by Tracy Condie

This week we have a review of Picking Up the Pieces: A Jigsaw Puzzle Mystery, the first in a new series by J.B. Abbott, and an interesting interview with the 2 writers who make up J.B. Abbott. Details at the end of this post on how to enter to win a copy of the book and a link to purchase it from Amazon.

Picking Up the Pieces: A Jigsaw Puzzle Mystery by J.B. Abbott
Review by Tracy Condie

This appropriately titled series starter had me hooked after the first chapter. Katie Chambers, our easy to like amateur sleuth, is working with literal and figurative puzzle pieces, and not all of them have to do with the mystery. Fortunately, she has a great group of friends who are willing and ready to help her. I am a fan of this kind of cozy which incorporates a cast of variously aged characters who assist the sleuth.

After six years in Denver, Colorado, Katie returns home to cozy Cedar Bay, Washington where not only does everyone know your name, but they also know your business. I instantly took a liking to Katie; after all, she left a career to move back home after her mom died so she can be close to her dad. This instantly humanizes her, plus, I would do the same thing in a heartbeat for my dad. I found it refreshing that Katie’s dad is the head librarian, as most librarians in books are women. Katie’s dad might be quite helpful in future books, but in this first story, Jim is not helpful … at … all. With the police thinking they got their guy, and Jim’s refusal to tell Katie anything helpful, it is up to Katie and the puzzle crew to solve their toughest puzzle yet.

The South Island Jigsaw Crew puzzle-critiquing group, started by Katie’s mom, is back in business thanks to Katie. Not only are they passionate about puzzles but they are also extremely helpful when it comes to evaluating the next potential puzzle for the Cedar Bay Puzzle Company where Katie’s mom worked as vp of product design and development before her death. Now that is Katie’s position.

The members of the Crew are from almost 80 to 17-years old, a great group to help Katie solve the crime that claimed one of their own and to get her dad out of the hoosegow. Hannah, Todd, Kevin, and Mildred are such good friends to Katie that I didn’t even realize she doesn’t have a bff like most cozy protagonists.

The plot is well planned with a variety of motives and misdirects. The author does a great job of eliciting emotional responses. I actually felt insulted on Katie’s behalf because of the treatment she and her dad receive from Lieutenant Crozier. Then there was Katie’s frustration when her dad refuses to cooperate or share anything with Katie.

I am hopeful for the continuation of this series and the development of the overall story arc as Katie continues to fill in the puzzle pieces of her life.

Tracy Condie is a paralegal by day and cozy armchair sleuth by night. When she is not working or reading, she enjoys preparing the recipes found in culinary cozies or researching recipes of meal items described therein and sharing reviews of both books and food on Instagram and on KRL. She lives in Corona, California with her husband and dog Zoolie, and looks forward to visiting with their grown sons when their time permits.

Interview with JB Abbott aka Jeff Ayers and Brian Tracey:

KRL: How long have you been writing?

Brian: I’ve been writing fiction since 2009. I wrote tech and business articles and long before that.
Jeff: I feel like I’ve been writing all of my life, but my first published piece was over 25 years ago, and my first book was around 20 years ago.

KRL: When did your first novel come out, what was it called, and would you tell us a little about it?

Brian: My debut novel, Picking Up the Pieces, came out in August 2025. It’s a jigsaw puzzle cozy mystery set on Washington State’s beautiful Whidbey Island, where a member of the South Island Jigsaw Crew is murdered and our amateur sleuths must piece together the clues to catch a killer.
Jeff: My first novel was for a small press called Long Overdue. It was a SWAT thriller set in a public library. A librarian is forced to assist law enforcement to rescue a man he hates from someone he considered his best friend.

KRL: Have you always written mysteries/suspense and if not, what else have you written?

Brian: Outside of my tech and business articles, I’ve mostly written mysteries and thrillers. The thrillers have ranged from straight-on Techno Thrillers to stories with a more speculative element.
Jeff: I’ve written book reviews of mystery/suspense novels for Library Journal, Booklist, The Associated Press, and several other magazines and newspapers. My first book was a nonfiction guide to the published Star Trek novels.

KRL: How cool! I’m a proud Trekkie. What brought you to choose the setting and characters in your latest book/series?

