Publishers Weekly
★ 06/17/2024
True crime author Sands (Wealthy Men Only) makes an auspicious fiction debut with this crackling mystery centered on a Lisbeth Salanderesque savant. Raised in a rusting trailer in Central Florida, 20-something Maggie Moore sees her extraordinary way with words—she can identify nearly anyone based on their syntax and sentence structure—as her only ticket out of poverty. When her linguistics professor recognizes Maggie’s talent and taps her to assist local police on a rape case, she helps nail the perp by decoding the notes he left at his crime scenes. Impressed, the cops enlist Maggie to track down Heidi Hemphill, the mayor’s kidnapped daughter. As Maggie analyzes the linguistic habits of the lead suspects and makes quick friends with Det. Silas Jackson, she starts to notice eerie similarities between Heidi’s case and that of Maggie’s best friend, Lucy Tidwell, who disappeared years earlier. The more Maggie and Jackson dig, the more they worry that the culprit might be too powerful to touch—and that they’ve unwittingly affixed targets to their own backs. Sands nails the genius investigator formula on her first try, spinning Maggie into a memorable heroine and handing her an enthralling first case. This transfixes from the first page. Agent: Anne-Lise Spitzer, Philip G. Spitzer Literary. (Aug.)
From the Publisher
The unpredictable duo of Maggie and Detective Jackson are great fun to spend time with.” — Wall Street Journal
"A sloppy but talented student of forensic linguistics is summoned to help solve the abduction of a Florida mayor in this thriller that will appeal to fans of mysteries and wordplay alike. Think Wordle meets CSI: Miami and you’re on the right track." — Seattle Times
"A wonderfully written and densely simple and nearly perfect story . . . . It’s so without flaw and overflowing with intrigue, atmosphere and beautiful logic that I couldn’t do it justice . . . . [Maggie Moore] is simply a wonderful fictional character every novelist will envy. And this book is great, and under no circumstance should it be missed. . . You absolutely must read Wordhunter.” — The Durango Telegraph
"True crime author Sands makes an auspicious fiction debut with this crackling mystery centered on a Lisbeth Salanderesque savant . . . . Sands nails the genius investigator formula on her first try, spinning Maggie into a memorable heroine and handing her an enthralling first case. This transfixes from the first page." — Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Tattooed and pierced, diagramming sentences from famous novels and movies as a coping mechanism, Maggie is a refreshingly original heroine with literary sensibilities, a potty mouth, and no patience for the patriarchy. Despite the thriller construct, there is not a lot of action in the story, but unusual investigation tactics—and a brash new protagonist—lend the book energy and interest, and Sands leaves the door open for a sequel. Grammar nerds rejoice!” — Kirkus Reviews
"Clearly Sands has a way with words, which may explain her protagonist." — Parade
"Sands is at once a playful writer and a serious one deeply engaged with the nuance(s) of language . . . . [Her] love of language and all its beauty, oddball rules, and vocal warts is most infectious, and of course, Maggie is simply an unforgettable character.” — Crime Reads
"For readers who enjoy chilling mysteries and thrillers. Fans of strong character-building will delight in watching Maggie and Jackson’s partnership bring out their individual strengths." — Library Journal
“This unlikely team will keep readers turning the pages as they run through south Florida to an ending that points to the possibility of new cases.” — Booklist
"For fans of stories about cleverly using language." — Book Riot
“Maggie Moore, a whip smart, mezcal-slugging, motorcycle-wielding, 21-year-old Floridian is the extravagant protagonist at the center of Stella Sands’s new novel . . . . An entirely unique mystery from an author who knows her stuff.” — Sag Harbor Express
"Wordhunter by Stella Sands is an utterly original and compulsively readable detective story . . . . Maggie and Jackson’s unlikely but firm friendship is only one of the highlights of this quirky yet affecting mystery novel . . . . Wordhunter is a deftly written heartbreaker of a novel that I’m hoping is only the first of a series featuring our irrepressible heroine. — Criminal Element
"This was just a great, suspenseful thriller that drew me in and kept me truly guessing as to what would happen next. There’s definitely room left for sequels (though we do get a satisfying ending!), and I think this could prove to be a series with real legs. Move over, Lisbeth Salander; Maggie Moore and Florida’s muggy heat have an all-new story to tell." — Mystery & Suspense Magazine
“Wordhunter shines as a psychological thriller based on an unusual yet incredibly compelling concept.” — Novels Alive
