Puzzling Stories

Many films and novels defy our ability to make sense of the plot. While puzzling storytelling, strange incongruities, inviting enigmas and persistent ambiguities have been central to the effects of many literary and cinematic traditions, a great deal of contemporary films and television series bring such qualities to the mainstream—but wherein lies the attractiveness of perplexing works of fiction? This collected volume offers the first comprehensive, multidisciplinary, and trans-medial approach to the question of cognitive challenge in narrative art, bringing together psychological, philosophical, formal-historical, and empirical perspectives from leading scholars across these fields.

Murder Most Puzzling is a gorgeous and witty book that invites readers to play detective and solve a series of absorbing, murder-mystery-themed puzzles. Readers are cast as the faithful sidekick to amateur sleuth Medea Thorne in order to solve 20 puzzling cases. Meet a cast of colorful characters—from ghost hunter extraordinaire Augustin Artaud, to Leonard Fanshawe, a competitor in the Annual Perfect Pickled Foods Festival. • A witty riff on the classic whodunit that brings out everyone's inner detective • Each mystery is sumptuously illustrated. • The mysteries require different deductive tactics, making them a good brain exercise A body in the topiary garden, a death at a clairvoyants' convention, and the mysterious accident of the boating lake—prepare for a whirlwind adventure, laced with humor and a dash of the macabre. This book will delight fans of Agatha Christie, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Edward Gorey. • This is a collection of darkly humorous puzzles. • Features illustrations in a gorgeous gothic style by Stephanie von Reiswitz • Perfect for Edward Gorey fans, mystery buffs, puzzle addicts, and fans of true crime podcasts and TV shows • You'll love this book if you love books like The Gashlycrumb by Edward Gorey, File Under: 13 Suspicious Incidents by Lemony Snicket, and The Composer Is Dead by Lemony Snicket.

The TREASURE'S TROVE COMPANION was written to get readers thinking about treasures and treasure hunting. It was also written to encourage the ability to see things that you don't ordinarily see - like the clues that are hidden in the fairy tale that will lead you to twelve beautiful jewels.

Snag a pencil. Sink into a silly story. Solve the puzzles and save the day! Say goodbye to boring downtime and hello to Puzzlooies!, the latest in portable entertainment. Meant for kids to write in, these illustrated and compact books flip up like a reporter’s notebook, making them perfect for fast fun while on-the-go. Each zany adventure is packed with eclectic puzzles to decipher and decode—as well as jokes, riddles, and true trivia galore that’ll keep readers laughing 'til the very end . . . if they can reach it! In The Last Donut, Danny’s favorite bakery has inexplicably closed. All that’s left of the shop is one (and very valuable) donut. Danny vows to find it, but he’s not the only one searching for the scrumptious treat. A town-wide donut hunt has begun, and it’s up to you to help Danny find the last donut! Solve the puzzles inside and win the delicious race!

For one, I have never been one of those who apologize for my frank and never-ending delight in mystery stories. Their mazes have led me unwearied through miles of printed pages, and if only the problem has been worth while, and its pursuit has led along surprising ways, past shuddery thickets and over fearsome bridges, my soul has returned to sober affairs refreshed and content. In a word, here is a remarkable volume which shows us how the wheels go round, not by dogmatic statement, but by an amazing breadth and variety of citation and quotation, showing not only what great mystery writers have thought of their art, but illustrating by apposite examples how they secured their effects.

Snag a pencil. Sink into a silly story. Solve the puzzles and save the day! Say goodbye to boring downtime and hello to Puzzlooies!, the latest in portable entertainment. Meant for kids to write in, these illustrated and compact books flip up like a reporter’s notebook, making them perfect for fast fun while on-the-go. Each zany adventure is packed with eclectic puzzles to decipher and decode—as well as jokes, riddles, and true trivia galore that’ll keep readers laughing 'til the very end . . . if they can reach it! In Mystery at the Mallard Mansion, renowned private eye Detective Stanley Dench is hired by world-famous movie star Marvin Mallard to find his missing award. When the detective arrives at Marvin’s mansion, he discovers the star has become a dead duck! Why would anyone murder Marvin, and who is responsible for this feather-ruffling crime? Solve the puzzles inside and quack the case with Detective Dench!