARC versions!

Gentle and endearing story of friendship and the meaning of family. The puzzle angle is clever and lends itself very well to the story.

This is a bit of a shaggy dog story. It's entertaining, but completely implausible and the last third drags on a bit.

This was a brand new author to me and one that I enjoyed reading. For the more intelligent reader there are puzzles throughout the book, for those more like me this book is a hig of a read, heartwarming and emotional. Would highly recommend.

This was an easy to read cosy mystery with some lovely characters to follow along through the story.

A slow start but a beautiful story if you stick with it!

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is told from two perspectives, Pippa and Clayton. Pippa is the founder and head of the Puzzlemakers and her perspective covers how the fellowship can to be. Clayton has grown up with the fellowship after being left on their doorstep as a baby and we follow him as he tries to solve the puzzle of where he came from.

I did find the start of this book quite slow and really struggled to get into it. But once the story gets going and Clayton starts his search the story really takes off. The characters that Clayton meets, and the different members of the fellowship we are introduced to, are well thought out and do a great job of pulling you into the story. I found myself really engaging with the characters, especially Pippa who deals with the struggles of being a woman in a male dominated area.

I would really recommend this book, it's a highly enjoyable read.

📚Book Review📚

#adprproduct

I want to thank NetGalley for approving me for an ARC of this book. Special thank you to my buddy reader @wendyreadsbooks 💞

🏠Community
🥰Found Family
😝Wit
🫱🏻‍🫲🏻Friendship

I loved the unique concept of this story. The trail left behind by Pip kept me intrigued throughout and I loved trying to work the clues out before Clayton. What a great debut!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

A really enjoyable warm-hearted read. I loved the puzzles and the mystery Clayton had been set, and felt we were fully involved in his courageous journey to understand his past and future, and be brave enough to take a chance with life and love.
The characters in this story were a wonderful collection of individuals - I especially enjoyed Pippa and thought Cilla was brilliant.
With themes of friendship and inclusivity I thought the whole story was a wonderful reminder of everyone having a place in society regardless of history, talent and age.

The story begins with Pippa Allsbrook starting a puzzle club called The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers in 1979, which leads to them living in a grand old house in Bedfordshire. Clayton Stumper is found on the door step of the house as a baby where Pippa and the others take him in and watch him grow up. In 2016, Clayton as a 25 year old wants to learn about his family history. The story is told through both Pippa and Clayton over different time periods. Clayton has been left a puzzle by Pippa to help him discover his background so he needs to solve them all. Along his puzzle treasure hunt, Clayton meets up with people that are a part of his story and making new friends as well. It's an utterly charming and enchanting read that I will be recommending this book.

A lovely heartwarming story that touched my heart. Would recommend as a lovely easy read to get Antón out of a reading slump

A very unusual quirky read which I absolutely loved. A light easy read which kept me hooked from start to finish.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

A very cosy mystery incorporating puzzles as Clayton goes on a journey of discovery. It was an enjoyable light read that kept me fully entertained as the story moved between Pippa and Clayton’. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to an early copy of this book.

Pippa Allsbrook starts a club for like minded people, and it’s named The Fellowship of Puzzle Makers. All unique in their own puzzling delights.
Pippa has further ambitions for their little club though. A grand old house on the outskirts of Bedfordshire.
Will her plans and ideas take shape?

Clayton Stumper aged 25 would like to know more about his history, being the youngest member by far.
This book takes us on a puzzling adventure, where Clayton works out his clues.
A mixture of characters from all walks of life come together in this book, a lovely read which I very much enjoyed.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Publisher for an advanced e-book copy. Opinions about the book are entirely my own.

Pippa, a crossword compiler, brings a group of puzzle makers together and sets up a community where they share ideas, pool resources and support each other. Through alternating chapters of the past and the present, we are gradually introduced to each of the fellowship. The present takes the form of a “treasure hunt” as Clayton, once abandoned as a baby at the commune and raised by Pippa, follows clues to discover his true parents.
The quest and its clues gradually reveal that all the characters had a piece of their “life puzzle” missing and eventually discovered happiness and became complete. It’s a heartwarming, feel good story akin to Ruth Hogan. The reader will also enjoy trying to solve some of the puzzles woven in, as well!

I enjoyed the mystery of who dropped the baby on the door step, and the puzzles to help solve the mystery. I didn’t enjoy the LGBT romance, and wouldn’t have chosen this book had I known this was also a big part of the story. The characters were all quite likeable, though some seemed superfluous. The mystery took a long time to come out, and there weren’t really any clues along the way, so it’s not a traditional mystery story where the reader can figure out whodunnit earliesh on if they’re savvy

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers
~Samuel Burr

Clayton Stumper was found in a hatbox as a baby. Left on the steps of the Fellowship of Puzzle-makers HQ, Clayton was his own mystery. The only one the sharpest Puzzlemakers in Britain couldn’t solve. And now at the age of 25 Clayton is ready to find out his truth.

This is a book to read if you want to restore your faith in the kindness of people, see the importance of community & connection and would just like a hug in a book.
A dual timeline tale. We meet Clayton as he turns 25 & flash backwards to the woman who raised him for those 25 years the amazing Pippa Allsbrook.
Pippa’s section follows her establishment of the Fellowship in the early 1980s up to Pippa finding baby Clayton on the front steps.
I loved Pippa’s story in particular & her goal of forming a commune of sorts. Made up of like minded Puzzle-makers who chose to come together to form their own unique family.

A charming read, Clayton’s adventure involves a trail through London with various clues to help him find his way.
I’ve reignited my old love of Cryptic crosswords this week. I’d recommend for any fans of cosy mystery, or if you are in a book slump this will cheer you right up.

Many thanks to the author, publisher & netgalley for the advanced copy.