‘Twas the murder before Christmas and all through the house… the puzzlers were solving various festive felonies across the little town of Little Whistleton! Yay!

‘Twas the Murder Before Christmas is a puzzle book by Dr Gareth Moore and Laura Jane Ayres that takes the reader along with Inspector Mistletoe as he solves 12 puzzling murders from across his career, all during the holiday season. Each case includes at least  6 puzzles, including logic puzzles, spot the difference, nonograms and more.

Note: My photos are of an earlier edition, there is a new version with a different blue cover.

My thoughts:

• I liked the range of puzzles included, they’re similar to puzzles you find in magazines, so familiar ground for a lot of puzzle fans. But what elevates them is that each case includes a humorous and witty narrative (I loved the writing style!) that follows through the case, and the puzzles themselves are tied into the story.

• While there is a range of different puzzles, the book includes a fair few logic-based puzzles (with and without grids). I personally love these types of puzzles so I was really happy with this, but they might not be for everyone. Overall, the puzzles were satisfying but not difficult; I never got stuck or frustrated.

• I completed this book last year over late December and January, after receiving it as a gift for my late December birthday – I could have completed it much quicker but I was savoring it! It’s the perfect puzzle book for that holly jolly time of year (if you like merry murders, that is!). 

• Each case also had a blank page at the end for detective notes – I didn’t find any need for note taking, but I made use of it by letting my 1 year old scribble on it!

Final verdict

I absolutely adored ‘Twas the Murder Before Christmas – my only complaint is that I was sad when it was over!

Sure, it’s about murder, but the witty tone and not-too-tricky difficulty level makes it perfect for cozy puzzling under a blanket with a hot chocolate or mulled wine in hand. It’s the perfect stocking filler for your puzzling or true crime friends to enjoy over Twixmas. OR, better yet, get it for yourself! 

Fortunately, I have a Fantasy Book from the same authors to tackle next (and I’ll let you know what I think of that one, too!).