Writing under the pseudonym “Torquemada”, Mathers was widely regarded as one of the best writers in the world when it comes to the murder mystery puzzle genre.
Often compared to a long-form riddle or literary cryptic crossword, this puzzle book was first released in 1930.
The book has been so highly thought of for so long that a Crowdfunding publisher managed to re-release the book as a new standalone edition in 2019.
Once part of the Torquemada Puzzle Book, Cain’s Jawbone is a 100-page puzzle book that was designed to put the reader’s skills to the test.
What makes this puzzle so hard is that all of the pages are in the wrong order.
It is down to the reader to solve the puzzle. To do so, readers must determine the correct page order and the names of the victims and murderers in the story.
The puzzle book is so hard to solve that the answer has never been made public.
If you liked Cain’s Jawbone, you’ll also enjoy Could You Survive Midsomer, The Cypher Files, The Paper Labyrinth, Who Killed The Robins Family, and Montague Island Mysteries. These addictive puzzle books will drive you crazy!
Themes In Cain’s Jawbone
Reader Interaction
Easily the most common and most important theme in Cain’s Jawbone is reader interaction.
The whole idea of this book is to engage the reader in an addictive puzzle that seems almost impossible to solve.
The reader will have to work hard to crack the puzzle. If they can, they should be able to work out who the victims and murderers in the story are.
Murder
In terms of themes found in the story, this book centers around murder.
It is down to the reader to find the people responsible for six murders. As a result, this book features crime scenes, grizzly murders, murderers, and violence.
Only by unscrambling the pages will the reader be able to find the murderers.
Mystery
As you would expect from an addictive murder mystery puzzle book, one of the most common themes throughout is mystery.
Mathers has brilliantly put together a story that can only be solved using great skill and intelligence.
The book is designed to keep the reader guessing right until the very end.
Having said that, there is no guessing in Cain’s Jawbone. It takes great patience and skill to crack the case.
Patience
Finally, patience is also a key theme presented in this book. The mystery wasn’t designed to be solved straight away.
Instead, Mathers wants the readers to work hard for the answers.
In fact, it could be argued that the puzzle is impossible to solve without a great deal of patience.
If you liked Cain’s Jawbone simply for its puzzle, the Cypher Files are perfect for you.
Unlike Could You Survive Midsomer, this book focuses more on cracking codes than the actual outcome of the story.
Likened to an escape room in a book, the book makes you an agent of C.Y.P.H.E.R. As a member of this secret international agency, you are tasked with solving a selection of “unsolvable” cases.
Every case in the book requires you to crack a code. You must investigate the cryptic clues to solve mysterious disappearances.
Every page has a new puzzle and to progress, you first have to submit the previous answer online.
Pros
This book is very hands-on, making the experience more unique and exciting.
Every page offers a new puzzle.
Cons
The book does ask you to go online.
Themes: Mystery, crime, code-breaking, ciphers, cryptic puzzles, and reader interaction.
The best part about it is that you get to join in with them.
Transporting you to another world, this book takes you to the luxurious island home of a wealthy couple.
As you make your way through the book, you’ll come to learn more about each guest, the island, and the house.
If you’re lucky, you might even uncover some mysteries about the mansion.
Pros
Montague Island Mysteries comes with maps of the island to enhance the reader’s experience.
The book’s clever plot makes the reader feel part of the story.
Cons
The puzzles in this book might be too hard to solve.
Themes: Immersion, murder, mystery, adventure, friends, and puzzles.
Final Thoughts
Most murder mystery puzzle book fans will argue that Cain’s Jawbone is by far the best murder mystery puzzle book ever released.
Whilst I would probably agree with that statement, there are definitely other murder mystery puzzle books out there that readers can enjoy.
In this post, I’ve shown you 5 addictive mystery puzzle books that offer readers an immersive experience.
Full of challenges, mystery, tasks, and entertaining storylines, the books on this list offer readers a great escape from reality.
Another great thing about the books on this list is that they offer versatility.
Almost every book on this list features multiple endings, interconnecting puzzles, and changeable pathways.
Now all that’s left to do is for you to choose the puzzle book you want to read first.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many People Have Solved Cain’s Jawbone?
Only four people have ever come forward to say that they have solved Cain’s Jawbone. The most recent person to do so was comedy writer John Finnemore in 2020.
Is There Still A Prize Available To Those That Solve Cain’s Jawbone?
Yes, readers that solve Cain’s Jawbone are given approximately $400 worth of Unbound Books credit. You’d also be only the fifth person to solve the book.
How Many Cain’s Jawbone Combinations Are There?
Cain’s Jawbone is believed to be the hardest mystery to solve in literary history. There are more than 30 million potential combinations, but only one is right.
Noah Burton works as a Librarian full time, and is a blogger in his spare time. His goal is to write compelling recommendations for all of the most popular books he can find, from science fiction to romance.
With a passion for books, a drive to find new reads to get stuck into, and a love for sharing book recommendations with others, Noah can help you find the next novel for your bucket list.
