What a brilliant read. The book starts with a mystery a boy left on the steps of a society of puzzle makers and it's proprietor Pip taking this baby under her wing. Years later Clayton the baby in question decides to find out how he really is and it's a captivating read. I love how the story if interspersed with puzzles and learning all about the character of Pip you feel Clayton's loss when she goes. Overall brilliant book that I enjoyed and would happily read books by this author again

Clayton Stumper, Clay to his friends, is twenty five, but dresses like a grandad and doesn’t have any friends under the age of 70. He was abandoned at birth on the doorsteps of the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, an innovative organisation seated in a house filled by the sharpest minds in Britain. He finds himself lost in a house full of survivors of a fading institution, not knowing who he is and where he belongs in life. When his adopted mother Pippa Allsbrook passes away she leaves him a gift. She was the most esteemed crossword compiler, (and founder of the Fellowship) and she gifts him with her final puzzle, a promise to reveal the secrets of his background, where he came from, and the path to prepare him for his future. As Clay works to unravel Pippa's clues he finds something more than he ever expected.

This book was a joy to read. Clay is a simple but beautiful character, full of grief after losing the only mother he has known, but also at losing the only chance of finding his true family. His journey pulls you in, and you want to solve the clues with him to help him along the way. The Fellowship is full of amazing characters, and seems like a marvelous place to live! The dual timeline approach worked beautifully in telling the story, and unravels Pippa’s past, leaving you all the more sad for her passing, as you see what a wonderful woman she was. The use of puzzles in the book, and letting us see what Clay was seeing really brought his experience to life.

This was a really beautiful read, as a journey of self discovery, but also as a story of friendship, innovation and creation. Absolutely one to be read.

*I received this book from NetGalley for review, but all opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book, more than I thought honestly and will definitely be reading more by the author! It is a book that you can't put down and makes you happy. Thank you to NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this title before publication. All opinions are my own, and I cannot wait to share the title with friends!

Book Review:
The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr
Published 9 May 2024, Orion

Synopsis:
Sometimes, finding your place in the world is the greatest puzzle of all.

Clayton Stumper is an enigma.
He might be twenty-five years old, but he dresses like your grandad and drinks sherry like your aunt.
Abandoned at birth on the steps of the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, he was raised by the sharpest minds in the British Isles and finds himself amongst the last survivors of a fading institution.

When the esteemed crossword compiler, Pippa Allsbrook, passes away, she bestows her final puzzle to him: a promise to reveal the mystery of his parentage and prepare him for his future.
Yet as Clay begins to unpick the clues, he uncovers something even the Fellowship have never been able to solve - and it's a secret that will change everything...

Review:
What an incredibly joyful and unique book! Prior to reading, I had seen this all over Twitter/X, and the hype didn't disappoint.
Bursting at the seams with wondrous characters, the Fellowship is truly an example of astonishing writing that pulls you in from the very first page. I longed to join the Fellowship, to meet the people, and to share in Clay's adventure.
A book to get lost in, to live in, and to take great delight in. Bravo Samuel Burr! 🙌
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
*I received an eARC from the publisher via Netgalley. This is my unbiased review. Thanks to @samuelburr
@orionbooks @netgalley
#BookReview #Puzzlemakers #SamuelBurr #NetGalley

I completely fell in love with the characters in The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr.

The story begins with Clayton Stumper, who has lost his adoptive mother, Pippa. He had been left in a hat box on the steps to the house Pippa shared with her fellow puzzlemakers in Bedfordshire.

The story moves between two timelines. In the present Clayton begins his quest to discover where he came from and you really believe that he is on a journey of self-discovery.

In the timeline running in the past, you discover Pippa’s journey to establishing a place for the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers to live and support each other.

Pippa is a wonderful character and so thoughtful, caring and supportive. You sort of wish you are lucky enough to have someone like Pippa in your life. Whilst there are several puzzlemakers living in the house, you get to know Hector and Nancy really well who are both are really interesting characters.

I particularly loved the way in which actual puzzles were used in the book and how chapters began with crossword clues!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publishers, Orion Publishing Group, for the e-ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. I will definitely be looking out for future books by Samuel Barr.

This was a well written story, I enjoyed the narrative. Liked the characters and and how they develop throughout the story.

The book is well-written and captures your attention from the start. It probably stands out as one of the most entertaining and unique reads I’ve read in a while - simply brilliant!

I very much enjoyed The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers. The plot is interesting, the characters are well-developed and the puzzles are not too difficult. Throw in a charming and sensitive love story and nothing else is needed.

A lovely gentle book for a cosy evening by the fire.

Book Review 📚
The Fellowship of Puzzle Makers by Samuel Burr - 4/5 ⭐

I thoroughly enjoyed this quirky, unique and fast book! It's easily read, very quick to get through and keeps you intrigued throughout.