“Maggie Moore is tattooed and pierced and drinks beer for breakfast, but she’s also a linguistic savant with a lightning quick mind. In short, she’s a winning protagonist for a smart, original, and entirely entertaining mystery. If you love words, puzzles, or just a well crafted story, you will love Wordhunter.” — Alafair Burke, New York Times bestselling author of Find Me
"Wordhunter is a thrilling cat-and-mouse chase with a genius wordsmith at its center. Don’t be surprised to find quotes from your favorite books and movies littered throughout." — Barnes & Noble Reads Blog
“Wordsmiths will find much to chew over as they follow Maggie’s methods for identifying the criminals. The plot is fast moving and there are surprises galore along the way.” — Woman Around Town
"In her brilliant creation, Sands makes Maggie super interesting to follow, full of faults and eccentricities, but still a functioning savant whose analytical process astounds us . . . . compelling new crime-solver." — Manila Bulletin
Library Journal
06/01/2024
DEBUT True-crime author Sands's (Baby-Faced Butchers) first crime novel is a gritty buddy-cop mystery that pairs two unlikely individuals. When the mayor's teenage daughter is abducted from a rural Florida town, it is all hands on deck for the local and surrounding police departments. A young forensics student from the nearby college, Maggie Moore, is also asked to help because of her acknowledged genius at forensic linguistics. Her analysis of texts and notes left by the abductor gives the police a leg up in tracking down the perpetrator. However, the case is deeply triggering for Maggie, reminding of her what happened to her childhood best friend, an assault by a professor, and her own insecurities. She teams up with detective Jackson, a man haunted by his own secrets, and soon the duo are chasing after an unlikely suspect with disturbing consequences. VERDICT For readers who enjoy chilling mysteries and thrillers. Fans of strong character-building will delight in watching Maggie and Jackson's partnership bring out their individual strengths. A somewhat open ending suggests that more installments are planned.—Laura Hiatt
SEPTEMBER 2024 - AudioFile
Narrator Jeremy Carlisle Parker perfectly portrays Maggie Moore in this quirky, clever mystery. Maggie, a graduate student in forensic linguistics with a complicated history, is unique. Tattooed, pierced, and foulmouthed, she diagrams sentences for fun. Parker captures all of these characteristics, and listeners will find themselves charmed. Maggie, a genius when it comes to language and puzzles, is asked by police in rural Florida to decipher messages from a stalker. Her success leads them to ask for her help with a kidnapping, but the case hits close to home. Engaging themes include questionable policing tactics, socioeconomic diversity, and how our histories shape our presents. Listeners will ultimately find themselves rooting for Maggie. K.S.M. © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine
Kirkus Reviews
2024-06-15
A hard-drinking, hard-living young genius uses her superior understanding of the English language to solve crimes.
Growing up in the poverty-stricken armpit of rural Cypress Havens, Florida, Maggie Moore had her life change at 14 when her best friend, Lucy, went missing. Seven years later, having also lost her mother and graduated high school and college early, Maggie is honing her intense interest in English language and syntax as a graduate student, hoping to pursue a job in forensic linguistics. When her handsome professor selects her both to help the local police with a stalking case by analyzing several texts from the perp and to serve as his assistant, she’s flattered and excited. The first opportunity pays off when Maggie uses her knowledge of Cajun dialect to help catch the stalker turned rapist; soon after, the police reach out again when a young girl, the daughter of a friend of the police chief, is abducted. But Maggie’s life, held together with tequila and bravado, begins to spiral out of control when her professor reveals himself to be an egotistical and predatory misogynist. At the same time, she is beset by regrets and painful memories of Lucy’s disappearance. Detective Silas Jackson, a tough and laconic local cop, elects to help her look for Lucy and is there to pick her up when the going gets really tough. Tattooed and pierced, diagramming sentences from famous novels and movies as a coping mechanism, Maggie is a refreshingly original heroine with literary sensibilities, a potty mouth, and no patience for the patriarchy. Despite the thriller construct, there is not a lot of action in the story, but unusual investigation tactics—and a brash new protagonist—lend the book energy and interest, and Sands leaves the door open for a sequel.
Grammar nerds rejoice!
