Stella Sands' Wordhunter is one of one my favorite reads this year. Maggie is a motorcycle riding, pierced and tattooed Florida College student, scorned for her genius and ability to break down sentences into answers. Maggie reminds me a lot of Lisbeth Salander of " Dragon Tattoo" fame.
When her college professor sends Maggie to the local police over a series of "stalker" notes, she easily finds the culprit. Maggie becomes friends with the police chief and a wary officer Jackson, whom she reluctantly teams up with to investigate a series of murders.
Two side stories intersect. Maggie still searches for her missing best friend, who disappeared years before. And she must also deal with her overzealous college professor, who threatens to ruin her future.
Sands amuses the reader with Maggie's breakdown of sentences from famous novels while seeking the source of a missing girl. Wordhunter has all the makings of a wonderful series with a heroine as brave as she is weird.

I really and truly loved the concept of this book and I am so grateful I got to read an advanced copy.

I feel like there are so many elements here for the making of an incredibly unique mystery/thriller. I have never read a book that has a main character who is an expert in forensic linguistics and tbh I never even thought of that as a career option. I loved how educated the author was on this topic and I feel like I learned a lot about what that could look like. There was a lot of sentence diagramming which I don't really remember from school but enjoyed that Maggie, our MC, used this as a coping skill and applied it to several different books. movies, songs, and other recognizable works.

My biggest complaint with the book is that it felt like the author was writing it like they were running out of time. There were several characters who were introduced in a way that felt like we should be more familiar with them or that we would become more familiar by the end but then never fully developed.

At times I experienced whiplash from conversations with characters that felt like they had jumped ahead a few steps and this was similar for plotlines. And the plotlines were aplenty. In the end I felt dissatisfied with a lot of the relationships and how a few storylines were left hanging. I do recognize the opening for this to become a series which I think I would enjoy if more time was spent on character development and tying up loose plot holes and less on sentence diagramming.

I think this book gets in its own way a little. The core story has a solid plotline and cast of characters, with a satisfying conclusion - but there's too much extra stuff going on that distracts from it. It makes me wonder if the author was trying to throw the reader off from solving the main mystery too quickly by throwing in unrelated characters and side plots. There's too much left unresolved at the end, potentially trying to tee up for a sequel? But it didn't exactly leave me wanting more. I did enjoy the linguistics aspect of the plot, and the buddy-cop dynamic between the main character and the detective was endearing.

I'm pretty torn on Wordhunter.

On the plus side, I liked the main character. I appreciated that she was smart and a little quirky, but also plenty capable of standing up for herself. I love linguistics (not to the same extent), so it was super cool to read that kind of thing here.

On the other hand, the storyline with the professor (and I won't spoil it, but TW for sure) was almost completely unnecessary. It wasn't wrapped up at the end, and it just seemed secondary. It almost felt like Sands started writing one story, and pivoted halfway through. I mean, there were two characters introduced 75% of the way in the book, and our main character had to explain their presence with information that wasn't anywhere else in the book...and then they were only mentioned once more.

Overall, it was an interesting concept, but fell short on execution.

An interesting story. The main character was unique and so smart, but she does have problems. There has to be a next book to answer questions. The one character rescued is quite a coinsidence. ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for a fair review..

Wordhunter by Stella Sands is a brilliant novel about a college student who’s a forensics linguistics genius and when asked, offers her expertise to the police to solve a crime. When the crime is solved, Maggie receives an award.

Then she asks the detective she’s helped to try to solve an old case, her childhood girlfriend who went missing and was never found. Jackson’s not sure he can but eventually she convinces him to take a look.

Meanwhile she’s become a T.A. for one of her professors who thinks she’s really a good student but he tries to sexually assault her. She gets away and resigns her T.A. position but Dr. Ditmore threatens to make sure her grant is rescinded and she doesn’t get in graduate school if she doesn’t continue to work for him.

In addition, the daughter of the local mayor is abducted and Maggie tries to help, but there may be devastating consequences.

You’ll definitely want to ready this quirky but wonderfully written book!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC.

Sheila Sands created one of the most interesting and engaging characters in Maggie Moore., with her motorcycle, her piercings, her tattoos and fascinating addiction to diagramming sentences, is a unique and interesting character. I found ever page of this book delightful.

Along the way, Maggie is asked (through the college she attends) to work with the police and assist them by attempting to find a kidnapped girl by analyzing the kidnapper's notes for clues based upon various linguistic characteristics.

As a longtime scholar of words, linguistics and mysteries, I found this book to be an extremely clever and satisfying mystery, with so much to offer!

