Customer Reviews

The Crossword Connection (Crossword Mysteries)

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Following on the heels of other mystery writers who run out of ideas before their publishers stop paying advances (Rita Mae Brown's Harry Haristeen series, for example), the husband and wife team of Nero Blanc have turned in a third episode in their series. The characters are okay, but most of the book is taken up with a nonsensical diversion that has nothing to do with the real murders and the actual solution comes out of left field, which to me is the cardinal sin of mysteries. If crosswords are your thing, I'd go for the first couple of books in the Puzzle Lady sequence by Parnell Hall, instead.

I really enjoy mysteries with gimmicks -- recipes, unusual settings, etc. -- and this novel, the third in a series by a husband and wife team writing under the name Nero Blanc, seemed like a natural for me since I enjoy crossword puzzles.

While the premise was fun and the six crosswords were okay, I thought the mystery was mediocre and the writing seemed lazy, relying on stereotypes as characters and repetitive (and rather unbelievable) plot devices. For instance the heroine, Belle Graham, answers the door or the phone *six times* without knowing who is on the phone or at the door and begins to talk and talk and talk, giving away information before she discovers that the caller/visitor is not who she thought it was -- wouldn't somebody learn not to do that after *one* time? In addition, after receiving threatening phone calls, Belle receives another call immediately afterward so that she can't use star-69. This happens twice!

I thought this was a good idea, but I would not read another mystery by these authors.

I was stuck in Bar Harbor in the rain. The Inn had no TV and I had already finished the New York Magazine crossword. What to do? I went to the local bookstore and found this one. I finished the book quickly - a sign of boredom or a good read. Because there are 2 authors, I think the series lacks a real individual personality - I sense the duo had to make compromises in the writing style. They should take turns writing each book and let the chips fall where they may. Anyway, the idea that the CEO of a huge corporation would: 1) - accept an interview from an unknown director and meet on short notice and 2) that the CEO of said corporation would kill someone over ground water contamination from one gas station is laughable. Embarassing, actually. I work for a medium sized corporation and couldn't get to see the "big guy" if my life depended on it. But I don't want to be too negative. Afterall, the book helped me get through a bad couple of rainy days in Maine so how bad could it be?

This book had been buried in my to-be-read pile. Sometimes, when I dig out a book that's been in there for a long time, I kick myself for not reading it sooner. That's not the case with this one.

Crossword puzzle writer Belle and P.I. Rosco are on the trail of whoever killed two homeless people and a missing puppy. Then Rosco disappears, and Belle starts receiving cryptic crossword puzzles that she has to solve to find him.

The good:
The puzzles are clever and fun to solve.
The premise is cute.

The bad:
Stilted dialogue--heck, all the writing is stilted.
The characters act weirdly--without motivation to do so.
Gratuitous use of italics.
The cryptic crossword puzzles were just tedious.
While I understand that people will kill over just about anything, the motive was hard to believe.
And a bunch of nits too minor to mention.


The verdict:
My impression is that this was about the 6 crossword puzzles contained in the book. The story, such as it was, was just filler.

In Newcastle, the Massachusetts Evening Crier crossword editor Belle Graham and private investigator Roscoe Polycrates are getting married at sea quite soon. However, the final steps to matrimony have problems as the reception area is not quite ready and someone murders a homeless person, apparently leaving a crossword puzzle behind with the corpse. Belle wonders if the murder is tied into the effort to close a successful shelter located on choice realty.

When a second person dies also with a crossword puzzle nearby, Roscoe thinks solving the puzzle clues will lead to resolving the two homicides. Belle thinks Roscoe suffers from premarital jitters. However, when Roscoe seemingly vanishes, Belle looks at the puzzles to ascertain whether the answers to the murders and her missing fiance lie within them.

The third Crossword mystery retains the uniqueness of its two predecessors (see TWO DOWN and THE CROSSWORD MURDERS). The story line is fresh with the puzzles serving as an intricate part of the amateur sleuth inquiry. Roscoe and Belle seem more like neighbors and the secondary cast such as Roscoe's police pal Lever adds depth. Though the crossword puzzles left at the crime scene seems a bit stretched, fans will ignore that, solve the puzzles, and ultimately the case in an enjoyable interactive who-done- it.

Harriet Klausner

I am thoroughly enjoying the Nero Blanc series -- very interesting mysteries with the added benefit of crosswords to do. Doesn't get much better than that!

Thought this was a fun read. It moves fast and easily. Love these series of books.

Fast delivery. Book was in great condition. I am very happy with this purchase and would buy from this seller again.

Crossword editor Annabelle Graham--nicknamed AnnaGram in some quarters--and her sleuth of a fiancé Rosco Polycrates are back and ready to tie the knot in this third installment in the crossword mystery series by (the pseudonymous) Nero Blanc. This time around, two people are dead and a dog's gone missing, and someone is harassing Belle with threatening, home-made crosswords. As usual, readers get to solve the puzzles along with Belle (there are six of them), though most of us will not have the facility with words that our heroine enjoys. She can dash off a handful of eight-letter words for "criminal" without pausing to think.

The Nero Blanc books are good little mysteries and fast reads. What makes them particularly appealing, however, for those of us who like puzzles, is the incorporation of crosswords into the stories and the occasional focus on Belle Graham's admirable verbal gymnastics.

Reviewed by Debra Hamel, author of Trying Neaira: The True Story of a Courtesan's Scandalous Life in Ancient Greece

P.I. Rosco Polycrates is marrying crossword editor Belle Graham. Before their marriage, a homeless man is found dead with a crossword puzzle under him. He was hit in the head with a stone and has dog food in his pocket. The police think he had turned to eating dog food. Rosco knows him and that he had a puppy.

Sara, a matriarch in the community, asks Rosco to begin looking for the puppy. Then a homeless woman is found dead also with a crossword puzzle under her. They try to find the connection between the two.

Rosco goes missing. Belle starts receiving anonymous crossword puzzles with clues. Lieutenant Al Lever, Rosco's former partner, tries to keep Belle safe and find Rosco. But, Belle keeps alluding him as she is trying to follow the clues and find Rosco herself. She is constantly reminded to not include the police. There are many twists before you get to the end.

This is a very enjoyable series. I enjoy trying to complete the crosswords even though I am not very good at them. There are always clues in them. I like when Belle tries to complete the crosswords and gives some of the crossword answers in the book.

The characters are very believable and well developed. Rosco is believable as a P.I. He used to be a detective so he has connections in the police department. I like the character Carlyle who is the medical examiner. He and Rosco do not get along but he likes Belle.

Recently we vacationed in New England so I like books set in New England. I feel the plot is very well developed and the setting is very realistic.

I highly recommend this book and the whole series.