Actually its very easy and i think you don �t need to take too much trouble to look for readings on the topic. There is one rule for it with one exception: Dividing any word into syllables depends on the number of vowel sounds the word  has and not the number of its consonant sounds or letters.For example in the word "ago" there are two syllables because there are two vowel sounds: the shwa & the difthongue, Notice  in the word"go", there is one syllable with the consonant sound /g/ & the same difthongue .Thus a consonant sound doesn �t make on its own a syllable it needs a vowel sound . However the shwa in ago alone makes a syllable. The exception now is: the syllabic consonant sounds like /m/ /l/ &/n/ when they occur especially at the end of words, can make a syllable with other consonant sounds.Example: in the word "simple" , /l/ is syllabic, with /p/ it makes a syllable, but in the word"place" the /l/ with/p/ don �t make a syl simply because their pronunciation is different; in "simple" you feel as if there is a vowel sound between/P/ &/l/. This is how i  explained  it to my pupils and it worked with them.

HOPE THIS WILL HELP