How do you solve a murder that hasn't happened yet?

Destiny Whip is a former child prodigy, world-renowned enigmatologist and very, very alone. A life filled with loss has made her a recluse, an existence she’s content to endure until a letter arrives inviting her to interview for the position of Scruffmore family historian. Not only does an internet search for the name yield almost nothing, it’s a role she never applied to in the first place!

She decodes the invitation's hidden message with ease, and its promise to reveal her family secrets proves too powerful a draw for the orphaned Destiny, who soon finds herself on Eerie Island. It’s a place whose inhabitants are almost as inhospitable as the tempestuous weather. The Scruffmores themselves turn out to be not much better, a snarled mess of secrets and motives connected by their mistrust for one another.

Their newly arrived guest proves to be just as much an enigma to them as they are to her. While Destiny slowly works to unravel the mysteries hidden throughout the ominous castle, she struggles to interpret disturbing nightly visions of what is to come. In the midst of cryptic ciphers, hidden passages, and the family’s magical line of succession, Destiny is certain of two things: one of the Scruffmores is going to die and she’s running out of time to stop it.

Interspersed with riddles and puzzles that both Destiny and the reader must solve, A Most Puzzling Murder is a one-of-a-kind mystery that will leave you guessing and gasping until the very last page!

Bianca Marais cohosts the popular podcast The Sh*t No One Tells You About Writing, aimed at emerging writers. She was named the winner of the Excellence in Teaching Award for Creative Writing at the University of Toronto’s School of Continuing Studies in 2021. She is the author of two novels, Hum If You Don’t Know the Words and If You Want to Make God Laugh, as well as the Audible Original The Prynne Viper. She lives in Toronto with her husband and fur babies.

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"Utterly unique, immersive and intriguing, Marais has created an unputdownable entry into the murder mystery genre. A Most Puzzling Murder is a twisty, magical delight and I loved every second." —Frances White, author of Voyage of the Damned

"Filled with conundrums, murder most foul, and more spells than you can shake a magic wand at, this original novel is a puzzler's delight." —Nita Prose, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Maid series

“Buffy the Vampire Slayer meets Murder She Wrote in this fun, fresh and quirky take on a gothic mystery.” —Jessica Bull, author of the Miss Austen Investigates series

"A Most Puzzling Murder is a delightfully one-of-a-kind reading experience. Not just because the reader gets to solve a variety of clever puzzles alongside the characters (bring your pencil and notepad!). But also for a beguiling ensemble cast that are both wickedly fun and unexpectedly heartrending. Bianca Marais has written an inventive story with several twists that you'll never see coming—including a stirring ending that sends shockwaves from her world into ours." —Kirthana Ramisetti, author of Dava Shastri's Last Day

“How can so many delights be contained within one novel? A cracking mystery, a Succession-level feud in a magical family, talking animals, a brilliant heroine with a wounded heart that needs healing, and puzzles. Did I mention puzzles? Which help the reader solve the mystery? Bianca Marais’s A Most Puzzling Murder is a treasure trove disguised as a book.” —Elizabeth Renzetti, author of What She Said

“This is not your grandmother’s mystery. (Or maybe it is, if she’s a smart old bird who’s up for a challenge.) A MOST PUZZLING MURDER is a masterclass in multitasking. Puzzles and plot are brilliantly interwoven to fuel this turbo-charged concept. The most fun I’ve had reading a book in a long time. A truly outstanding accomplishment.” —Sue Hincenbergs, author of The Retirement Plan

"Knives Out, but it's a family of sorcerers—an original and wildly entertaining mystery with a choose-your-own-adventure dimension that keeps you guessing until the very last page. Marais draws the reader in with a pantheon of layered, vicious characters and smart, interactive puzzles. Hats off!" —Jenna Satterthwaite, author of Made for You and The New Year's Party