I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

True Crime Trivia and Activity Book is the perfect book for any true crime fan or lover of puzzles. The book is filled with a range of different types of activities to do such as cryptography, suduko, spot the difference (crime scene style), fingerprint match, trivia, and much much more. What made this book do much more appealing to me as a puzzle lover was the fact that it was based on true crimes woven through each puzzle. It's definitely a great book to do with family, on a rainy day, or to decompress. Some took me a few days to work out, and others I flew through, but I'd say there's something for everyone in this book.

Not at all what I expected when looking at the cover and blurb.
I thought this book would be more trivia and informative but is actually a game book with a minimal true crime flare. Nearly impossible to play and judge via ebook ARC I received other than being disappointed.

This book is perfect for people who enjoy trivia and puzzles as well as true crime.
It was fun to flip through and see all the activities included and how the author made them true crime themed. Some of them, e.g., the number puzzles, couldn't really be thematic, but that's okay!
I'm a huge fan of the logic puzzles so I always look for those!

Thanks to the publisher for the eARC; all opinions are my own.

Full of fascinating true crime facts, Barnes' True Crime Trivia and Activity Book is chock-full of puzzles to suit any taste. For the wordsmiths, there are tons of crosswords, wordsearches, cryptograms. Math lovers will find sudoku, and it's cousins Futoshiki, and Kakuro. There are also trivia tests, logic problems and other puzzle types.

Not gonna lie, I learned about a ton of true crime stories I knew little about, as well as facts in areas if true crime that don't normally pique my interest, such as scams. Highly recommended for all the puzzle-loving crime buffs out there!

True Crime Trivia & Activity Book by Lana Barnes is a fun book that includes many kinds of puzzles and game, such as sudoku, crosswords, word searches, quizzes and more. In a sense, it's not very different from any puzzle books you can find at the grocery store before a day at the beach, but this one is true crime themed, mostly focused on American true crime. Because of that, I was not familiar with many crimes so I was not always able to complete the puzzles, still I think it's an interesting activity for true crime fans.

This was a tremendously fun and novel way to look at true crimes. The puzzles were a mix of Sudoku, word searches, cross words, cryptograms, mazes, quizzes and more. A great book for me even if it didn't have a theme running through it, which it did, and I loved! The quizzes were my favourite as it was a mix of logic, common sense and 'wait...I know this!'
The answers were really accurate and it covered a wide span of topics from prisons to CSI to worldwide heists.
I dearly wish I had access to a physical copy as the digital version was quite hard to work with. One for the Christmas list!

A big thanks to Netgalley, Zeitgeist publishing and Lana Barnes for the privilege of reading a copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thanks to Zeitgeist and Netgalley for this copy in exchange for my review.

So I love puzzles and love true crime so I was instantly interested in this book. This is similar to the variety puzzle books you might find at the grocery store, but with a true crime twist. There's trivia about a variety of killers, including a few I've never heard of. I really enjoyed this and it was a good way to pass some time.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for letting me review this book. The book has a fun assortment of word finds, crosswords, trivia, unscramble the clues, and other fun mystery games. I like that throughout the book, there’s several interesting facts at the bottom of the pages.

This book contains a variety of puzzles (including my favourite magic squares), so you'll certainly be amused for some time. However, I was expecting something different.

There are quizzes that test your knowledge about different kinds of crimes. On my first try, all I could do was guess. I hadn’t heard about most of these acts, because the book is heavily focused on American crimes and is thus mostly targeted at Americans. I get it—the author is American, so she wrote about what she knew. In my case, it at least gave me an opportunity to learn something new. However, I would’ve preferred if we were first given a few paragraphs about the topic and then our knowledge was tested. Otherwise, I strongly relied on the answer key.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This activity book includes tons of different true crime-related puzzles. Some types of puzzles included are: word searches, sudoku, futoshiki, acrostics and crosswords. The book also includes an answer key so you can check your answers. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

I'm already in the minority here since I don't get the appeal of true crime. As someone who likes trivia and puzzles, I figured I'd give this a try. This book does not know what it wants to be. Many puzzle types don't fit thematically (sudoku, magic square). Others do, but the science behind them isn't explained, such as the spot the difference puzzles involving fingerprints and shoe prints. I appreciated the instructions for each kind of puzzle and answer key, but the concept didn't quite work for me.