Brian: Jeff’s a Seattle-area resident and he convinced me that Whidbey Island would be the perfect setting. The island’s charm, tight-knit community, and its scenic beauty make it an ideal backdrop for a cozy mystery series. It just felt like the right place for our puzzle crew and a small-town murder!
Jeff: My wife and I went to Whidbey Island to spend a couple of days for our anniversary, and it reinforced why the location was perfect for our story.

KRL: How did you end up writing this book/series together? And how does that process work?

Brian: It was Jeff’s idea! Our process leverages our individual strengths. Because of Jeff’s review experience, he excels at crafting the big-picture story and critique. Due to my extensive experience in writers’ workshops, I focus on the prose and pacing.
Jeff: We would discuss what we wanted to happen at specific points, and we would heavily edit each other to achieve a consistent voice.

KRL: How does writing this cozy series differ from writing a thriller?

Brian: Cozy plotting is more about suspect management and timing your reveals. Once you have your suspects selected (and you stick with them!), the writing can fly! According to the readers, the result is a fun, fast-paced cozy. Thrillers, on the other hand, demand bigger structural and pacing swings and have more moving parts. They take much longer to write.
Jeff: In a thriller, the villain drives the story, and there is usually more mayhem and death.

KRL: Do you write to entertain or is there something more you want the readers to experience from your work?

Brian: I write to entertain myself first. I need to enjoy what I’m writing. From there, it’s all about entertaining the read.
Jeff: Writing is about creating what I would like to read, and if I enjoy it, I hope others will as well. For the National Park thrillers I co-write, each chapter opens with a factoid about where that part of the book is set. I enjoy learning while frantically turning the pages to see what will happen next.

KRL: Do you have a schedule for your writing or just work whenever you can?

Brian: When I’m in writing mode, I shoot for a minimum of 500 words/day. Sometimes that flies. Sometimes that’s a fight.
Jeff: I’m at my desk at 6 a.m., and write or work on my various projects until 3 p.m. or so.

KRL: What is your ideal time to write?

Brian: First thing in the morning, after my coffee. During my coffee. Have more coffee. There’s a lot of coffee involved.
Jeff: I find that after 3 p.m., I’m fried for the day. I will then hop on a treadmill and read or watch one of my crime shows.

KRL: Do you outline? If not, do you have some other interesting way that you keep track of what’s going on, or what needs to happen in your book when you are writing it?

Brian: I’m a pantser. I may have a general direction of where I’m headed but it’s by no means set in stone. In terms of keeping track, let’s just say I learned some hard lessons with this book.
Jeff: Since I also write nonfiction, I like having at least a hint of a roadmap or outline. That way, I know the endpoint, but it’s flexible to deviate based on where the story wants to go.

KRL: Did you find it difficult to get published in the beginning?

Brian: I’d call 16-17 years difficult.
Jeff: It was always a dream of mine, and when I was one of several people kicked out of my library role when a new boss came in, I went from being a selection librarian to a clerk overnight. My wife reminded me that my dream was to write books, and I discovered a local writer’s conference that featured agents in attendance, who were accepting pitches. I pitched the Star Trek book idea, and she agreed to represent me for that book. Three years later, Simon and Schuster published it.

KRL: Do you have a great rejection/critique or acceptance story you’d like to share?

Brian: My great acceptance story has to be when my agent, Terrie Wolf, offered me representation. It was during the DFWCon 2022 lunch, right before our keynote speaker, Heather Graham, was scheduled to talk. Heather and Jeff were both at my table, knowing Terrie was going to offer and thoroughly enjoying being witnesses. The problem was that I had forgotten to introduce Heather. 350 people anxiously waited 20 minutes while Terrie plotted our mutual world domination. I would say I’m sorry that all those people had to wait…if it were true.
Jeff: I approached my dream agent on a Friday afternoon, and he said he would read my sci-fi thriller about Galileo. He called me on Sunday night, and we talked about football for about ten minutes, when it suddenly dawned on me that he was calling to say he wanted to represent me! Having his guidance and friendship has changed my life, and I am deeply grateful for the role he has played in my journey.

KRL: What are your future writing goals?

Brian: Keep the cozy series going while publishing my stand-alone thrillers.
Jeff: Keep the cozy series going, while also writing more National Park thrillers. I have a nonfiction book coming out next year, and I hope to do more nonfiction as well. I am also writing a non-thriller that I’m excited about.

