Last Puzzle & Testament - Hardcover

Hall, Parnell

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 055380099X ISBN 13: 9780553800999

Publisher: Bantam, 2000

Synopsis

Parnell Hall's first Puzzle Lady mystery, A Clue for the Puzzle Lady, was hailed as "devious and delightful" (Chicago Sun-Times) and "heaven for crossword puzzle fans" (Kirkus Reviews). Now, Hall brings back his two unforgettable sleuths, Miss Cora Felton and her long-suffering niece, Sherry Carter, in another irresistible tale of greed, murder, and mystery most puzzling.

Last Puzzle & Testament

Emma Hurley died the way she lived--surrounded by an air of mystery, with only her servants at her side. That is, until she finally passes away...and her greedy heirs crawl out of the woodwork to stake a claim to Emma's fortune. But unlike most people, Emma was not content to leave behind a simple will. Instead, her final testament includes, of all things, a clever puzzle...one to be given only to her living heirs. The first one to solve the puzzle will inherit Emma's entire estate; everyone else will be left with a pittance.  Complicating matters further, the will stipulates that Cora Felton--local celebrity and famed author of a popular syndicated crossword puzzle column--must referee the contest. Unfortunately, Cora knows far more about the fine art of mixing a martini than creating--let alone solving--crossword puzzles. It's Cora's niece Sherry who's the brains behind Cora's "Puzzle Lady" persona.  And it's up to Sherry to unravel the bizarre riddle Emma Hurley engineered before her death. For soon it's plain that Emma's game is one without a clear winner...and that the players could lose far more than they ever imagine.
Before long, would-be heirs are scouring every nook and cranny of the town as they scramble to solve a forty-year-old puzzle, while the Puzzle Lady herself adds to the chaos with her less-than-sobering antics. Meanwhile, Sherry has some
pressing problems of her own: Her romantic interest in a mild-mannered local reporter is turning into an unpleasant love triangle--one that involves a glamorous young lawyer. And when one of the participants in Emma's contest is knifed to death, the last thing Sherry needs is amorous advances--especially when they're coming from the number one suspect in the crime.... Last Puzzle & Testament is a devilish concoction of gamesmanship, malice, and mystery for anyone who loves a puzzle--across, down, or any way around!

About this title

Review:

Cora Felton is the kind of dame your father might have called "a firecracker": a not-so-upstanding lady of a certain age who drinks her martinis by the shaker and delights in scandalizing not only the staid denizens of her cozy Connecticut village but also her niece Sherry, who's the private "ghost" behind Cora's public image as the Puzzle Lady. Even People Magazine, which has lined up an interview with Cora, believes the brazen old broad is the brains behind her phenomenally successful syndicated crossword puzzle column. Only Sherry and the ambitious young newspaper reporter who loves her know that Cora hasn't got a clue. Certainly, Emma Hurley didn't, which may explain why she left Cora in charge of sorting out her will, a puzzle wrapped in a 40-year-old enigma whose solution will earn one of Emma's heirs a vast fortune. The relatives are a motley lot, greedy and unappealing, but would any of them stoop to murder? When the bodies start piling up, it certainly looks that way, especially to Cora, who's better at judging human nature than word contests. While the answers to the crossword lead everyone else to the wrong conclusions, they point Cora and Sherry to the right ones and target a murderer in the process. The pace rollicks along nicely, the crossword's deceptively transparent, and this is a slight but charming little treat for the puzzle mavens on your Christmas list, especially those who've encountered Cora and Sherry in their first adventure, (A Clue for the Puzzle Lady). --Jane Adams

From the Back Cover:

"A fun series for mystery fans and cruciverbalists!"
-- USA Today

RAVES FOR PARNELL HALL'S A CLUE FOR THE PUZZLE LADY
"In addition to his trademark zippy, witty dialogue, Hall provides a dandy puzzle, congenial secondary characters, plenty of laughs, and a true original in Cora Felton, the Puzzle Lady."
-- Publishers Weekly

"A Clue for the Puzzle Lady is fresh, funny, and ingeniously devised. It kept me guessing right down to the end--just like a good crossword!"
-- Will Shortz, Crossword Editor, The New York Times
"Deft...clever...fun."
-- Booklist

"The real lure here is the mystery, whose ingenuity takes quite unexpected forms en route to the final unmasking. Heaven for crossword fans, who'll rejoice over the solve-as-you-go puzzle!"
-- Kirkus Reviews

"Cora Felton is a delightfully different sort of sleuth--hardly the decorous, tea-sipping village spinster. In truth, she's a hoot. I hope her niece can keep her out of too much trouble so that we can all savor future adventures of the Puzzle Lady."
-- Joan Hess, author of the Claire Malloy and Maggody mystery series

"Parnell Hall's superb new series dazzles like the Fourth of July, crackling with fun, wordplay, more twists than a maze, and a clever, vulnerable, wild woman sleuth--Cora Felton, the Puzzle Lady. Sheer delight!"
-- Carolyn Hart, author of and the Henrie O mystery series

"A twisting plot, an intriguing puzzle, and a surprisingly
satisfying romance. This one is hard to beat."
-- Janet Evanovich

"A fresh series with an engaging sleuthing duo...a lighthearted romp."
-- Alfred Hitchcock Mystery Magazine

"A fun and entertaining story to challenge all mystery
readers...A great premise...lively characters, an intriguing plot and a well-written story."
-- Rendezvous

"A Clue for the Puzzle Lady is going to please puzzle fans and mystery lovers alike."
-- Romantic Times

About this edition

• Publisher: Bantam
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 055380099X
• ISBN 13: 9780553800999
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 352