Murdle: #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER: Solve 100 Devilishly Devious Murder Mystery Logic Puzzles (Book 1) (Murdle Puzzle Series)
D**N
Brilliantly addictive—like Cluedo met Sudoku with a twist
First impressions:A crisp paperback with 384 pages of charming black-and-white illustrations, maps, codes, and quirky suspects—every page beckons you to dive in and solve. It presents the vibe of a detective’s case file rather than a traditional puzzle book.Puzzle design & format:Each of the 100 puzzles invites you to channel your inner Poirot, figuring out who-done-it — the culprit, the weapon, the location — using deduction grids and clever logic hints. The difficulty levels span from easy to “impossible,” ensuring that both beginners and seasoned sleuths stay hooked.What makes it stand out:What I really love about Murdle is how it blends puzzle-solving with storytelling. It’s not just a bunch of logic grids—it actually has a light narrative running through it, with recurring characters like Deductive Logico and Inspector Irratino that give it a fun, almost theatrical feel. The variety in difficulty is great too—some puzzles are quick wins, others really make you slow down and think. It’s so satisfying when everything clicks into place.There’s also a real charm to the presentation. The illustrations, the maps, the grids—they all make it feel like you’re solving a case rather than just doing a brainteaser. It’s smart, but never pretentious, and I found myself totally hooked.What I loved:Addictive variety - The four difficulty tiers keep things fresh.Story continuity - There's a loose overarching narrative featuring Deductive Logico and Inspector Irratino, tying puzzles togetherAccessible logic - Fair-play puzzles that reward careful deduction—not brute force.Minor niggles:Some puzzles require assumption-testing—with occasional backtracking instead of pure deduction. If you're a pure-logician, this might feel slightly off—but it's a minor quibble in an otherwise polished puzzle experience.Overall verdict:Murdle isn’t just a book—it’s an experience. A delightful hybrid of Cluedo, Sudoku, and narrative mystery, this stands out as the ideal gift for puzzle lovers, fans of crime fiction, and anyone craving a brain-teasing, page-turning challenge. It’s smart, quirky, and thoroughly engaging.Would I recommend it? Absolutely.Add it to your cart, pencil at the ready.
R**H
Got jealous after seeing the Murdle Junior
After watching my twelve‑year‑old breeze through Murdle Junior—cackling over every clue and swanning around the house in a makeshift deerstalker—I realised I had a severe case of puzzle envy. Enter Murdle: Book 1, the grown‑up edition, with 100 deliciously devious cases that make the junior mysteries look like “spot the difference.”Right from the first puzzle, the difficulty spike is obvious. The suspects lie with straight faces, alibis tangle like headphone cords, and the logic grids demand proper pencil mileage. Each case builds on classic whodunnit tropes—locked rooms, poisoned drinks, vanishing footprints—but twists them just far enough to keep even seasoned armchair sleuths guessing. The artwork retains that playful, slightly macabre charm I loved in the kids’ volume, yet the scenarios feel sharper and slyly tongue‑in‑cheek.What really sells it is the pacing: puzzles vary from quick coffee‑break brain‑ticklers to “I’ve missed my bedtime again” marathons. Hints and solutions sit safely at the back, so there’s no accidental eye‑drift spoiler, and the grid pages lay flat—essential when you’re juggling three coloured pens and a mug of tea at 1 a.m.If Murdle Junior is an introduction to sleuthing, Murdle: Book 1 is the full detective academy—magnifying glass not included but strongly recommended. Perfect for anyone who’s ever shouted answers at detective shows or secretly re‑arranged Cluedo pieces to make a tougher case.
L**R
Great if you enjoy logic problem style puzzles
A modern take on the original 'Logic Problem' puzzles. There are 100 puzzles plus a final puzzle that can only be solved after all the others have been completed. There is a story running through linking the puzzles to keep it interesting, but the names, locations, items become very repetitive after a while.
S**S
Fun adventure
What a fun book! I spent the whole afternoon enjoying it and didn’t want to stop. It’s creative, interactive, and totally engaging from start to finish. I was so impressed that I now want to collect them all. Highly recommended for anyone who loves playful, hands-on reading experiences!
C**T
Challenging, unique, and perfect for puzzle lovers.
As someone who enjoys brain teasers like sudoku and crosswords, I was intrigued by the novelty of Murdle. I wasn’t sure how challenging it would be, but it turns out these puzzles are delightfully tricky yet rewarding to solve. The book includes 100 puzzles with varying difficulty levels and provides a thorough explanation of how to tackle each one. The characters and backstories are hilarious, reminiscent of Cluedo, with suspects, clues, and settings adding to the fun.Pros:• 100 puzzles ranging from challenging to fiendishly difficult.• Clear instructions make it approachable for newcomers.• Entertaining characters and storylines add to the experience.• Includes hints and solutions for when you get stuck.• Makes a fantastic gift for puzzle enthusiasts.Cons:• Not for those looking for quick or simple puzzles—these require focus and time.• Some puzzles might feel intimidating for beginners, despite the explanations.
B**E
Good, but not great
This logic book is clever and fun, and I really enjoyed the storytelling. The puzzles get progressively harder and the clues fit right in with Detective theme. However there are two reasons for my rating; the size and thickness of the book makes it difficult to complete the puzzles - it doesn't lie flat and for the harder puzzles you have to keep flipping pages back and forth to look at the clues. It gets annoying quick. The other reason is that my pencil bleeds through the next page. These things have affected my enjoyment of it.
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2 months ago
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