A Clue for the Puzzle Lady (The Puzzle Lady Mysteries)

Cruciverbalists, rejoice! Pick up a pencil and get ready to solve a puzzling murder-and an actual crossword puzzle-in this sparkling debut of a unique amateur detective: Miss Cora Felton, an eccentric old lady with a syndicated puzzle column, an irresistible urge to poke into unsettling events, and a niece who's determined to keep her out of trouble. When the body of an unknown teenage girl turns up in the cemetery in the quiet town of Bakerhaven, Police Chief Dale Harper finds himself investigating his first homicide. A baffling clue leads him to consult Bakerhaven's resident puzzle expert-his first big mistake. Soon Cora's meddling, mischief-making behavior drives Chief Harper to distraction and inspires many cross words from her long-suffering niece, Sherry. But when another body turns up in a murder that hits much closer to home, Cora must find a killer-before she winds up in a wooden box three feet across ... and six down Cruciverbalists, rejoice!!! Pick up a pencil and get ready to solve the puzzle--and a puzzling murder--in this lively debut of a unique amateur detective, Miss Cora Felton, the reigning queen of crosswords. Cora's an eccentric old lady with a nationally syndicated puzzle column, an irresistible urge to poke into unsettling events, and a niece who's determined to keep her out of trouble. In a slyly amusing and wickedly suspenseful mystery, this delightful heroine takes her first crack at playing sleuth. Only this isn't fun and games....It's murder. Violent crime is rare in tiny Bakerhaven. When the body of an unknown teenage girl turns up in the local cemetery, Police Chief Dale Harper finds himself investigating his first homicide. Nothing about this case is straightforward. Even a thorough search of the crime scene fails to reveal who she was, the murder weapon, or why the killer left her body in a graveyard minus her shoes. A cryptic message on a scrap of paper she carried seems to be a crossword puzzle clue. Could it have been left by the killer? If so, what does it mean? Fortunately for Harper, Bakerhaven is the new home of Miss Cora Felton, the famed "Puzzle Lady" herself, whose popular crossword puzzle column graces newspapers nationwide. Yet bringing Cora Felton into this case could be his most costly mistake. For though she may look like someone's sweet old grandmother, behind those twinkling eyes and that slightly mysterious smile lies a woman with a whopping secret...and some hidden vices. What's worse, one whiff of mystery turns Miss Felton into a modern-day Miss Marple. Now Cora is snooping through crime scenes, questioning witnesses, and gaining a lot of unwanted attention. It's just the sort of meddling, mischief-making behavior that drives Chief Harper to distraction and inspires many cross words from her long-suffering niece Sherry. But when another body turns up in a murder that hits much closer to home, Cora must find a killer--before she winds up in a black box three feet across...and six down. A delicious brew of colorful characters, irresistible intrigue, and dazzling plot twists, Parnell Hall's A Clue for the Puzzle Lady is just what a mystery should be--a generous helping of fun and a puzzle that never fails to surprise and entertain. Cruciverbalists, rejoice!!! Pick up a pencil and get ready to solve the puzzle--and a puzzling murder--in this lively debut of a unique amateur detective, Miss Cora Felton, the reigning queen of crosswords. Cora's an eccentric old lady with a nationally syndicated puzzle column, an irresistible urge to poke into unsettling events, and a niece who's determined to keep her out of trouble. In a slyly amusing and wickedly suspenseful mystery, this delightful heroine takes her first crack at playing sleuth. Only this isn't fun and games ... It's murder. Violent crime is rare in tiny Bakerhaven. When the body of an unknown teenage girl turns up in the local cemetery, Police Chief Dale Harper finds himself investigating his first homicide. Nothing about this case is straightforward. Even a thorough search of the crime scene fails to reveal who she was, the murder weapon, or why the killer left her body in a graveyard minus her shoes. A cryptic message on a scrap of paper she carried seems to be a crossword puzzle clue. Could it have been left by the killer? If so, what does it mean? Fortunately for Harper, Bakerhaven is the new home of Miss Cora Felton, the famed "Puzzle Lady" herself, whose popular crossword puzzle column graces newspapers nationwide. Yet bringing Cora Felton into this case could be his most costly mistake. For though she may look like someone's sweet old grandmother, behind those twinkling eyes and that slightly mysterious smile lies a woman with a whopping secret ... and some hidden vices. What's worse, one whiff of mystery turns Miss Felton into a modern-day Miss Marple. Now Cora is snooping through crime scenes, questioning witnesses, and gaining a lot of unwanted attention. It's just the sort of meddling, mischief-making behavior that drives Chief Harper to distraction and inspires many cross words from her long-suffering niece Sherry. But when another body turns up in a murder that hits much closer to home, Cora must find a killer--before she winds up in a black box three feet across ... and six down. A delicious brew of colorful characters, irresistible intrigue, and dazzling plot twists, Parnell Hall's A Clue for the Puzzle Lady From the Hardcover edition