My hope is that Sands brings Maggie back and bases a long series on her abilities, I think the author struck gold by creating such an engaging character.

I loved this book, and I am looking forward to buying copies for family members and friends.

5 stars from this thrilled reader, for mystery fans and word lovers alike, Sheila Sands is definitely one to watch, if things happen as they should, I expect to see much more in the future from this skilled author.

Fans of mysteries and psychological thrillers should give this book a read, I LOVE this book!

Maggie is a linguistic genius, traumatized by the disappearance of her childhood best friend, obsessed with finding her, and planning for a future in forensic science. Unfortunately, she is also an alcoholic, engages in high risk behavior, and to top it off, has a self-described potty mouth.

The writing is quite good, and I was enjoying myself until I realized that Maggie is not just “…a bit of a mess” as described by the publisher. She is a walking disaster.

My dislike for Maggie’s character was so strong that it completely overshadowed my admiration for her cleverness and unique talents, and that is why I stopped reading at around 40%. It is impossible to root for a character who is a drunk driver, and this novel seems to maybe want to be part cozy mystery with quirky characters, but Maggie is reprehensible and confusing. She is supposed to be a millennial but comes across as a woman in her 60s. (She is in her early 20s and has cultural references such as Kenny Rogers and Kris Kristofferson?). I am hoping she will have a redemption arc in the future, but I won’t be sticking around to find out. It is a shame, because this is a clever idea for a mystery, and I loved all the literary references.

This had such a promising start, but really unraveled in the last third or so. The author threw everything but the kitchen sink into the resolution and the story really suffered for it. A tightly plotted beginning turned into a stream of consciousness ramble, frequently stretching credulity.

Interesting mind game/ puzzle that unravels before your eyes. I enjoyed Maggie’s character and personal development. Fast and easy read!

As a Language Arts teacher and a word nerd, i enjoyed this book. It was interesting, unique and fast-paced. It was an enjoyable read.

Wordhunter is a unique fast-paced mystery for anyone who enjoys procedurals and especially word puzzles. Maggie Moore is in graduate school to become a forensic linguist. She is a genius with language but her personal life is a mess. She drinks and smokes to excess and is obsessed with the disappearance of her childhood best friend. When the mayor’s daughter goes missing, her professor recommends her as a consultant to the local police to help analyze notes left by the kidnapper.
This book has a lot going on but it never gets confusing or bogged down. Instead it kept me totally invested in cold case from Maggie’s childhood, the current case of the missing girl, her struggles and victories in graduate school, and her relationships with her friends, professors, and cops. One case is still not completely resolved at the end of the book so I am hoping there is a sequel or even and entire series in the works.
#Wordhunter. #NetGalley

"Wordhunter" is a quirky detective story that hooked me from the start with its unique premise. Maggie Moore, with her tattoos and piercings, is not your typical genius, but her knack for analyzing words and speech patterns makes her a captivating protagonist. As a graduate student studying forensic linguistics, she's roped into helping the local police crack cases using her uncanny linguistic skills.

The book falls into a cozy mystery-meets-police procedural vibe, making it a fast and enjoyable read. The ambiguous ending suggests the potential for a series, which could be intriguing for fans of the genre.

However, while the concept of forensic linguistics is fascinating, the execution left something to be desired. The story sometimes overestimates the reader's understanding, delving into complex linguistic concepts without providing enough explanation. This made certain parts of the plot feel like a textbook rather than a gripping mystery.

Moreover, the writing itself felt amateurish at times, with rudimentary dialogue and underdeveloped characters. I struggled to connect with the characters, as they lacked distinct voices and depth.

Additionally, the inclusion of unnecessary plot lines detracted from the main story, feeling like filler rather than adding substance. Despite these flaws, the book shows promise and could benefit from more development and a sharper editor.

Overall, "Wordhunter" has the potential to be a captivating series with its original premise and intriguing protagonist. With some refinement, it could appeal to fans of cozy mysteries and police procedurals alike.

Flashback to your high school lit classes: do you remember how to diagram a sentence?? If you do, this book is most definitely for you. I felt some of the plots definitely had holes in them and maybe too many side-plots, but overall the vibes of this book is like walking into your favorite lit teacher or professor’s room, excited to get to discuss your new favorite book with them and your classmates.