If you're a fan of the NYT games and true crime - you'll love this! It's an endless book of puzzles, word searches, crosswords, and more!

This is quite a unique spin on the typical crossword / sudoku / puzzle book. Mixing in trivia about different types of crimes throughout history, makes this an entertaining activity book.

A perfect combination of trivia and crime! This book is packed with trivia about real crimes and fun puzzles to keep your mind busy for hours. This book has a variety of puzzles from my favorite sudoku to new-to-me puzzles like cryptograms. We are fascinated about true crime, investigative techniques and more. This was an interesting twist on the usual puzzles I enjoy. I loved the fingerprint match and crime scene spot the difference. This is perfect for any true crime fan in your world. Enjoy.

I love True Crime so this was a great one to read and complete .This would be fantastic as the physical book as a present for a True Crime connoisseur.

Thank you Net Galley for an advanced copy of 'True Crime Trivia & Activity Book' by Lana Barnes. The cover art drew me in on this one, but the contents fell very flat for me. We run a True Crime group at our small library and love trivia. I thought this would be the perfect addition to next meeting, but it did not hold many group activities. The games and puzzles seemed childish and unrelated to any specific case. All to generalized and flat.

Unleash your inner detective with this book of 130+ crime-themed puzzles and trivia quizzes—a unique gift for any true crime fan.

Thank you Zeitgeist & Netgalley for sending me a digital ARC of this book! I like true crime and puzzles so I liked the puzzles in this book. I wish I could have actually done the puzzles in this book because it’s hard to do on a e-reader but I went ahead and preordered a physical copy of this book from Amazon so I can actually do the puzzles. I would recommend this book if you like true crime and puzzles.

How fun! This is for all true crime fans! Love a good puzzle? This book has crossword puzzles, word searches, sudoku puzzles, trivia, word scrambles, spot the differences, decodes, mazes and more! Lots of fun for all! Loved it!

I loved this book. Idk why it took me so long to read it it. But it was so fun! I need the physical copy.. I love true crime anything

Book Review: True Crime Trivia & Activity Book: Untangle the Secrets Behind History's Most Gripping Crimes by Lana Barnes

Rating: 4 Stars

As someone who has a deep fascination with all things true crime, I was thrilled to get my hands on True Crime Trivia & Activity Book by Lana Barnes. This engaging piece is not just a simple trivia book; it’s a treasure trove of over 130 puzzles and quizzes designed to unleash your inner detective. With a perfect blend of fun and educational content, it truly caters to anyone captivated by the darker side of human nature.

The book takes you on a gripping journey through the world of true crime, covering a vast array of topics, from notorious art heists and chilling abductions to infamous cults and high-profile criminal trials. Each section is peppered with intriguing trivia questions that challenge your knowledge of historical crimes and the evolution of criminal investigations. Who knew that America’s first detective agency had such an interesting backstory? Or that advancements in DNA technology have helped name cold case victims? These captivating facts are just the tip of the iceberg.

What I found particularly appealing was the variety of puzzles included. From crosswords and sudoku to word searches and cryptograms, there’s something here for everyone, regardless of your skill level or familiarity with true crime. The activities vary in difficulty, making this book an excellent choice for both newcomers to the genre and seasoned true crime aficionados. Honestly, I was pleasantly surprised at how much fun it was to crack these puzzles while learning new facts about crimes I thought I already knew everything about.

One of the standout aspects of this book is its respectful approach to sensitive topics. Unlike many sensationalized true crime narratives, Barnes provides a straightforward look at criminal events without glorifying the violence involved. This thoughtful treatment makes it a more informative read, allowing us to reflect on the real human stories behind the headlines.

As I dove into the pages, I couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought of how perfect this book would be as a "toilet" read! With a plethora of engaging puzzles and trivia, it’s easy to pick up for a few minutes or an entire afternoon. It’s definitely something I can see myself reaching for whenever I need a break or some brain exercise.

In conclusion, True Crime Trivia & Activity Book by Lana Barnes is a delightful blend of entertainment and education for any true crime enthusiast. With its high-quality paper, well-constructed puzzles, and engaging trivia, this book deserves a solid four stars. Whether you’re looking for a gift for a fellow true crime lover or just want to indulge your own curiosity, this activity book is sure to satisfy your cravings for both challenge and knowledge. Happy sleuthing!

⚠️This review was written based on personal opinions and experiences with the book. Individual preferences may vary⚠️