I missed Danielle Trussoni’s first book to feature puzzle master Mike Brink, The Puzzle Master, but that’s okay. She provides enough background so a reader can easily meet Brink in The Puzzle Box, an ingenious fast-paced adventure that goes from New York City to Japan.
An accident when he was a high school football player left Mike Brink with an unmatched talent to solve and create puzzles of all types. But, that ability leaves him hungering for more at all times, more adrenaline and more danger. Now that it’s the Year of the Wood Dragon, he’ll have all he can handle.
When a young woman shows up at his apartment, she has a puzzle invitation from the emperor of Japan. He’s invited to try to solve one of the world’s most difficult puzzles, the legendary Dragon Box. It was created centuries earlier for the Emperor Meiji. But, the creator and the emperor died without passing on the secret to the box. Now, every twelve years, a puzzle master is invited to try to solve the puzzle. Every twelve years, that puzzle master has died. It’s Mike Brink’s turn to try his hand and his mind at this puzzle.
Treachery, secrets, legends, mysticism, and puzzles. Two young women are at the heart of the mystery, but Mike doesn’t know if he can trust the one who invited him to Japan. After the unexpected death of his mentor and doctor, Brink doesn’t know who to trust. He’ll battle codes and keys and death traps to find the solution to the Dragon Box, and maybe the solution to his own mental agony.
If you enjoyed Dan Brown’s The DaVinci Code, you might enjoy this story of legends and mysticism in Japan.
Danielle Trussoni’s website is https://danielletrussoni.com/.
The Puzzle Box by Danielle Trussoni. Random House, 2024. ISBN 9780593595329 (hardcover), 336p.
FTC Full Disclosure – The publisher sent a copy of the book, with no expectations of a review.
If you’d like to see Danielle Trussoni discuss The Puzzle Box, check out her interview at The Poisoned Pen.
I have to admit, that you’re comparing it to THE DAVINCI CODE is NOT a recommendation to me. I thought it was poorly written and creepy and couldn’t understand it’s success. But then, that’s been true of a LOT of bestsellers (i.e. COLD MOUNTAIN) over the years. So maybe it’s just me.
No, it’s not just you, Jeff. While I liked The DaVinci Code, I know I read that one for the adventure. The same with this. There’s a lot of Japanese mysticism and culture in it, so you might not like this one, too. And, I’ll admit, I skipped a lot of the mysticism part.
Sorry – “your” rather than “you’re”
I really need to proofread more.
Didn’t get to post yesterday, I love you-tube discussion of books. Thank you so much for posting it.
You’re welcome, Carol. I don’t often have the discussion to go with the book, but for those who are interested, it adds something. You’re welcome!