A Puzzle Lover’s Delight: A Review of The Contest by Jeff Macfee
The minute I stumbled upon The Contest, I knew I’d found a gem that combined a dash of nostalgia with a brain-teasing plot. Jeff Macfee has orchestrated a cozy mystery that sings to the puzzle enthusiast in me, drawing me in with its intricate schemes and the whimsical setting of a theme park devoted entirely to riddles and logic. As someone who adores mysteries that challenge the mind alongside a sprinkle of humor, I felt an immediate connection to this book’s premise.
From the outset, we meet Gillian Charles, a once-renowned puzzle prodigy whose career took a nosedive, leaving her in a financial lurch as she wrestles with mounting medical bills for her mother. The tension between personal struggles and the allure of her former brilliance set the stage for an intriguing comeback. When Tommy, her childhood rival, swoops back into her life with a tantalizing offer, I could almost feel Gillian’s mix of apprehension and temptation. The stakes? A $50,000 prize to uncover a mole leaking answers at Miscellany, a whimsical theme park. What could go wrong in a place filled with secrets and familiar foes?
Macfee’s writing shines with lighthearted humor, capturing Gillian’s snarky, cynical disposition perfectly. Her inner monologues had me chuckling out loud, especially when she asked poignant questions that only someone who’s been burned before would consider. One moment of clarity came when Gillian reflects on her past: "The puzzle doesn’t define me; it’s a part of me that I can’t escape." This quote resonated deeply with me, highlighting how our pasts, however cumbersome, shape our decisions.
The atmosphere of Miscellany—my new fictional favorite place, part Disneyland and part cunning playground—was nothing short of enchanting. The author crafts it so vividly that I could almost hear the laughter of jubilant puzzle-lovers and feel the thrill of competition in the air. It’s a place where the charms of your childhood collide with a darker undercurrent of competition and betrayal, making the reader constantly question who can truly be trusted.
Yet, while I relished the unfolding mystery of betrayals and alliances, I felt some secondary characters, like Tommy and Martin, could have been richer, their motivations a shade too superficial against the backdrop of Gillian’s emotional struggles. And just when I thought I had the layers of deception nailed down, the ending sprinted away, leaving me craving just a few more pages to catch my breath.
The Contest is an engaging read that showcases a unique blend of cozy crime and emotional depth, proving that life’s puzzles extend beyond mere games. It’s a wonderful fit for fans of whimsical whodunits like Knives Out and The Queen’s Gambit, as it combines clever deductions with a solid emotional core.
If you appreciate a mystery that substitutes gore for wit and complexity, then Jeff Macfee’s latest offering will not only entertain you but may inspire a few self-reflections of your own. After turning the final page, I found myself both amused and contemplative—a true testament to the power of a well-spun tale. Cozy mysteries like The Contest remind us that the past may remain neatly packaged in puzzles, but they can also lead to unexpectedly profound truths. Grab a cup of tea and settle down; you’re in for quite the whimsical ride!