Murdle: #1 SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER: Solve 100 Devilishly Devious Murder Mystery Logic Puzzles (Book 1) (Murdle Puzzle Series)

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.

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.

I’ve enjoyed this book in my spare time. Definitely makes you think outside the box and I like the comedy interludes. It’s not as straightforward as you might think. Be prepared to exercise your brain muscle. A good brain teaser!

A really fun puzzle book good for groups or alone. Work out who did it, where and with what.

Got this for my wife as a present , she has really enjoyed doing it and seems taken a fair amount of time and still not finished. I would say price is fair for what is the print and quality feels good so as a gift great idea and shows time and thought was put in it isnt just another book

I love doing logic puzzles and thought this would be a good change, but I was quickly disappointed. The constant regurgitation of characters, places etc became a real bore and aside from the last few puzzles they were very straightforward. I've seen subsequent versions for sale but I won't be bothering.

Great gift idea for puzzle lovers, would recommend

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!