J.D. Croswell
I'm J.D. Croswell, and I write mysteries you don't just read — you solve. Every book turns you into the detective: collect the clues, cross off the innocent, and unmask the killer one puzzle at a time.
When I'm not hiding clues in word searches or burying red herrings in a crowd of suspects, you'll usually find me with a pencil behind one ear, a coffee going cold, and a half-finished puzzle on every flat surface in the house.
Some of my books hide their clues in grids. In Murder Mystery Investigations, every word search is a case file: work the puzzle, weigh the evidence, and name the culprit before the trail goes cold. And in The Crumbs & Clues Cozy Mysteries, written with cozy author Kiera McCoy, you read a warm small-town mystery where every chapter hides a word search — and every word search hides a clue. No gore, no nightmares; just a cup of something hot and the quiet thrill of catching the culprit a half-step ahead of the detective.
The rest put you in a crowd. You get a list of suspects, a handful of fair clues, and one guilty name — cross off everyone who can't fit until a single person is left standing. Same chase, different sizes. Murder On-the-Go is the travel-friendly one: 2,500 suspects, eleven clues, no grids, nothing to charge, small enough to crack a case on a plane. Suspects & Secrets in Cobbleton settles into a cozy small town you can get lost in — 12,000 neighbors, large easy-on-the-eyes print, and exactly one person lying.
And then there's Deaduction Puzzles, which is the one that got away from me. Every suspect gets four facts — a name, a place, a passion, and a room number — so you're never just crossing off a list of names, you're clearing a world of people. The case opens the book, so you're on the ground before you ever pick up a pencil. Every clue is load-bearing, and every puzzle is machine-verified before it ships: exactly one solution, guaranteed, no broken books, ever. The first case, Murder in Santorini, seals off an island with twenty thousand four hundred and sixty-eight people on it and asks you to find the one who did it. Think you've got the name? Come check your answer on this website — I'll show you the island emptying out, clue by clue, until a single person is left standing.
More puzzle-mystery formats are always on the way: same idea, different puzzles, always a murder to solve. Grab a pencil, trust your instincts, and remember — the evidence never lies.
Murder Mystery Word Search: Wedding: 50 Deduction Cases · 200 Word Searches · Find the Weapon, Unmask the Killer
Book 4: Murder Mystery Investigations
Murder Mystery Puzzles50 cases. 50 crime scenes. Till death do us part. From bridal suites to barn loft receptions, someone's been throwing more than the bouquet. This isn't a regular word search book. Every puzzle is a murder mystery. Each case gives you four crime scene grids, a roster of suspects, and a set of evidence. Your job is to work the clues, follow the logic, and answer four questions: who died, what killed them, who did it, and where. Every case fits on one open spread, with clear 12-point grids, and a worked example shows you how it's done. 50 wedding-themed cases. Vows, veils, and vicious guests. Full solutions included. Grab a pencil and a slice of cake. Open a case. Catch a killer.
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By J.D. Croswell
Murder Mystery Word Search: Christmas: 50 Deduction Cases · 200 Word Searches · Find the Weapon, Unmask the Killer
Book 1: Murder Mystery Investigations
Murder Mystery Puzzles50 cases. 50 crime scenes. One very silent night. From reindeer ranches to Christmas markets, someone's been leaving more than presents under the tree. This isn't a regular word search book. Every puzzle is a murder mystery. Each case gives you four crime scene grids, a roster of suspects, and a set of evidence. Your job is to work the clues, follow the logic, and answer four questions: who died, what killed them, who did it, and where. Every case fits on one open spread, with clear 12-point grids, and a worked example shows you how it's done. 50 Christmas-themed cases. Tinsel, toys, and terrible deeds. Full solutions included. Grab a pencil. Open a case. Catch a killer.
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Murder Mystery Word Search: Winter: 50 Deduction Cases · 200 Word Searches · Find the Weapon, Unmask the Killer
Book 2: Murder Mystery Investigations
Murder Mystery Puzzles50 cases. 50 crime scenes. One detective: you. From frozen ponds to fireside libraries, someone's been leaving more than footprints in the snow. This isn't a regular word search book. Every puzzle is a murder mystery. Each case gives you four crime scene grids, a roster of suspects, and a set of evidence. Your job is to work the clues, follow the logic, and answer four questions: who died, what killed them, who did it, and where. Every case fits on one open spread, with clear 12-point grids, and a worked example shows you how it's done. 50 winter-themed cases. Snow, skates, and stone-cold killers. Full solutions included. Grab a pencil and a warm drink. Open a case. Catch a killer.
