The Enigma Challenge by S. C. Godfrey

5 stars

Sometimes, being contrary can be dangerous. After her ex-boyfriend warns her not to enter The Enigma Challenge, Zoe Wilder doesn’t stop to consider why there is no fine print. What follows is a suspenseful race across Europe with an irresistible man and dire stakes.

Even before the challenge begins, the suspense is already simmering. We know Zoe is going to enter; we know Dane Seaver is going to be significant, but seeing things coming down the pipeline only prepares us so much. The literary cryptograms are fascinating, as is learning about various types of cryptograms. Zoe is, therefore, convincingly brilliant, albeit a bit impulsive. The controlling exes and evildoers are suitably horrific. Zoe’s relationships with her father and sister are heartbreaking, tender, and indomitable. Her new friends bring warmth and an electric anticipation. These characters sing.

The Enigma Challenge is the kind of book that’s hard to put down. It’s fast; it’s driven — excellent craftsmanship. However, there is a brief order-of-operations issue — one that the narrative acknowledges and largely smooths over, though it lingers just enough to feel like something a security expert might have caught sooner. It was momentarily jarring, but the fantastic pacing, the intriguing cryptograms, and edge-of-your-seat suspense pulled me right back in.

If you like your suspense interwoven with a little mystery, logic puzzles, and romance, The Enigma Challenge is perfect for you. It’s tremendous fun, thought-provoking, and deadly dangerous!

Thank you, Viking Penguin, for the opportunity to read The Enigma Challenge. I received a complimentary copy through NetGalley, and I voluntarily wrote this review.