cruciverbalists, Rejoice! Pick Up A Pencil And Get Ready To Solve A Puzzling Murder-and An Actual Crossword Puzzle-in This Sparkling Debut Of A Unique Amateur Detective: Miss Cora Felton, An Eccentric Old Lady With A Syndicated Puzzle Column, An Irresistible Urge To Poke Into Unsettling Events, And A Niece Who's Determined To Keep Her Out Of Trouble.

when The Body Of An Unknown Teenage Girl Turns Up In The Cemetery In The Quiet Town Of Bakerhaven, Police Chief Dale Harper Finds Himself Investigating His First Homicide. A Baffling Clue Leads Him To Consult Bakerhaven's Resident Puzzle Expert-his First Big Mistake. Soon Cora's Meddling, Mischief-making Behavior Drives Chief Harper To Distraction And Inspires Many Cross Words From Her Long-suffering Niece, Sherry. But When Another Body Turns Up In A Murder That Hits Much Closer To Home, Cora Must Find A Killer-before She Winds Up In A Wooden Box Three Feet Across...and Six Down.

publishers Weekly

hall, Best Known For His Edgar-nominated Stanley Hastings Series, Begins A New Series With A Heroine Who Provides An Interesting Variation On The Older Woman Sleuth. Imagine Miss Marple As A Promiscuous Lush, And You Have Cora Felton, Known To Crossword Puzzle Buffs Around The Country As The Puzzle Lady. Cora And Her Niece, Sherry Carter, Have Moved To The Small Town Of Bakerhaven, Conn., Hoping To Protect Sherry From An Abusive Ex-husband. The Body Of A Young Girl Is Discovered In The Bakerhaven Cemetery, And Police Chief Dale Harper Investigates, Though He Wishes The Body Had Been Found In Someone Else's Jurisdiction. An Enigmatic Clue In The Victim's Pockets Takes Chief Harper In Search Of Assistance, And He Gets More Than He Needs From Cora, Who's Determined To Help Solve The Puzzle. A Second Murder Complicates The Case, And Overly Zealous Cub Reporter Aaron Grant Spills The News To The Public About The Cryptic Clues. 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. (nov.) Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Miss Cora Felton is an eccentric old lady with a syndicated puzzle column, an irresistible urge to poke into unsettling events, and a niece whos determined to keep her out of trouble. When the body of an unknown teenage girl turns up in the cemetery in the quiet town of Bakerhaven, Police Chief Dale Harper finds himself investigating his first homicide. A baffling clue leads him to consult Bakerhavens resident puzzle experthis first big mistake. Soon Coras meddling, mischief-making behavior drives Chief Harper to distraction and inspires many cross words from her long-suffering niece, Sherry. But when another body turns up in a murder that hits much closer to home, Cora must find a killerbefore she winds up in a wooden box three feet acrossand six down. Bakerhaven Police Chief Dale Harper is perplexed by a piece of evidence in his first murder investigation--an apparent crossword puzzle clue found on the body of a teenage girl--so he recruits the town's famed "Puzzle Lady," the eccentric author of a weekly syndicated crossword puzzle column Two people are murdered in Connecticut and in each case the only clues are notations from a crossword puzzle. The police ask the help of sleuth Cora Felton, known as the Puzzle Lady because of her syndicated puzzles