Synopses & Reviews
When young attorney Becky Balwin hires Cora Felton to accompany her to New York City to meet a new client in his penthouse apartment, the Puzzle Lady jumps at the chance. Cora is just coming off a bad breakup, and finding out that Chief Harper testified at a parole hearing for a killer she helped put away has her feeling old. But when she and Becky arrive at the apartment, they find the man is dead. There's a puzzle on his chest, and a prowler is searching the bedroom. Cora pulls her gun and gets off a shot as the intruder ducks out the window. The NYPD now think Cora is the murderer. Getting her off should be a breeze for Becky, but when the fatal bullet is too badly damaged to identify, Cora is lucky to get out on bail.
Meanwhile, a diabolical killer is leaving puzzle clues. If only they were just sudoku puzzles—Cora can't solve the crosswords without the help of her niece, Sherry, who's back in Bakerhaven taking care of her toddler. In order to clear her name, Cora must match wits with a gruff NYPD homicide sergeant who is quite attractive, except for the fact that he suspects her of murder.
NYPD Puzzle is a clever mystery, boasting madcap hijinks as well as fun puzzles. Mystery readers will thoroughly enjoy this latest from acclaimed author Parnell Hall.
Review
“Delightful…Between Halls snappy dialogue and Will Shortzs puzzles, comic mystery buffs have plenty to enjoy.”—Publishers Weekly
“Hall, as always, fills this intricate and witty mystery with a dandy plot, snappy dialogue and, of course, the antics of the lovably annoying Cora.” —The Richmond-Times Dispatch on NYPD Puzzle
“The newest entry in the lovable Puzzle Lady series does not disappoint. Like those before it, NYPD Puzzle is easy to read thanks to Halls writing style, intriguing characters and, once again, integrated word and number puzzles that add to the fun.” —RT Book Reviews on NYPD Puzzle
Praise for Parnell Hall: "Cora's zaniness rubs off on everyone, to the delight of fans old and new." —Booklist on Arsenic and Old Puzzles
"Feisty Cora Felton . . . is at her cantankerous, obfuscating, trouble-stirring best in Halls delightful fourteenth Bakerhaven, Connecticut, romp." —Publishers Weekly on Arsenic and Old Puzzles
"Hall [is] a master of the comic mystery . . . Halls latest is sure to appeal to anyone who likes brainteasers, whether of the crime or the riddle variety." —Richmond Times-Dispatch on $10,000 in Small, Unmarked Puzzles
About the Author
PARNELL HALL has been an actor, screenwriter, and singer/songwriter. He is a former president of the Private Eye Writers of America and a member of Sisters in Crime. He has been a finalist for an Edgar, two Lefty, and three Shamus Awards. He lives in New York City.