Welcome to Cozy Wednesday!
I am happy to share my thoughts about
Picking Up the Pieces by J.B. Abbott today!
Picking Up the Pieces: A Jigsaw Puzzle Mystery
Cozy Mystery
1st in Series
Setting – Washington State
Publisher : Crooked Lane Books
Publication date : August 12, 2025
Hardcover Print length : 304 pages
ISBN-13 : 979-8892421614
Paperback Print length : 304 pages
ISBN-13 : 979-8892422703
Kindle ISBN-13 : 979-8892421621
ASIN : B0DMTQ5GYN
A dedicated group of jigsaw puzzle enthusiasts must put their problem-solving skills to the test when one of their own is murdered, for fans of Kate Young and Richard Osman.
After her mother’s passing, Katie Chambers returns to Cedar Bay, a serene enclave nestled in the southwest corner of Washington State’s Whidbey Island to support her newly widowed father, Jim Chambers. Stepping into her mother’s footsteps, Katie takes on the role of graphic designer at Cedar Bay Puzzles. With the help of her father, she resurrects her mom’s cherished initiative, the South Island Jigsaw crew, a group of puzzle enthusiasts who gather weekly at the library to test and tackle the latest Cedar Bay Puzzles creations. But when a member of their club is murdered and Jim is the last person to see her alive, resulting in his arrest, Katie and the rest of the gang must use all of their resources to obtain justice for both.
To prove her father’s innocence, Katie reaches out to Connor Crozier, a firefighter and her former flame who shattered her heart seven years ago. With problems piling up at work and a competitor outright accusing CBP of stealing his designs, it is up to Katie to puzzle out the mystery before it’s too late.
Dollycas’s Thoughts
Katie Chambers has come home to Cedar Bay following her mother’s death to not only to be close to her father, but she also fills the vacancy left by her mother’s death at Cedar Bay Puzzles. She even restarts a group her mother started, the South Island Jigsaw crew —a group of puzzle masters who meet at the library to try out prospective puzzles coming out from the company.
When a puzzle creator who is also a member of the South Island Jigsaw crew is killed, Katie’s father Jim appears to be the last person to see her alive, making him the prime suspect in her murder. Katie gathers the crew together, along with firefighter and her ex, Connor Crozier, to help her pull all the pieces of this murder puzzle together to find the real killer and set her father free.
I found the characters in this first Jigsaw Puzzle Mystery very authentic. Katie’s mother was a beloved member of the community. Her father, Jim, is mourning the loss of his wife while trying to move forward. Katie is trying to honor her by continuing the job she loved. The members of the South Island Jigsaw crew include: Ken Gorman, “a sixty-ish Santa Claus of a man,” who is a retired attorney fills his time volunteering. Hannah Jackson is a high schooler and the “reigning two-time Whidbey Island Puzzle Teen Champion and dead ringer for musician Alicia Keys.” Mildred Wilson, “who had to be pushing ninety,” speaks her mind and rolls her eyes as only a woman her age can. Tony Foligno, a former Navy man and the owner of the only Subaru dealership on the island. This group is tight, and each brings their own talents to the group. Connor Crozier is a firefighter, Katie’s ex, and the son of Police Lieutenant Daniel Crozier. I enjoyed meeting them and look forward to getting to know them better as the series progresses.
Elena Larsson was also a member of the group, “an up-and-coming artist at Cedar Bay Puzzles,” who reminded Katie of Selena Gomez, and sadly, our victim. The crew of puzzlers not only wanted to clear Jim of her murder, they wanted justice for their friend. It was frustrating that the police felt they had arrested the right man when everyone knew Jim had to be innocent. The crew focused on a few suspects at first, with different theories on motive. Some had alibis, some needed further investigation. A threat against Katie shook up all the theories, but the pieces of the puzzle just wouldn’t come together. Katie had a mantra, “focus on the whole puzzle”. After trying so hard to find the missing piece, she finally had her A-ha moment. She needed the crew to help her prove it. I was entertained by their plan and the way they worked together, especially when everything didn’t go as planned, which led to an exciting takedown.
Connor Crozier deserves special mention. He had Katie’s back the entire time and went above and beyond what was expected, even going against his father. Katie was cool to him the entire time, but he didn’t back away. Later, a secret is revealed that gives the relationship an entirely new perspective in Katie’s eyes. Being a mom, I understood. It also gives the involved characters more depth and makes them even more genuine in my eyes.
Lines that made me laugh out loud – Mildred to Lt. Crozier – “Here’s a mint. Your breath could drop a dinosaur.”
Picking Up the Pieces is set in an appealing small town and filled with lovable characters whose lives you want to be invested in. Those characters are boxed in a puzzling mystery that tests them and the readers of the book. I love doing jigsaw puzzles, so the jigsaw puzzle theme was a perfect fit. The authors have set this series off to a notable start. I am looking forward to book two!
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. Thank you to Crooked Lane Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC.
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About the Authors
Brian Tracey is the past chairman of DFWCon, Texas’s premier multi-genre writing conference. He’s an active member and long-serving officer of the DFW Writers’ Workshop and a member of International Thriller Writers, serving as a volunteer in several capacities for ITW’s annual conference, ThrillerFest. He’s published business articles and white papers, and his short stories have appeared in Suspense Magazine (written as Patrick J. McKnight). In addition to his thrillers, he also writes cozy mysteries with Jeff Ayers. He lives in Texas with his wife, two children, three cats, and many rabbits who’ve claimed his yard as their own.
Jeff Ayers’s first book was a guide to the world of Star Trek novels for Simon and Schuster, Voyages of Imagination. He read over 550 books for that project and interviewed over 350 people, including William Shatner and John DeLancie. He has been a book reviewer for the Associated Press and Booklist and is currently reviewing for Criminal Element, Library Journal, and firstCLUE. Jeff has interviewed hundreds of authors in newspapers, podcasts, and magazines. He is a retired public librarian and a former coexecutive director of Thrillerfest for International Thriller Writers. He co-writes thrillers about national parks under the name A. J. Landau.
Together they write as J. B. Abbott.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. Receiving a complimentary copy in no way reflected my review of this book. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn a commission from qualifying purchases.” I am also an affiliate of Bookshop.org and I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.” These funds are often used for gift cards and other giveaways.
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