I picked up The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers thinking it was going to be a cozy mystery, but it turned out to be something a bit different—though no less engaging. Instead of solving a murder, we follow Clayton Stumper, a quirky, 26-year-old who dresses like a grandpa and drinks sherry like your aunt, on a scavenger hunt to uncover the mystery of his birth parents. Raised in the eccentric and fading Fellowship of Puzzlemakers, Clay’s journey is full of puzzles and clues left behind by Pippa Allsbrook, his maternal figure, and a renowned crossword compiler.

The fellowship itself represents the kind of friendships and community many of us dream of creating in adulthood, and the idea of their house functioning like a commune is fun until you meet the various personalities that inhabit it. Unfortunately, Pippa felt more like a stereotype than a fully fleshed-out character, but along with the other members of the Fellowship, she helps bring the house to life with their quirks and eccentricities.

What kept me hooked, though, was Clay himself. He’s compelling—maybe because he’s grieving, maybe because he’s lost, or maybe because he’s so deeply caring toward the others in the Fellowship. Watching him navigate this journey of self-discovery, stepping outside his comfort zone, and unraveling the truth about his past made it impossible for me to bail on this book. The Fellowship of Puzzlemakers turned out to be a heartwarming, though occasionally heartbreaking, story that felt cozy even if it wasn’t the cozy mystery I expected.