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A Novel
by Danielle Trussoni
Book Reviewed by:Two sisters. A lost imperial treasure. The world's greatest puzzle master has twenty-four hours to solve the most dangerous mystery of his life ... or die trying, in the new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Puzzle Master, hailed as "thrilling" by David Baldacci.
It is the Year of the Wood Dragon, and the ingenious Mike Brink has been invited to Tokyo, Japan, to open the legendary Dragon Box.
The box was constructed during one of Japan's most tumultuous periods, when the samurai class was disbanded and the shogun lost power. In this moment of crisis, Emperor Meiji locked a priceless Imperial secret in the Dragon Box. Only two people knew how to open the box—Meiji and the box's sadistic constructor—and both died without telling a soul what was inside or how to open it.
Every twelve years since then, in the Year of the Dragon, the Imperial family holds a clandestine contest to open the box. It is devilishly difficult, filled with tricks, booby traps, poisons, and mind-bending twists. Every puzzle master who has attempted to open it has died in the process.
But Brink is not just any puzzle master. He may be the only person alive who can crack it. His determination is matched only by that of two sisters, descendants of an illustrious samurai clan, who will stop at nothing to claim the treasure.
Brink's quest launches him on a breakneck adventure across Japan, from the Imperial Palace in Tokyo to the pristine forests of Hakone to an ancient cave in Kyushu. In the process, he discovers the power of Meiji's hidden treasure, and—more crucially—the true nature of his extraordinary talent.
1
Ise Grand Shrine, Japan
February 23, 2024, The Year of the Wood Dragon
The Shinto priest runs to the temple, lifting the hem of his robes to keep from tripping. There isn't time to waste. The first light of dawn is falling through the trees, casting long shadows over fresh-¬fallen snow. Soon, his brothers will enter the sanctuary and sit before the shrine in prayer. Soon, the most important day of his life will begin, and with it the sacred duty he's spent years preparing to fulfill.
The priest shakes the snow from his robe, bows, and steps into the temple. Incense, thick and fragrant, fills the air. Beyond the shoji doors, candles flicker at the altar, their light bending over copper vessels and pooling over the tatami, leaving him with an impulse to fall to his knees and pray.
It's instinctual. Ingrained. Every day for the past twelve years he's arrived at the temple before sunrise to sit in meditation before the altar. He's never questioned his duty—¬not why he's ...
The Puzzle Box, while set in a new location and with a new challenge, returns to familiar faces and themes. In addition to Brink and Appel, it features an old antagonist, as well as the juxtaposition of modern-day tech elite with elements of mysticism, as Appel believes that Brink's acquired savant abilities make him a "conduit of the gods." Trussoni also resumes her fast-paced storytelling. In 300 pages and over one night, we cover the length of Japan, solve a 74-move puzzle, and unravel the competing motivations of the imperial family, an old samurai clan, and a secretive, powerful faction determined to gain control of mythic keys...continued
Full Review
(509 words)
(Reviewed by Pei Chen).
A. J. Finn, author of the New York Times bestselling The Woman In the Window
Who should read Danielle Trussoni's latest? Readers of breathless adventure in the Dan Brown vein; readers of literate, sophisticated book-club fiction; readers of boldly plotted brainteasers (think classic Agatha Christie, but more provocative); readers who love storytelling so fresh and original that it resists labels. So, who should read The Puzzle Box? In a word: everyone. Catherine Steadman, author of Something in the Water
You'll hit the ground running in this rip-roaring adventure thriller that sends you across the breadth of Japan in search of ancient answers. Trussoni's novel is an escapist puzzle box of delights: a neurodivergent hero, an unsolvable mystery, and death hanging over every move—you'll whip through the pages... . A book, itself, as intricate and surprising as a puzzle box. Jean Kwok, New York Times bestselling author of Searching for Sylvie Lee and The Leftover Woman
The Puzzle Box is a rare treasure: a gorgeous and immersive exploration of power, sisterhood, and culture wrapped in an addictive page-turning adventure filled with royal secrets and mystery. Set in Japan, this novel took me on an adventure like I'd never experienced before. I was up all night turning the pages following these unforgettable characters... . A must-read!
Fictionalized events during Emperor Meiji's ascent to power set the scene for Danielle Trussoni's The Puzzle Box, including the titular puzzle box at the heart of this thriller. The Meiji Restoration era (1868–1889) is widely recognized as laying the foundation for modernizing Japan, and The Puzzle Box references Japan's first constitution, introduced during the period. The broader Meiji era lasted until 1912, with Japan angling for a role on the modern world stage at this point; however, the transition spanning the late Edo to early Meiji era is known as the Restoration.
Unlike most transitions of power, the Meiji Restoration was relatively tranquil; power was not wrested from the ruling Tokugawa shoguns in a violent ...
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