The theme from the book is puzzles - clue was in the title but I didn't figure that out until I started reading! There's little story's throughout that you try and work through to unravel certain parts of the story.

The characters were brilliant, such eccentric and overwhelmingly amazing in description and development. There is so much depth to each and every one of them. You'll fall in love with Clayton really quickly, without a doubt.

The story of family was heartwarming and truly magical. I loved every aspect of the book and was truly enjoyable. Thank you to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

Unique, Compelling…
Unique, clever and compelling as well as endearingly heartwarming. The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, an abandoned baby, an esteemed crossword compiler and one final puzzle to solve. Taking the reader on a journey of crossed paths, mystery and clues towards its final destination - is the greatest puzzle of all, our own place in this world? Rather delightful.

A gloriously quirky book with a whole raft of eccentric characters. The book totally captivated me being thoroughly engaging throughout. Just utterly brilliant with puzzles to keep the readers mind wondering what next. Past and present timelines which just flowed together as the ultimate puzzle is solved. Wonderful with a heartwarming feel without being cloying with a tremendous sense of community and a thread of humour. One of the most entertaining and unique books I've read in a long time, just brilliant.

This book was written really well and captivated you from the beginning, it was very heart warming and engrossing would love to read another one from this author. I would thoroughly recommend this book

Well, you’d never guess this is a debut novel. It was absolutely phenomenal. I loved everything about this story, from the characters, the quest Clay is on, the very existence of the fellowship itself… its perfection in novel form. I really enjoyed the format of the story and the way you switched between Philippa setting up the fellowship and her earlier life to Clayton then going on his own adventure to find out about his past. It was so beautifully written and I adored all of the characters. I particularly enjoyed Neil and seeing their relationship play out as if it were destined all along. I really hope there’s more books to come from Samuel Burr!

An absolute gem of a book. Well rounded interesting characters, a charming story of found family spanning through time, and a gorgeous ending. I particularly enjoyed the puzzles throughout and trying to solve them alongside Clayton. 5 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the arc of this beautiful story.

I'm not sure I could love a book more! This was an absolute tonic for these troubling times and I thought the dual timelines were handled expertly, and I loved that the reader got to solve puzzles alongside the characters. Absolutely brilliant debut!

Wow what a beautiful endearing read. This book was a tale about friendship, love and finding yourself. I really enjoyed it!

The story follows Clayton and Pippa. We start by meeting Clayton who has just lost his adoptive mother. He was left on the doorstop of the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers when he was a few days old. Pippa immediately took him in and raised him as her own.

Pippa’s story is set in the past, and explores how she came about setting up the Fellowship of the Puzzlemakers and their commune, how she had always yearned for a family of her own.

Just before Pippa passed away she set about solving the greatest puzzle of all. Where did Clayton come from. She leaves clues for Clayton to solve in order to the solve his mystery of who he is.

This is a fantastic debut novel and is a must read for fans of The Thursday Murder Club or anyone who loves to solve a good mystery (or just a puzzle).

Thank you to NetGalley, Orion Publishing Group and the author, Samuel Burr for this ARC!

It’s hard to believe this is a debut novel but it is. Such a story of friendship, love and mystery. I felt myself drawn into the story almost immediately, the characters were so believable and Clayton’s journey so intriguing. A heartwarming read

A beautiful story about finding answers in the unlikeliest of places. Our main character Clayton is looking to solve the mystery of why he was abandoned as a baby. The chapters alternate between present day and an account of how the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers started from the late 1970s. This enables us to build a solid picture of the characters and their backstories.
For me, a few questions were left a little open ended, but this didn’t affect my enjoyment. A very moving story with lots of humour and wisdom. “Veni, Vidi, Solvi”.

Pippa Allsbrook is a crossword compiler, a woman in a very male world, who decides to form a group of like-minded individuals who enjoy all types of puzzles.
Clayton Stumper (surname because they are all stumped by his origin) is a young man who was left as a baby on the Institute’s doorstep and raised by the members
When Clayton wishes to find out about his birth family he finds that Pippa has left him a series of clues to follow, in the form of puzzles, crosswords, a maze, a jigsaw.
The book has alternating chapters, Pippa’s journey a she sets up the fellowship, and Clayton’s search.
In both cases they discover the true meaning of friendship, and that family is not just blood relations.
A joyful and uplifting book, with a lot of puzzles thrown in too.

Thanks to Netgalley and Orion for the opportunity to read this book.

Absolutely loved this book, just brilliant!

Clayton Stumper wants to find out where he comes from, after being found on the doorstep of the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers 25 years previously.

He is left clues by his late beloved adoptive mother, Pippa and the story is split between Clayton's hunt and how Pippa set up the Fellowship.

Just an absolutely wonderful read, highly recommended