Solution to Literature's Other Half

by Catherine Miller

This puzzle constists of a number of references to romance novels. In particular, each paragraph refers to the novels of one particular author. Then within each paragraph, each sentence refers to a particular book, and contains within it a number; sometimes explicitly, sometimes implied. If you take the nth letter of the book title, where n is the number in the sentence, you get a letter (duh). Put the letters together in order and they spell DOCTOR VISIT IS HELL IN A GOBLET, which is a cyptic clue giving the answer, CHECKUP.

First paragraph: Nora Roberts.
Spellbound (10), Northern Lights (2), Entranced (7), Secret Star (6)

Second paragraph: Sandra Hill
The Outlaw Viking (4), Truly, Madly Viking (2), The Very Virile Viking (8), The Bewitched Viking (7)

Third paragraph: Jane Austen
Persuasion (4), Pride and Prejudice (3), Northanger Abbey (4)

Fourth paragraph: Diana Gabaldon
The Fiery Cross (5), Drums of Autumn (5), A Breath of Snow and Ashes (7)

Fifth paragraph: Gorgiette Heyer
The Corinthian (3), Sylvester (3), Arabella (6), An Infamous Army (3)

Sixth paragraph: Catherine Asaro
Sunrise Alley (3), Skyfall (5), Catch the Lightning (11), The Phoenix Code (6)

Seventh paragraph: Catherine Coulter
Blind Side (1), Impulse (5), False Pretenses (8), Afterglow (3)


2006 MIT Mystery Hunt