With This Puzzle, I Thee Kill [Large Print] [Hardcover]

Parnell Hall (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 2, 2004

Wedding bells are ringing, and though Cora Felton is no stranger to saying "I do," she has a special feeling about her walk down the aisle with hotel owner Raymond Harstein III. And who better to be maid of honor than her beloved niece, Sherry? From the start Sherry has reservations about her aunt's upcoming nuptials, and when the first of a series of threatening cryptograms arrives, it's clear someone else does, too.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Hall's light touch continues to entertain, although Cora Felton's "secret," which wasn't well-hidden in her debut in A Clue for the Puzzle Lady (1999), is so worn now as to be completely transparent in this fifth adventure. Cora is the "Puzzle Lady" to admirers of her syndicated crosswords, but her niece, Sherry Carter, is the real author of the puzzles. The fiction, begun when Sherry needed to hide her identity from an abusive ex-husband, is constantly being tested in the little town of Bakerhaven, Conn., where they live. Cora's real forte is solving murders, and quiet Bakerhaven has had murders and puzzles aplenty since aunt and niece took up residence there. The usual players assume their accustomed roles here, from clueless police chief Dale Harper to reporter Aaron Grant. Oft-married Cora is being wooed again, this time by Raymond Harstein III, whose past is a bit clouded. Sherry's best friend, Brenda, asks her to be maid of honor-only her groom is Sherry's abusive ex, Dennis Pride. Hall keeps the complications coming fast, as Sherry tries to cope with a proposed double wedding that could prove doubly disastrous. As always, puzzles, this time cryptograms, play an integral part in the mystery. Hall's trademark word play and gift for creating eccentric characters remain as sharp as ever.
Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

From Booklist

Cora Felton, the Puzzle Lady, returns, still fronting for her niece, Sherry Harkin, the real cruciverbalist. This fifth mystery about the pair shows some series wear and tear. Instead of using crossword puzzles as clues (which readers can solve along with the characters), this time the clues are cryptograms that are so easy to solve they're almost not worth the effort. Nor does the story itself make much sense. Sherry's ex-husband, wife-beater Dennis Pride, appears on the scene with his fiancee, Brenda, Sherry's best friend. They'd like Sherry to be in the wedding. Naturally, the ceremony gets sidetracked by a few murders, but to bring all his plot strands together, the usually reliable Hall is forced to introduce some utterly unbelievable wrinkles, including Brenda's parents' willingness to move the wedding on a moment's notice from NYC to Connecticut. Fans of the series may be ready to go the extra mile with Sherry and Cora, but hopefully the next installment will have more puzzles and make better use of its charming ladies. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to an alternate Hardcover edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 492 pages
• Publisher: Thorndike Press; 1 edition (November 2, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0786269944
• ISBN-13: 978-0786269945
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,124,068 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Parnell Hall's music video, KING OF KINDLE, is on his Amazon author page! Cameos by Lawrence Block, Mary Higgins Clark, and dozens of other mystery writers. See how many you can spot. (Scroll down for video)

Parnell is the author of the Puzzle Lady crossword puzzle mysteries, set in the fictitious town of Bakerhaven, Connecticut. Cora Felton, the Puzzle Lady, has a nationally syndicated crossword puzzle column, but couldn't construct a puzzle if her life depended on it. Her niece Sherry Carter writes the column for her. The much married Miss Felton is much happier solving crime. She made her debut in 1999 in A CLUE FOR THE PUZZLE LADY, and has since romped through LAST PUZZLE & TESTAMENT, PUZZLED TO DEATH, and A PUZZLE IN A PEAR TREE, WITH THIS PUZZLE, I THEE KILL, AND A PUZZLE TO DIE ON, and STALKING THE PUZZLE LADY. Cora is herself a suspect in YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN PUZZLED.

Though poor at words, Cora proves most adept at numbers in THE SUDOKU PUZZLE MURDERS. New York Times crossword puzzle editor Will Shortz constructed the sudoku puzzles that help solve the mystery. Sudoku puzzles also play a part in DEAD MAN'S PUZZLE, and THE PUZZLE LADY VS. THE SUDOKU LADY. Cora tackles a new number puzzle in THE KENKEN KILLINGS.

As research for the Puzzle Lady books, Parnell competed in the National Crossword Puzzle Tournament in Stamford, Connecticut, where out of a field of 254 contestants he finished 250th, just ahead of the four people who failed to turn in a paper. Parnell composed the puzzles for his earlier books. He now has them created by New York Times constructor Manny Nosowsky, and edited by National Tournament winner Ellen Ripstein.