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Murder Mystery Word Search: Valentine's Day: 50 Deduction Cases · 200 Word Searches · Find the Weapon, Unmask the Killer
Book 3: Murder Mystery Investigations
Murder Mystery Puzzles50 cases. 50 crime scenes. One broken heart. From speed dating lounges to candlelit bistros, someone's been sending more than roses. This isn't a regular word search book. Every puzzle is a murder mystery. Each case gives you four crime scene grids, a roster of suspects, and a set of evidence. Your job is to work the clues, follow the logic, and answer four questions: who died, what killed them, who did it, and where. Every case fits on one open spread, with clear 12-point grids, and a worked example shows you how it's done. 50 Valentine's-themed cases. Roses, romance, and rotten intentions. Full solutions included. Grab a pencil and a box of chocolates. Open a case. Catch a killer.
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Pie Another Day: A Cozy Bakery Murder Mystery Word Search Puzzle — Read the Story, Solve the Puzzles, Catch the Killer
Book 1: The Crumbs & Clues Cozy Mysteries
Cozy Mystery PuzzlesWelcome to Baker Street Bakery, where the cherry pie is famous, the gossip is fresh, and someone's just turned up dead. Pie Another Day is a full cozy mystery you can simply read — or solve alongside it. Each of the 49 chapters comes with a word search, and here's the twist: once you've found every word, one from the list is missing from the grid. That missing word is your clue. Log it in your Detective's Notes, collect all 49, then narrow them to the 8 that truly point to the killer — watch the red herrings that fit a clue or two but never the whole picture. Then turn to the final chapter, where Mabel and Detective Solis lay it all out. Beat them to it, or let them walk you through it. No gore, no nightmares, and on the gentle side — a relaxing place to start if you're new to puzzle mysteries. Sharpen a pencil, pour something hot, and settle in: the kettle's on, and there's a murderer to catch.
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Cherry on Top: A Cozy Bakery Murder Mystery Word Search Puzzle — Read the Story, Solve the Puzzles, Catch the Killer
Book 2: The Crumbs & Clues Cozy Mysteries
Cozy Mystery PuzzlesMariette Pruitt, the late mayor's widow, is found at the foot of the founder's statue. Everyone in Kettle Falls calls it a fall. Mabel Ashford takes one look at the stepladder. It's on the wrong side. And Mariette kept a notebook with half the town in it. The clues are hidden in the puzzles: a word search follows every chapter, and the word you can't find is the evidence. Collect all 49 in your Detective's Notebook, build the killer's profile, and name the culprit before Mabel does. The puzzles are gentle. The cupcakes are fresh. Mariette is still dead. Sharpen a pencil. The second case is yours.
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The Good Old Crimes: Book 1: Large Print Nostalgic Murder Mystery Word Search for Adults & Seniors
Book 1: The Good Old Crimes
Murder Mystery PuzzlesNobody murders anybody with a milkshake anymore. They did in 1958 — and once, memorably, with a roller skate. The good old days were resourceful, and this book keeps the receipts. Sixty cases, five decades, one pencil: twelve apiece from the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, from the malt shop and the church social to the cubicle farm and the basement den. Every case gets a full two-page spread — four scenes to search, six suspects, six pieces of evidence — and then four questions. Who died? What killed them? Who did it? Which room did it happen in? Find the hidden words and the pattern answers you: the object that turns up in two scenes is the murder weapon, the suspect standing in both of those scenes is your killer, and the circled letters nobody used will spell the victim's name. No guessing. Everything you need is printed on the page. Grid letters are set at 18 point, larger than most puzzle books manage, and nothing anywhere in this book is smaller than 16. A worked example up front shows exactly how a solved case looks, and full solutions wait in the back for the nights when a suspect nearly gets away with it. No continuing story and no required order — this one stands alone, and so do the rest. Sharpen a pencil. Somebody has some explaining to do.
