Synopses & Reviews
Professor P. T. Avondale, proprietor of the Avondale Puzzle Museum, is found murdered at his desk, his own letter opener protruding from his neck, a half-finished sudoku puzzle in front of him. Katie McDonald, member of the Institute of Theoretical Mathematics and master puzzle-solver, has returned home to Granville, New Hampshire, only days before to save her childhood mentor's museum from being auctioned to make way for an outlet mall. Now she finds herself as curator of the museum, mentor to the professor's newest charge--a fourteen-year-old runaway--and the only one in town with the wits and determination to find the professor's killer. As Katic reacquaints herself with the museum, filled with puzzles from around the world and throughout the centuries, and searches for answers among the townspeople--plenty of whom had motives for murder--she becomes the chief of police's number-one suspect and the actual killer's number-one target. With the help of a handful of endearingly quirky allies and a clue left by the professor in his unfinished sudoku, Katie works to solve this puzzle before a ruthless killer catches her and applies his own deadly solution.
Synopsis
“This intriguing first in a new series from Freydont (A Merry Little Murder and four other mysteries featuring dancer Linda Haggerty) introduces mathematician and Sudoku whiz Katie McDonald. Katie, a self-professed geek who works for a hush-hush government think tank, returns to her hometown of Granville, NH, at the behest of her former mentor, P.T. Avondale. Katie is shocked to find Avondale frail and preoccupied, his beloved puzzle museum in serious disrepair and dire financial straits. Before Katie can make sense of the situation, she discovers Avondale murdered in his office—slumped over an unfinished Sudoku puzzle that may provide a clue to the killer’s identity. She tops the brash new police chief’s suspect list and decides to solve the case on her own, not only to clear her name but to save the Avondale museum from the wrecking ball. Readers will want to see a lot more of the intelligent and endearing Katie.”—Publishers Weekly
Synopsis
Professor P.T. Avondale is found murdered at his desk at the Avondale Puzzle Museum. Katie McDonald, master puzzle-solver, is now faced with working to solve the puzzle of the professor's murder before a ruthless killer strikes again.