Amazon UK
Title: Puzzle Girl
Author: Rachael Featherstone
Format reviewed: Paperback
Source: Publisher supplied copy
Publisher: Accent Press
Publication Date: 16th March 2017
Rating: 4 Stars
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| Amazon UK |
Love is a riddle waiting to be solved…
Clued-up career girl Cassy Brookes has life under control until one disastrous morning changes everything.
When she finds herself stuck in a doctor’s surgery, a cryptic message left in a crossword magazine sends her on a search to find the mysterious ‘puzzle-man’ behind it.
Cassy is soon torn between tracking down her elusive dream guy, and outwitting her nightmare workmate, the devious Martin.
Facing a puzzling love-life, will she ever be able to fit the pieces together and discover the truth behind this enigmatic man?
I was attracted to this book, the first moment I saw it on twitter, as I am a huge fan of puzzles. I thought the concept of using a puzzle book to convey messages to a random stranger was intriguing and I was very interested to see how it would all play out.
What I don't think I fully realised was that the puzzle book in question was in a doctor's surgery, well more of a drop in centre, and that for Cassy to keep returning to the book to see if her puzzle boy has replied, would involve her conjuring up all sorts of excuses for visiting the surgery.
While she is arguably making a fool of herself at the drop in centre, she is also trying her hardest to gain a promotion at work, and hates her rival with a passion. They have an interesting rivalry but yet are you see elements of arch enemy Martin, you have to wonder whether you are seeing a different person to the one that Cassy hates.
There was a least one sub plot that I had guesses the outcome to a mile off, to the extent that I almost rolled my eye when it was revealed, but the actual identity of her mystery man, was concealed reasonably well for a good amount of the book at least. My main issue was I just didn't really feel like the two puzzle fiends really had that much of a connection, so made the ending of the book for me not a fabulous as it could have been.
A fair amount of this book seemed to take place on the DLR (for those not familiar with London, that is the Docklands Light Railway that features driverless trains), and as Cassy it thinking on her commute her thoughts are regularly interrupted by the next station announcements. This is a familiar enough occurrence, but whether it needed to be stated every single time she was on a DLR I'm unsure, unless the idea is to get the level of annoyance with the announcements that the average commuter probably feels.
With those exceptions I thought that Puzzle Girl was a largely polished debut, that I really enjoyed reading, and following the life of Cassy as she tries to recover from her big break up, and all the ups and downs of her working life. There are definitely some laughs to be had and its generally an entertaining story.
Thank you to Accent Press for this copy of the book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Author Bio:
Rachael Featherstone was born and raised in Woodford. After reading Mathematics at New College, Oxford university, Rachael went to work in research. When Rachael's mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2012, Rachael decided to take a chance, quit her job, and fulfil a life time ambition to write a novel. She went back to university and completed a Masters in English Literature and had several short stories published. Rachael now lives in Hampshire with her Husband, Tim. Puzzle Girl is Rachael's debut novel.
Check out Rachael Featherstone on Facebook & Twitter
What I don't think I fully realised was that the puzzle book in question was in a doctor's surgery, well more of a drop in centre, and that for Cassy to keep returning to the book to see if her puzzle boy has replied, would involve her conjuring up all sorts of excuses for visiting the surgery.
While she is arguably making a fool of herself at the drop in centre, she is also trying her hardest to gain a promotion at work, and hates her rival with a passion. They have an interesting rivalry but yet are you see elements of arch enemy Martin, you have to wonder whether you are seeing a different person to the one that Cassy hates.
There was a least one sub plot that I had guesses the outcome to a mile off, to the extent that I almost rolled my eye when it was revealed, but the actual identity of her mystery man, was concealed reasonably well for a good amount of the book at least. My main issue was I just didn't really feel like the two puzzle fiends really had that much of a connection, so made the ending of the book for me not a fabulous as it could have been.
A fair amount of this book seemed to take place on the DLR (for those not familiar with London, that is the Docklands Light Railway that features driverless trains), and as Cassy it thinking on her commute her thoughts are regularly interrupted by the next station announcements. This is a familiar enough occurrence, but whether it needed to be stated every single time she was on a DLR I'm unsure, unless the idea is to get the level of annoyance with the announcements that the average commuter probably feels.
With those exceptions I thought that Puzzle Girl was a largely polished debut, that I really enjoyed reading, and following the life of Cassy as she tries to recover from her big break up, and all the ups and downs of her working life. There are definitely some laughs to be had and its generally an entertaining story.
Thank you to Accent Press for this copy of the book which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
Author Bio:
Check out Rachael Featherstone on Facebook & Twitter
Puzzle Girl & Puzzle Boy are also on twitter!
