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Title details for The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers by Samuel Burr - Available

The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers

A Novel

by Samuel Burr
Penelope Keith
Audiobook
4 of 4 copies available
Borrow Listen to a sample Listen to a sample
4 of 4 copies available
An extraordinary, gloriously uplifting novel about the power of friendship and the puzzling ties that bind us
Clayton Stumper might be in his twenties, but he dresses like your grandpa and fusses like your aunt. Abandoned at birth on the steps of the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, he was raised by a group of eccentric enigmatologists and now finds himself among the last survivors of a fading institution.
When the esteemed crossword compiler and main maternal presence in Clayton’s life, Pippa Allsbrook, passes away, she bestows her final puzzle on him: a promise to reveal the mystery of his parentage and prepare him for life beyond the walls of the commune. So begins Clay’s quest to uncover the secrets surrounding his birth, secrets that will change Clay—and the Fellowship—forever.
The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers is pure joy, a story about love and family and what it means to find your people—no matter what age you are.
This audiobook includes an exclusive, audio-only introduction by the author.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    April 9, 2024

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780593821886
      • File size: 342023 KB
      • Duration: 11:52:32

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      February 5, 2024
      Burr debuts with the cheerful tale of a young man’s found family and the joy of puzzles. Clayton Stumper, 25, was left at the doorstep of the Fellowship of Puzzlemakers in Bedfordshire, England, as an infant and grew up surrounded by the eccentric, elderly residents of the commune, including his primary caregiver, Pippa Allsbrook, founder of the Fellowship and the most prolific crossword compiler in Britain. Feeling unmoored by Pippa’s recent death, Clayton determines to discover the identity of his birth parents. Pippa, one step ahead as usual, has left him with a series of puzzles for him to complete, which set him on his course. His first stop is London, where he visits Nancy Stone, an ex-member of the Fellowship who left Bedfordshire just before Clayton showed up there. As he pieces together Pippa’s clues, he tentatively explores life away from his routines and feels the beginnings of his first romance with Nancy’s home health aid, Neil. The PG-rated scenes with Clayton and Neil feel a bit too restrained—Burr is better at intricate plotting than he is at portraying Clayton’s burgeoning sexuality—though there’s a genuine sweetness to both story lines. This has plenty of heart. Agent: Hellie Ogden, WME.

    • Library Journal

      May 31, 2024

      Pippa Allsbrook, a consummate British crossword compiler, loves puzzles and the people who create them. Hoping to foster a community, she starts a club for puzzlemakers at a local pub. The club quickly grows into something more when Pippa purchases a country estate and invites club members to live and work there. When an abandoned baby shows up on their doorstep, members of the puzzlers' commune take him in, name him Clayton, and raise him into adulthood. In turn, Clayton, who is better at caregiving than puzzlemaking, feeds and nurtures the members of his aging family. When Pippa dies, she leaves Clayton with one last mystery to solve--a puzzle that will lead him to his birth parents and perhaps to his own self as well. Burr's heartwarming debut captures the human yearning for family, community, and a sense of belonging. Penelope Keith and Russell Tovey narrate the story in alternating chapters, warmly voicing Burr's quirky and creative characters. Their expert character voices and accents are enchanting. VERDICT Recommended for mystery fans and puzzlers everywhere. Puzzles are included, so listeners might want to have paper and pencil at the ready.--Joanna M. Burkhardt

      Copyright 2024 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Penelope Keith and Russell Tovey embody the warmth of the protagonists in this charming novel told from dual perspectives. Tovey narrates with emotional vulnerability and an inquisitive tone in portraying Clayton Stumper. The lovably old-fashioned 26-year-old unravels the final mystery left by the legendary puzzle maker Pippa Allsbrook, who raised him in her later years after he was abandoned at birth on her doorstep. Penelope Keith lends a spirited voice to the scenes from Pippa's perspective, which explore her youth as a talented crossword maker in the male-dominated field and her unlikely path to raising Clayton. The sole weakness is the interactive puzzles included throughout the story, which are challenging to follow in the audio format even with the balanced pacing. Otherwise, this is a rich, captivating adaptation. C.J.C. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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