Parnell also writes the Stanley Hastings mystery novels, and the Steve Winslow courtroom dramas. His first novel, DETECTIVE, was nominated for an Edgar award by the Mystery Writers of America, and a Shamus award by the Private Eye Writers of America. His tenth Stanley Hastings novel, MOVIE, was nominated for a Shamus award for Best Private Eye Novel of 1995, and for a Lefty for the funniest mystery novel of 1995. Recently, Stanley and his wife Alice vacationed at a New England bed-and-breakfast in COZY, a takeoff on that subset of the genre; the book is full of recipes and the cat solves the crime. Stanley returned to the mean streets of Manhattan in MANSLAUGHTER, HITMAN, and CAPER. He has his first paranormal encounter in the short story DEATH OF A VAMPIRE, in the Charlaine Harris anthology, CRMIES BY MOONLIGHT.

Parnell worked for two years as a private detective in New York City. His experiences form the basis for his Stanley Hastings series. He has no courtroom experience, however, and owes his Steve Winslow series to a childhood spent reading Erle Stanley Gardner.

Parnell is an actor, who has done summer stock and regional theater, and appeared in a number of movies, including Arnold Schwarzenegger's first movie, Hercules in New York (in which he appeared clad in a leopard skin) and A New Leaf with Elaine May and Walter Matthau.

Parnell is a member of the Writers Guild of America East with several screenplays to his credit, including the underground horror movie C.H.U.D., which has been satirized on Saturday Night Live, the Simpsons, Pushing Daisies, The Dailey Show, and The Colbert Report.

Parnell's career as a professional songwriter began at the age of sixteen, when Pete Seeger sang The Literacy Test Song on the Folkways album, Gazette, Volume 2. Parnell has performed his songs at several mystery conventions, including the Edgar Awards, Magna Cum Murder, Malice Domestic, and the Bouchercon. This year he is performing The Ballad of Alferd Packard,
a song celebrating Denver's most famous cannibal, at the Left Coast Crime banquet.

Parnell Hall is a former President of the Private Eye Writers of America, and a member of Sisters in Crime. He lives in New York City.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A thrill for those who like a cerebral puzzle, December 2, 2003

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: With This Puzzle, I Thee Kill ( A Puzzle Lady Mystery ) (Hardcover)

Sherry Carter is the real puzzle lady who constructs them for a syndicated column but because she is so shy, everyone thinks her aunt Cara Felton is the puzzle maker because she takes the credit and makes public appearances. The truth of the matter is she couldn?t solve a crossword puzzle let alone construct one but she is very good at solving homicides.

Murder is the last thing from Cora?s mind as she gets ready to marry California businessman Raymond Harstein III but Sherry is frantic because she knows nothing about the man. Matters become much worse when Sherry?s best friend announces she is marrying Sherry?s physically abusive ex-husband Dennis and they want her to be the maid of honor. A series of cryptograms threatens Raymond if the wedding isn?t stopped. When the messages are ignored he is murder with Dennis charged for the crime. Cora is positive Dennis didn?t kill anyone and she sets out to prove it to make sure Sherry doesn?t soften towards him and to get her mind off her own grief.

WITH THIS PUZZLE I THEE KILL is the best book in the series because there are two separate, fulfilling sub-plots and the antagonist from either one could be the killer. Parnell Hall has a wicked sense of humor and it comes out through the dialogues of his characters, especially conversations that take place between Cora and her niece. This amateur sleuth novel will be a thrill for those who like a cerebral puzzle.

Harriet Klausner

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Becomes boring, May 27, 2004

By 

Sunnyflmom "sunnyflmom" (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: With This Puzzle, I Thee Kill ( A Puzzle Lady Mystery ) (Hardcover)

I've read all of Parnell Halls books and I much prefer the Stanley Hastings series. The characters in the Puzzle books are very corny and continue to become more so with each subsequent book. I found it very difficult to keep my attention focused on the story. I started this book, put it aside to read other books that caught my interest and only went back to finish it to feel like I've completed the series. I don't think I'll even waste my energy on the next Puzzle book. I do wish there would be another Stanley Hastings book in the future.

5.0 out of 5 stars Best of the Series, March 26, 2011

By 

Sonya Lenzo "Author & Internet Marketer" (Escazu, Costa Rica) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: With This Puzzle, I Thee Kill ( A Puzzle Lady Mystery ) (Hardcover)

I thought this was the best of the Puzzle lady series as it had the most intricate plot so far. There are TWO not one weddings in the works here. And more than one mystery. I don't know if one was not a regular reader (had not read the previous books) if you would pick up on all the plot nuances, but this is a great read for those who have read all the others and are aware of the many previous "relationships" of the Puzzle Lady. The interaction between Cora and her niece are priceless.