Alys Cummings

If this isn't a book of the year, I'll be very surprised. It's where crime and crosswords collide

Intriguing and ingenious, Cummings has cracked the code of setting the reader a thrilling mystery with a cryptic edge

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

[An] entertaining debut...The emergence of pertinent backstories lends rather more emotional depth than is found in the average cosy, whiel the discovery of further cryptic crossword clues provides an ingenious puzzle element

Puzzles are weaved skilfully into a narrative that sees an odd couple of cops trying to find the killer among a cast of rogue crossword setter

[A] unique take…for a first-time novelist, Cummings writes with the pace and intrigue one would expect from a seasoned writer. Murder Most Cryptic is far more Jonathan Creek than Midsomer Murders. While the central gimmick of solving a murder through newspaper crossword puzzles feels delightfully quaint, the characters’ struggles with addiction and the tense, threatening clues lend the story a darker, more sinister edge

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

Clever clues, warm humour, and a delightful puzzle. The very quintessence of murder mystery fun

This original and ingenious cosy crime had me hooked from the first page. Cummings writes so well; every character is well drawn and compelling, the mystery is packed with twists, and the cryptic clues only add to the fun. If you love a cosy mystery with warmth, depth, and a really good puzzle, this is absolutely the book for you

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!

Relentlessly gripping and the puzzling is pristine. When’s the next one?

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!

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

USA Today bestselling author of This Weekend Doesn't End Well For Anyone

Fast-paced, clever and unputdownable

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!

author of The Marigold Cottages Murder Collective

Murder Most Cryptic is a surprising debut novel, righteously paced, filled with remarkable characters

Alys Cummings

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