A ‘Devilishly Clever’ Companion to the Hit Crime Novel Shotley Bridge Murders.
The author of the hit crime novel Shotley Bridge Murders has released a brand-new companion puzzle book designed to immerse readers even deeper into the world of Detective Constable Heather Hudson.
Shotley Bridge Puzzles invites fans to solve cryptic clues, decode hidden messages, and untangle word mysteries – all directly inspired by scenes, characters, and events in the original novel, which has soared up the charts in Women’s Adventure Fiction on Amazon.
Local writer Bobby Cussens, who lives near Shotley Bridge, says the puzzle book – now available on Amazon – is designed to immerse readers even deeper into the world of Detective Constable Heather Hudson.
And it’s a perfectly cryptic Christmas stocking filler.
“This book is for readers who love to play detective,” says Cussens.
“Some puzzles are straightforward, others are wickedly tricky but all of them reward the careful reader. If you know the book well, you’ll spot hidden clues. If you don’t, you might need some help from Heather Hudson in the original book.”
Described on the cover as a challenge to “find the killer before Heather does,” the puzzle book features 310 crosswords, word searches, cryptograms, missing-vowel puzzles, word scrambles and more – ranging from playful to “devilishly difficult.”
Inside, readers are welcomed with an introduction that promises “the chance to find a murderer, solve the clues and beat Heather Hudson to the final showdown.”
Shotley Bridge Murders is a gripping murder mystery set in County Durham where a brutal killing shatters the calm of a tight-knit community and sparks a hunt for a killer hiding in plain sight.
Cussens’ debut novel stormed up the charts and entered the Top 10 in Women’s Adventure Fiction less than a week after the police procedural was published at the end of November.
Seven puzzle types appear throughout the new book, some offering bonus story insights and fresh twists that reward careful readers of the crime novel.
Some puzzles align with specific moments in the Shotley Bridge Murders timeline, others are just for fun. All solutions ties back to the narrative world Bobby Cussens has created, from real village locations to character relationships and plot developments.
Fans can expect references to key story elements such as The King’s Head, Consett Station, the bridge, forensic clues, suspects, and even chapter-specific vocabulary that only keen readers will recognise.
Whether cracking a cryptogram drawn directly from a character’s dialogue, piecing together a clue hidden in a word search, or solving a crossword based on plot details, readers can explore the fictional investigation from a brand new angle.
The puzzle book is available on Amazon here and the original novel Shotley Bridge Murders is available in paperback and e-book on Amazon and is stocked in selected stores and libraries including Forum Books, Corbridge; Wot Nots, Shotley Bridge; Collected Books, Durham and The Limetree Gallery, Stanhope.