***Contains SPOILERS*** ...
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Let me start by saying that I really like the concept of a linguist helping the police to solve crimes. But the execution did not work for me. I found this book unfocused, predictable, gimmicky, and poorly written. There are three major plot points: the main character's missing friend, her academic career/relationship with her professor, and the crime she is helping the police to solve. I'd lose at least one of these plot points to give the other plotlines room to breathe, The academic stuff/professor can easily go. I also didn't care for the missing friend plotline -- which, of course, has a connection to the current case! And, of course, she's a flawed character because she's the product of a rape, which, surprise, ends up happening to her too! And of course her partner becomes a love interest by the end. And, of course, the police chief did it! Very trope-y, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but, in this case, it was since it was many tropes rolled into one. The only parts of this story I liked were the linguistic explanations -- I think the character's work with the police should have been the focus. And on that note, I think the quotes should be written out normally under the diagrammed sentences. Additionally, the dialogue and prose felt very clunky, the timing of events in the story felt off, and some of the events felt forced/inauthentic. For example, the first case the police use to test her is about a woman who received threatening text messages. The police put surveillance on her to see if she was being stalked. This would never happen. Police would never do anything about text messages, let alone use their manpower for that. They often can't/won't do anything when a confirmed stalker is threatening a victim! Anyway... I think the idea is there, but this needs some heavy editing,

I really enjoyed reading this, it had a great detective feel to it and that the main character had a unique gift to her to solve crimes. It had a strong concept and worked with the genre perfectly, I was never bored reading this and had a suspenseful read. Stella Sands has a great writing style that left me wanting more.

Maggie Moore, forensic linguist graduate student at Rosedale University in Florida, is fascinated with words. She lives in a run-down house filled with hundreds of books, rides a bike, sports multiple piercings and tattoos and works as a part-time waitress. She is haunted by the disappearance of her childhood friend Lucy. Professor Ditmire, the academic affairs coordinator at Rosedale, offers her a research assistantship, and because of her genius with words, she is also enlisted to help detective Silas Jackson decipher a stalker’s messages. Maggie solves the first case and is enlisted to help with next case- the kidnapping of the mayor’s young daughter. Gradually she develops a rapport with Jackson as he also helps her dig deeper into Lucy’s disappearance. Despite the drugs and drinking, things are going well for Maggie academically; she is shortlisted for a grant on threat assessment. But there is a sudden shift in the plot and things start going downhill for her. Abuse and accusations ensue, and she spirals into addiction. With Jackson’s help, she resumes the investigation which ends with a shocking revelation.

The plot and the protagonist are unique: a tough, nerdy forensic linguist with a genius for deciphering messages by word and sentence diagrams. But there are some bizarre twists and loose ends, and the strong language, abuse, stalkers, and drugs overwhelm the plot. Overall, a fast-paced crime thriller.

Thanks to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the ARC.

I haven't seen fiction about forensic linguistics before. The story was intriguing and the explanations of linguistics were thorough and understandable.
There were a lot of side characters who weren't fully explored, and the story about the professor didn't seem to fit with the crime solving story.
I would recommend this book to readers who like police procedurals, unique crime solving techniques, or if they are looking for a new series (based on the ening, I assume there will be at least one more book).

I really enjoyed this book! The sentence diagrams, word puzzles, and the whole linguistic slant of the book appealed to my word nerdiness. I did figure it out before the reveal, but that's okay! Also, a plus that it takes place in Central Florida! The ending leaves it open for more, and I certainly hope there is!
Thank you to @NetGalley @HarperPerennial and Stella Sands for the advanced copy!

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins publishing and Stella Sands for a free advanced copy in return for my honest review. Next, I would like to mention some potential trigger warnings for this book (as I didn’t see them all mentioned myself before reading): SA, rape, drug/alcohol abuse, and brief mentions of sexual contact with minors.

Overall, I think the book has strong potential. It has a great premise, and the pacing was just right for me throughout most of it. However, some of the dialogue between characters or certain actions they took did kind of take me out of the story. I also felt like certain storylines were rushed or not developed as well as they could’ve been, which would’ve served to further invest me in both the overall story and characters. Unfortunately, I wasn’t overly attached to anyone in this story. I think that could’ve been remedied if we learned more about the characters in more of a “show, don’t tell” fashion. There were a few times where I felt like I was being overly monologued at, particularly towards the end, when I would’ve much rather had several more chapters to flesh these things out. Lastly, the diagramming of sentences was fascinating to me, but also sometimes confusing. I feel like perhaps the process of how Maggie diagrammed sentences could’ve been explained in further detail, which might’ve helped us readers better understand, especially when it came to the longer sentences.

However, I was never bored during reading and ate the entire thing up in just three days (and really, it could’ve been two). I am interested in hearing more about what may happen with Lucy, and would potentially give a second book a chance. As is, I think this book would be great for someone looking to pick up some “light” reading (in terms of pacing/length, not content), which we could all use sometimes.