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Start giftingThe Puzzle Box
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Learn moreNATIONAL BESTSELLER • “A fun, DaVinci Code–style blend of puzzles, mysticism and high-octane action” (People), from the author of The Puzzle Master
“This rip-roaring adventure thriller is an escapist puzzle box of delights: a neurodivergent hero, an unsolvable mystery, and death hanging over every move.”—Catherine Steadman, author of Something in the Water
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.
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.
Danielle Trussoni is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels The Ancestor, Angelology, and Angelopolis, all New York Times Notable Books, and the memoirs The Fortress and Falling Through the Earth, named one of the ten best books of the year by The New York Times Book Review. She writes the monthly horror column for the New York Times Book Review. A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and winner of the Michener-Copernicus Society of America Fellowship, her work has been translated into more than thirty languages.
Edoardo Ballerini has been nominated for several Audie awards and is the recipient of multiple Earphones awards from AudioFile magazine. His screen credits include the feature films Dinner Rush and Romeo Must Die, as well as the television series The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, and 24. To learn more, visit edoardoballerini.com.
Danielle Trussoni is the New York Times bestselling author of the novels The Ancestor, Angelology, and Angelopolis, all New York Times Notable Books, and the memoirs The Fortress and Falling Through the Earth, named one of the ten best books of the year by The New York Times Book Review. She writes the monthly horror column for the New York Times Book Review. A graduate of the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and winner of the Michener-Copernicus Society of America Fellowship, her work has been translated into more than thirty languages.
Edoardo Ballerini has been nominated for several Audie awards and is the recipient of multiple Earphones awards from AudioFile magazine. His screen credits include the feature films Dinner Rush and Romeo Must Die, as well as the television series The Sopranos, Boardwalk Empire, and 24. To learn more, visit edoardoballerini.com.
Reviews
“A fun, DaVinci Code-style blend of puzzles, mysticism and high-octane action.”—People“Trussoni has been a horror fiction star since 2010’s Angelology. This follow-up to 2023’s The Puzzle Master makes clear she’s bigger than any genre. Can’t wait for the movie.”—Bethanne Patrick, CultureWag
“The Puzzle Box isn’t just a worthy sequel to The Puzzle Master—it’s a game-changer. Trussoni takes everything that made the first book great and amplifies it. The stakes are higher, the puzzles more intricate, and the danger more immediate.”—The Bookish Elf
“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.”—Catherine Steadman, author of Something in the Water
“The Puzzle Box by Danielle Trussoni is a mind-bending, enthralling adventure filled with mysteries and intricate puzzles. I found myself turning the virtual pages of my Kindle, unable to put it down. Each scene is vividly etched in my mind, and the book reads like a movie. The storytelling and character portrayal are exceptional, making this one of the best books I have ever read!”—Rekha Rao, The Book Decoder
“In this sequel, Trussoni touches on themes of balance and contentment . . . She also raises questions around human vs. artificial intelligence, a relevant subject for today as we grapple with the possibility that companies like OpenAI and tools like ChatGPT have opened to us.”—Pei Chen, BookBrowse
“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. . . . A must-read!”—Jean Kwok, New York Times bestselling author of Searching for Sylvie Lee and The Leftover Woman
“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.”—A. J. Finn, author of the New York Times bestselling The Woman in the Window and End of Story
“Trussoni’s ingenious Mike Brink returns for the challenge of a lifetime in this superb sequel to The Puzzle Master. . . . Even better than its predecessor.”—Library Journal, starred review
“A smart, captivating novel about unraveling secrets.”—Kirkus Reviews
“The book can be read as a standalone, which means new readers can jump right in, although it’s highly likely they’ll then want to circle back and read the earlier book. A first-rate thriller. More, please!”—Booklist Expand reviews