KRL: Who are your writing heroes?

Brian: Steve Berry, David Morell and Blake Crouch.
Jeff: Ray Bradbury, Stephen King, and Brad Meltzer.

KRL: What kind of research do you do?

Brian: I research as needed for the story. For Picking Up the Pieces, most of the work was capturing Whidbey Island’s look and feel and then folding in personal experiences where they fit, especially when I applied my manufacturing experience to the puzzle-making process.
Jeff: For my National Park thrillers, I visit the locations, talk to the people who work there, and find experts who specialize in particular elements of the story. For the one coming out next year, it has been talking to volcanologists and water experts, and experiencing my first helicopter ride.

KRL: What do you like to read?

Brian: Mysteries and thrillers, of course. I also love reading a new book by a friend outside those genres that just knock me out, like Brooke Fossey’s The Big Finish or Leslie Lutz’s YA horror, Sweetest Darkness. Or when a friend recommends an amazing book that I’d never find on my own, like I Hope This Finds You Well, by Natalie Sue.
Jeff: Mysteries and thrillers, plus I enjoy history books and trippy science fiction, especially if it involves time travel.

KRL: What are your favorite TV shows or movies?

Brian: Movies: Murder by Death (my introduction to the mystery genre), Miracle, and The Empire Strikes Back. This list could get long, so I’ll stop here! TV Shows: Psych (again with the mysteries), Dark Matter (simply brilliant), and The Orville (probably the best Star Trek series).
Jeff: I would agree with Brian about The Orville, but I’m also a fan of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. I enjoy Dick Wolf’s productions (Law & Order, SVU, Chicago Med, Chicago Fire, Chicago PD, and FBI), as well as the NCIS shows. I enjoy watching with my daughter the British comedy series Taskmaster (and the Australia and New Zealand versions as well). My favorite film of all time is Close Encounters of the Third Kind.

KRL: Have you any advice for aspiring or beginning writers?

Brian: Read a lot, write a lot, and find a high-quality critique group.
Jeff: Publishing is super slow, and then it suddenly becomes ‘hurry up and wait.’ Patience, flexibility, and friendliness are key to eventual success.

KRL: What is something people would be surprised to know about you?

Brian: A CD of my original music flew aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis, during the shuttle’s final mission.
Jeff: I’m super shy, and it is difficult for me at times to be in public situations.

KRL: Do you have any pets?

Brian: We have two cats, but it was our late, great tabby Linus who actually helped solve the mystery in Picking Up the Pieces.
Jeff: My in-laws live next door, and we share their strange dog, Frisco. He likes to lie on my feet and get a belly rub.

KRL: Is there anything you would like to add?

Brian: Stay tuned! There may be an actual Picking Up the Pieces puzzle in the near future.
Jeff: I think you will enjoy what Brian is hinting about.

KRL: That does sound fun! Where can our readers find you online?

Brian: briantraceybooks.com
Jeff: jeffayersbooks.com.

You can click here to purchase this book from Amazon.

To enter to win a copy of Picking Up the Pieces, simply email KRL at krlcontests@gmail[dot]com by replacing the [dot] with a period, and with the subject line “pieces” or comment on this article. A winner will be chosen September 27, 2025. U.S. residents only, and you must be 18 or older to enter. If entering via email please include your mailing address in case you win. You can read our privacy statement here if you like.

Check out other mystery articles, reviews, book giveaways & mystery short stories in our mystery section. And join our mystery Facebook group to keep up with everything mystery we post, and have a chance at some extra giveaways. Also listen to our new mystery podcast where mystery short stories and first chapters are read by actors! They are also available on Apple Podcasts, Google Play, and Spotify.

Kelly Brakenhoff is the author of 16 books and a seasoned ASL interpreter. In 2025, two of her books were named to the CBC Favorites Award Lists by teachers and librarians nationwide. When she’s not writing cozy mysteries or dreaming up adventures for Duke the Deaf Dog, she’s likely spoiling her grandkids or her dog.

Disclosure: This post contains links to an affiliate program, for which we receive a few cents if you make purchases. KRL also receives free copies of most of the books that it reviews, that are provided in exchange for an honest review of the book.