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The Good Old Crimes: Book 2: Large Print Nostalgic Murder Mystery Word Search for Adults & Seniors
Book 2: The Good Old Crimes
Murder Mystery PuzzlesThe good old days were resourceful. Somebody managed it at the motel pool in 1958, and somebody else at the arcade bar forty years later — and yes, one of them used a milkshake. Sixty cases, five decades, one pencil: twelve apiece from the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, by way of the shoe store, the tanning room and the multiplex lobby. Every case gets a full two-page spread — four scenes to search, six suspects, six pieces of evidence — and then four questions. Who died? What killed them? Who did it? Which room did it happen in? Find the hidden words and the pattern answers you: the object that turns up in two scenes is the murder weapon, the suspect standing in both of those scenes is your killer, and the circled letters nobody used will spell the victim's name. No guessing. Everything you need is printed on the page. Grid letters are set at 18 point, larger than most puzzle books manage, and nothing anywhere in this book is smaller than 16. A worked example up front shows exactly how a solved case looks, and full solutions wait in the back for the nights when a suspect nearly gets away with it. No continuing story and no required order — this one stands alone, and so do the rest. Sharpen a pencil. Somebody has some explaining to do.
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The Good Old Crimes: Book 3: Large Print Nostalgic Murder Mystery Word Search for Adults & Seniors
Book 3: The Good Old Crimes
Murder Mystery PuzzlesBehind the pharmacy counter, under the lift at the repair garage, and once — memorably — with a roller skate. The good old days were resourceful, and this book keeps the receipts. Sixty cases, five decades, one pencil: twelve apiece from the 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, from the feed store and the diner to the video store and the rave warehouse. Every case gets a full two-page spread — four scenes to search, six suspects, six pieces of evidence — and then four questions. Who died? What killed them? Who did it? Which room did it happen in? Find the hidden words and the pattern answers you: the object that turns up in two scenes is the murder weapon, the suspect standing in both of those scenes is your killer, and the circled letters nobody used will spell the victim's name. No guessing. Everything you need is printed on the page. Grid letters are set at 18 point, larger than most puzzle books manage, and nothing anywhere in this book is smaller than 16. A worked example up front shows exactly how a solved case looks, and full solutions wait in the back for the nights when a suspect nearly gets away with it. No continuing story and no required order — this one stands alone, and so do the rest. Sharpen a pencil. Somebody has some explaining to do.
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Murder at the Book Club: A Cozy Large-Print Find-the-Killer Puzzle for Adults
Book 1: Suspects & Secrets in Cobbleton
Find-the-Killer PuzzlesWelcome to Cobbleton, where everybody knows everybody — and this week, somebody's a killer. The book club met to discuss a cozy little murder mystery. By the end of the evening, they had a real one. Marjorie had found a train ticket in a library book nobody had opened in thirty years — she thought it was a lovely thing to find, and she showed one person. She never came back down from the storeroom. The culprit didn't run. They're still in town, returning library books and saying what a shame it all is, hiding in plain sight on a list of 12,000 perfectly ordinary names. Your job, detective? Read the 9 clues. Cross out every suspect who doesn't fit. Keep going until one guilty name is left standing. It's a whole mystery you solve with a pencil — no gore, no nightmares, just the quiet thrill of the chase. The large-print pages are easy on the eyes, the clues play fair, and the answer waits at the back — with the working, so you can see exactly how it fits. Perfect for armchair detectives, puzzle lovers, and anyone who's ever shouted the answer at a whodunit before the detective caught up. Can you find the killer of Cobbleton?
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Murder at the Hardware Store: A Cozy Large-Print Find-the-Killer Puzzle for Adults
Book 2: Suspects & Secrets in Cobbleton
Find-the-Killer PuzzlesWelcome to Cobbleton, where everybody knows everybody — and this week, somebody's a killer. Mr. Finch came in every Saturday for forty years. This Saturday, he didn't leave. Everyone in town has been in for a tin of paint or a spare key — and one of them came in for something far worse. The culprit didn't run. They're still in town, buying nails and saying what a shame it all is, hiding in plain sight on a list of 12,000 perfectly ordinary names. Your job, detective? Read the clues. Cross out every suspect who doesn't fit. Keep going until one guilty name is left standing. It's a whole mystery you solve with a pencil — no gore, no nightmares, just the quiet thrill of the chase. The large-print pages are easy on the eyes, the clues play fair, and the answer waits at the back — with the working, so you can see exactly how it fits. Perfect for armchair detectives, puzzle lovers, and anyone who's ever shouted the answer at a whodunit before the detective caught up. Can you find the killer of Cobbleton?
