Paul Elgood

I do puzzle book writing and publishing mostly associated with the Sherlock Holmes stories.

Author of ‘SHURDLE: Sherlock Holmes Puzzles’ Volumes 1&2, ‘The Puzzling Cases of Sherlock Holmes’, ‘Shurdoku: Sherlock Holmes Number Puzzles’ and the ‘221 Clues’ puzzle ebook. Link in bio on where to buy my books.

In 2023, I also researched and wrote a short publication ‘Collecting Sherlock Holmes: A short guide to collecting the early editions of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes books, 1887 – 1930’. Which is now free to download on my links page – geeks love it!

I’m a recent graduate of City Lit’s brilliant ‘Getting Away With Murder: How to Write Crime Fiction’.

Praise for SHURDLE Vol 1:

“Shurdle brilliantly combines the intrigue of Sherlock Holmes with the challenge of logic puzzles. The book is structured with a narrative that guides you through a series of cases, each one presenting a unique set of puzzles that must be solved to advance. More than just a collection of puzzles—it’s a literal journey through the world of Sherlock Holmes.” MX Publishing Annual Review of Books

“Fans of logic puzzle books will enjoy the chance to immerse themselves in the world of Sherlock Holmes.” Reedsy review

“Captures the spirit of Sherlock Holmes.” Amazon review “Great fun for fans of the great man and puzzlers alike.” Amazon review “…must read for any Sherlock Holmes enthusiast who loves a good puzzle.” Amazon review “Prolific Sherlock Holmes puzzler.” #SherlockPuzzle “…great fun! What a neat idea, can’t wait to dive in.” Ebay review “Excellent!” Ebay review “Great puzzles” Ebay review

Praise for SHURDLE Vol 2:

CWA Read of the Month June 2025

“…recently celebrated as the Crime Writers Association (CWA) Read of The Month, and fans worldwide are already raving about this latest volume.” MX Publishing

“Following the success of the first volume, Shurdle Volume 2 delves deeper into the world of Sherlock Holmes, offering readers a collection of intricate puzzles woven into compelling mysteries. This installment expands on its predecessor by introducing a variety of new puzzle types, including Dreadnought and Logic Puzzles, alongside returning favorites like Shurdoku.”goodreads review

“Shurdle Volume 2 is a worthy successor to the original, offering a blend of intriguing mysteries and challenging puzzles that will delight fans of Sherlock Holmes and puzzle enthusiasts alike. The author’s ability to intertwine narrative and puzzle-solving creates an engaging and thoughtful experience. Whether you’re a longtime Holmes aficionado or a newcomer to the world of Shurdle, this volume promises hours of entertainment and mental stimulation.” goodreads review

Praise for Puzzling Cases:

“Paul Elgood’s Murder Board Mysteries are aimed at age 12 plus readers, and children will surely love posers with such title as The Puzzling Case of the Toxic Easter Bunny, The Puzzling Case of Ken the Fish and The Not so Puzzling Case of the Savage Squirrel.

Each case comprises four suspects, four locations, four motives and four weapons. The puzzler then receives four clues, four hints and four statements to help solve the mystery. Since the book is clearly aimed mainly at teenagers and young adults, I am relieved to be able to say that I was able to pinpoint the villains each time without too much trouble. This would be a fun game played alone or in a group.”

“The book contains 42 Murder Board puzzles. Cases with suspects, clues, weapons, statements etc, and you have to solve each case.

Paul Elgood has done a fantastic job constructing fun logic puzzles with a Sherlock Holmes twist.

Try them by yourself or maybe as a team effort as a party game. I can see them working really well as team bonding exercises for businesses (if anyone does that anymore).

Highly recommended.“