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Murder Most Cryptic

A gripping murder mystery blending cosy crime and puzzles

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Murder Most Cryptic

By: Alys Cummings
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A PUZZLING NEW MURDER MYSTERY WHERE CRIME AND CROSSWORDS COLLIDE, FOR FANS OF JANICE HALLETT AND LUDWIG

The dead body is their first clue - and the answer is murder...but can they solve the crossword, and find a killer too?

Nina is a promising young journalist. She’s also an alcoholic.

Once a week, she attends a recovery group in the local church hall. When a stranger walks in one night, the group think they might have a new member. Until he promptly drops dead.

The police believe it’s nothing more than an accident. But the group soon realise there’s more to this mystery than meets the eye, when they discover a cryptic crossword clue hidden in the dead man’s pocket – the answer to which is Murder.

As more mysterious and threatening clues start appearing in a newspaper crossword, Nina and team must work to crack this cryptic case. Can they solve the clues, and catch a killer?

Or will the next crosssword spell death for one of them…

© Alys Cummings 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026

 Amateur Sleuths Cosy Crime Fiction Mystery Women Sleuths
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Critic reviews

Intriguing and ingenious, Cummings has cracked the code of setting the reader a thrilling mystery with a cryptic edge (Harriet Tyce)
Murder Most Cryptic had me gripped from the first chapter, zipped along from there and didn't let go! Pacy and suspenseful, but also very human and insightful (Tanya Sweeney)
Brilliant and bold, full of twists and headscratching puzzles that leave you wanting more. Crime fiction at its very, very best! A real treat of a mystery (Jonathan Whitelaw)
Clever clues, warm humour, and a delightful puzzle. The very quintessence of murder mystery fun (Kelly Mullen)
If you love a good puzzle, Alys Cummings' (crossword) cracking debut will blow your twisted mind. As a host of colourful characters...look for answers, so do readers as they try to tackle the cryptic puzzles scattered throughout the book. The one thing that no one is short of is clues! Hugely recommended but make sure you've got a pen handy when you're reading it! (Trevor Wood)
Relentlessly gripping and the puzzling is pristine. When’s the next one? (Alan Connor)
A genuinely gripping whodunnit, made even better by the crossword clues woven through every chapter...an original, strong and distinctive debut. Sharpen your pencils, there are clues to be solved! (Jamie West)
When this quirky band of misfits in recovery sets out to solve the mystery of one of their own’s death, they must follow a path of cryptic crossword clues to uncover the killer. Clever and compelling, fans of Janice Hallett will gobble this up (Catherine Mack)
Fast-paced, clever and unputdownable (Claire Wilson)
Fans of The Marlow Murder Club rejoice! A crew of recovering alcoholics adds some welcome gravity to this clever, conundrum-filled cozy mystery. A wonderful debut! (Jo NIchols)
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