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Murder in Santorini: A Suspect Elimination Mystery Puzzle for Adults
Book 1: Deaduction Puzzles
Find-the-Killer PuzzlesThe book opens with a real murder case that puts you on the island before you pick up a pencil. Every suspect has a name, a beach, a passion, and a room number. Not just a list of names — a world of people to clear. Every clue is load-bearing. Zero filler. Zero repetition. If it's printed, it matters. Every puzzle is machine-verified. Exactly one solution, guaranteed. No broken puzzles. Ever. Think you found the killer? Check your answer on our website. 100+ hours of cases across the series. One location. One killer per book. One answer only you can prove.
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Day One: A Find-the-Killer Puzzle for Adults
Book 1: Murder On-the-Go
Find-the-Killer PuzzlesWelcome to the job, rookie. Somebody got killed. I've got 2,500 suspects, a stack of clues, and a retirement date on Friday. You've got a pencil and your first day on the force. You do the math. Every suspect comes with four facts — a name, an airline, a city, and a museum. One of them did it; the other 2,499 just have bad alibis. Read the clues, cross out everyone who doesn't fit, and keep going until a single name is left standing. That name is your killer. No gore, no nightmares, no app, no batteries, nothing to charge — it's light, it fits in your bag, and it asks for nothing but a pencil. Take it on the plane, the train, or the long road trip. Murder On-the-Go is built for armchair detectives who like their whodunit cases smart, portable, and just a little bit smug. Case One: Day One. Pour the bad coffee. Get to work.
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Day Two: A Find-the-Killer Puzzle for Adults
Book 2: Murder On-the-Go
Find-the-Killer PuzzlesWelcome to the job, rookie. Somebody got killed. I've got 2,500 suspects, a stack of clues, and a retirement date on Friday. You've got a pencil and your first day on the force. You do the math. Every suspect comes with four facts — a bookstore, a book title, a last name, and a street. One of them did it; the other 2,499 just have bad alibis. Read the clues, cross out everyone who doesn't fit, and keep going until a single name is left standing. That name is your killer. No gore, no nightmares, no app, no batteries, nothing to charge — it's light, it fits in your bag, and it asks for nothing but a pencil. Take it on the plane, the train, or the long road trip. Murder On-the-Go is built for armchair detectives who like their whodunit cases smart, portable, and just a little bit smug. Case Two: Day Two. Pour the bad coffee. Get to work.
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Day Three: A Find-the-Killer Puzzle for Adults
Book 3: Murder On-the-Go
Find-the-Killer PuzzlesWelcome to the job, rookie. Somebody got killed. I've got 2,500 suspects, a stack of clues, and a retirement date on Friday. You've got a pencil and your first day on the force. You do the math. Every suspect comes with four facts — a last name, a restaurant, a city, and a recipe. One of them did it; the other 2,499 just have bad alibis. Read the clues, cross out everyone who doesn't fit, and keep going until a single name is left standing. That name is your killer. No gore, no nightmares, no app, no batteries, nothing to charge — it's light, it fits in your bag, and it asks for nothing but a pencil. Take it on the plane, the train, or the long road trip. Murder On-the-Go is built for armchair detectives who like their whodunit cases smart, portable, and just a little bit smug. Case Three: Day Three. Pour the bad coffee. Get to work.
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Day Four: A Find-the-Killer Puzzle for Adults
Book 4: Murder On-the-Go
Find-the-Killer PuzzlesWelcome back to the drawer, rookie. Somebody broke into the city aquarium after hours, walked out with the rarest thing in the building, and left the night guard dead behind them. That was years ago. I never closed it. Now it's your case — and I've got 2,500 suspects, a stack of clues, and knees that don't work anymore. You've got a pencil. Let's go. Every suspect comes with four facts — a last name, a sea creature, a car, and a ticket bought at the aquarium that day. One of them did it. The other 2,499 just had a bad day out. Read the clues, cross out everyone who doesn't fit, and keep going until a single name is left standing. That name is your killer. No gore. No nightmares. No app, no batteries, nothing to charge. It's light, it fits in your bag, and it asks for nothing but a pencil. Take it on the plane, the train, or the long road trip — a quiet travel companion for out-thinking a killer before the last clue gives it away. Murder On-the-Go is built for armchair detectives who like their whodunit cases smart, portable, and just a little bit smug. Case Four: Day Four. Pour the bad coffee. Get to work.
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