A New Addiction for Crime Fiction Fans

I recently discovered something new, and I might have a problem.

It’s called Murdoku.

A while back, I noticed a friend working on one of these puzzle books. I asked her about it, and she told me how much fun they were. She seemed pretty enthusiastic, so I figured I’d give one a try.

Well, she was right!

If you’re unfamiliar with Murdoku, it’s essentially Sudoku for crime fiction fans. Instead of filling a grid with numbers, you’re solving a murder mystery using logic and deduction.

Each puzzle presents a crime scene divided into rooms, with various pieces of furniture scattered throughout. You’re given a series of clues that help you determine where everything belongs. Using the same basic principles as Sudoku, you work through the grid, eliminating possibilities until you’ve correctly placed all the suspects and solved the puzzle.

Naturally, this was right up my alley.

I’ve spent years writing murder mysteries, creating suspects, planting clues, and sending detectives down the wrong path. Now I’m sitting on the other side of the table, trying to figure out what some other twisted mind has concocted.

And I’m having a blast!

There’s something incredibly satisfying about working through the clues, eliminating possibilities, and eventually arriving at the solution. Of course, there’s also something incredibly frustrating about realizing you’ve made a mistake somewhere along the way.

I think part of the appeal is that each puzzle tells a little story. There’s a crime to solve, and the answer is sitting right there in front of you. You just have to work your way through the evidence.

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

Now I find myself looking forward to having a little downtime so I can tackle another murder. It’s a strange hobby when you put it that way, but I suppose I’ve had stranger ones.