The Riddle Maker by Bruce Borgos

The Riddle Maker by Bruce Borgos
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Genre:
Published: Nov. 17, 2026
Porter Beck is the sheriff of Lincoln County, Nevada, a vast expanse of desert and mountains best known to the outside world for the top-secret installation called Area 51. Just down the highway sits a weathered mailbox where UFO believers leave messages for aliens. But this time, the message is for Beck.

Krysten’s Review

This was my first Bruce Borgos book, and overall I enjoyed it. I could tell that it was not the first in the series, but it can be read as a standalone. For the most part, I enjoyed Borgos’ writing style, but there were some passages of heavy description and oddly abrupt transitions/chapter endings that felt a little jarring.

The characters are rich and three-dimensional, but at the same time, I didn’t feel especially attached to any of them. Most of the book is told from Porter’s perspective but there were some POV shifts throughout. The way they were spaced out felt a little uneven: There were long blocks told from Porter’s POV, and then the one scene with the antagonist and another character head hopping back and forth.

The mystery was satisfying, the climax exciting, and I appreciated how all the loose ends were tied up, even if some were a little too convenient. The story did drag a little too far past the climax/resolution, but it was purposeful.

The publisher sent me an invitation to read email, and I thought, “why not?” I probably wouldn’t have otherwise picked it up. It was a good book, though I don’t know if I’ll read any more by this author. I personally prefer a faster paced thriller versus a mystery, but it was a nice palate cleanser and I enjoyed reading it. I would recommend it to mystery readers, but thriller readers may get a little bored at the slower pace.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press / Minotaur Books for a complimentary ARC of this novel.

4.1Overall Score

The Riddle Maker by Bruce Borgos

Nevada sheriff Porter Beck receives an anonymous riddle leading him to a body hidden for decades, leading him to uncover and stop a long-time serial killer.

  • Plot
    4.5
  • Characters
    4.0
  • World
    4.5
  • Writing Style
    3.7
  • Ending
    4.0

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