The Enigma Challenge

A Novel

By: S.C. Godfrey

“With pulse-pounding action, a fascinating cast of characters, evocative settings all across Europe, this puzzle-box of a thriller is the perfect poolside read.” —Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here

An action-packed novel following an unlikely duo as they race across Europe in a dangerously high-stakes competition worth millions

You have solved the kickoff puzzle. There will be five additional puzzles to solve. The Enigma Challenge begins now.

Zoe Wilder has the unflashy, solitary life of an academic, studying ciphers in literature at a California university. When her research takes her to a cryptology conference in Madrid, she’s not expecting to trigger the Enigma Challenge, a clandestine puzzle competition few dare to enter.

The Enigma Challenge is an infamous competition with impossibly high stakes: Lose, and your identity is wiped forever. It doesn’t take long for Zoe to realize that she’s in over her head. Enter Dane Seaver: the mysterious hacker who insists they team up. Dane knows the Enigma Challenge—its secrets, its players—and Zoe knows ciphers. For better or worse, they need each other.

Six days, five puzzles, three countries, and innumerable rivals. What’s more, the spark of attraction between them becomes harder to ignore, but distractions are dangerous. With twelve million dollars and multiple lives on the line, the Enigma Challenge is anyone’s game. Will Zoe and Dane come out unscathed against the other players—and each other?

Critic reviews

Praise for The Enigma Challenge:

“With pulse-pounding action, a fascinating cast of characters, evocative settings all across Europe, this puzzle-box of a thriller is the perfect poolside read.”
—Andrea Bartz, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Never Here

“Absorbing from start to finish! Filled with secret codes, puzzles, and twists, Godfrey’s brainy new thriller takes you on a globetrotting adventure.”
—Laura Griffin, New York Times bestselling author of Innocence Road

“Completely captivating and absolutely irresistible! This clever contemporary thriller is Romancing the Stone meets The DaVinci Code, and it will have you turning the pages as fast as you can. What a joy to read a novel that is so wonderfully cinematic, full of authentic emotion and supremely high stakes. You’ll find mile-a-minute pacing, Tracy-and-Hepburn chemistry with a dash of spice, and a twist around every corner. The talented S.C. Godfrey has given us exactly what we want: a smart action-packed adventure with fascinating settings, irresistible characters, and nonstop entertainment. Do not miss this!”
—Hank Phillippi Ryan, USA Today bestselling author of All This Could Be Yours

“This thrilling, twisty, utterly unpredictable book is impossible to put down. I loved every page. Whether or not you love puzzles, this is a story to devour.”
—Ava Glass, author of the Alias Emma series and The Hiding Season

“An absolute thrill ride from start to finish! Godfrey has crafted the perfect blend of action, thrills, and a deliciously irresistible will-they-or-won’t-they tension. You will devour this book in one all-consuming inhale!”
—Holly James, author of The Big Fix