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  • Published: 9 September 2025
  • ISBN: 9780857506931
  • Imprint: Bantam
  • Format: Trade Paperback
  • Pages: 368
  • RRP: $34.99
Categories:

Can You Solve the Murder?

  • Antony Johnston




Crime novel meets gamebook in this gripping, inventive locked-room murder mystery, set in a wellness retreat in a country mansion, from award-winning crime author and veteran games writer.

ARE YOU READY TO BE A DETECTIVE?

In this gripping interactive crime novel, at the end of every chapter, YOU choose what to do next…

You arrive at Elysium, a wellness retreat in an English country manor, to investigate a murder. You find the body of a local businessman on the lawn, with a rose placed in his mouth.

When you examine the body, you learn that he fell to his death from the balcony above. But that balcony can only be accessed through a locked door – and the key is missing.

Everyone in Elysium is now a suspect, but who will you interview first? Be careful what you choose, because every decision you make has consequences, and some of them will prove fatal…

Do you have what it takes? Can YOU solve the murder?

Experience a gripping new type of story, unlike anything you’ve read before, from Antony Johnston, award-winning crime author and veteran games writer.

  • Published: 9 September 2025
  • ISBN: 9780857506931
  • Imprint: Bantam
  • Format: Trade Paperback
  • Pages: 368
  • RRP: $34.99
Categories:

Praise for Can You Solve the Murder?

Praise for Antony Johnston:

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'Warm, witty and wildly entertaining'

Katy Watson

'A dog-lover's treat'

S. J. Bennett

'What a delight'

Alice Bell

'Cosy crime at its very best'

Tom Mead

'Simply delightful'

Vaseem Khan

'A fun, witty page-turner'

Ian Moore

This is just glorious! An interactive crime novel where YOU sleuth-for-the-truth! After the first chapter, you’re in the driving seat of the investigation, by collecting clues and choosing which direction you want the story to go in… a must-read for any and all crime fans!

Janice Hallett

A wonderfully intriguing mystery that tests your powers of investigation! Follow leads, find clues, and interrogate suspects in this intricately crafted page-turner! Will you make the right calls and catch the culprit, or will they slip through your fingers?

G. T. Karber, bestselling author of Murdle

I really enjoyed it... a story that grabs you by the arm and drags you in ... because you're deciding what course to follow, you become much more invested in the unfolding story; this is a unique crime-reading experience.

J M Hall

This is a story for puzzle lovers everywhere – but only you can separate the real clues from the red herrings. It’s an unusual tale where you really are the detective, and just make sure you don’t accidentally die in the process. Antony Johnston masterfully guides you through.

S J Bennett

Antony Johnston's imaginative flair and experience as a video game creator shines through every scene of Can You Solve the Murder? Move over Murdle, there's a new game afoot!

Martin Edwards

Fiendishly clever and addictive, this book provides a great workout for the little grey cells.

David Jackson

Can You Solve The Murder? is cunning, clever and so, so compelling! I had the best time trying to beat the book and solve the murder. Filled with clues, codes and more than a few red herrings, it's the perfect read for any armchair detective.

Katy Watson

Nostalgic, compulsive and totally addictive - Can You Solve The Murder? is a masterpiece of interactive storytelling. Prepare your little grey cells to be given a THOROUGH workout as Johnston serves up a delightful slice of puzzling fun.

Jonathan Whitelaw

Antony Johnston’s pedigree in both crime novel and game writing coalesces delightfully here. Can You Solve the Murder allows you to become an amateur Poirot or Miss Marple without ever leaving the comfort of your favourite reading spot. It’s a smart take on the interactive novel formula that will delight crime lovers and gamers alike.

Rhianna Pratchett

Can You Solve the Murder? is great fun, deviously clever and has a plot and characters that make you want to explore every avenue and possibility to discover the truth. Solving the murder after navigating puzzles, twists and turns and a string of red herrings was so satisfying – and now I want to dive back in and see what would happen if I chose a different path!

Sarah Dunnakey

Antony Johnston's Can You Solve The Murder? is a beautifully crafted delight. Not only is it a thoroughly fiendish mystery, but also an intricate puzzle to challenge the over-confident amateur detective, with choices, red herrings, and unpredictable outcomes that will throw you off your case. It's put together with such precision that it's hard to believe anyone could pull off the feat of writing it.

Alice Bell, author of Grave Expectations

A stunning feat of masterful plotting, Johnston makes an intricate idea effortless to sail through. This is the perfect test of wits for readers who love to race the detective to the solution.

Ande Pliego

If you're a fan of both puzzles and crime fiction...you're going to love this new interactive crime novel. (A) fiendish whodunit.

My Weekly

Combines the intrigue of fair-play detective fiction with the excitement of a Choose Your Own Adventure book in this entertaining whodunit.

Publishers Weekly

Notebooks at the ready - a fiendish puzzle!

Fiona Erskine, author of The Chemical Detective and Losing Control

A superior interactive crime story is always a delight. Sharpen your wits: this clever, intricate book is a highly entertaining mental workout.

Guardian
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