Reviews with content warning for Child death - Death at Morning House

Reviews tagging 'Child death'

Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson

38 reviews

lsmith725's review against another edition

dark mysterious tense fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.5

For a YA mystery, which can be a little less gripping, this kept me hooked. Our main character is visiting Morning House, and as she does she begins to learn about the well-known family that used to live there. They were the "perfect" family with lots of children who never stepped out of line. So when she learns that one of the children's deaths was actually quite suspicious, she becomes curious. The house, the family-they all have secrets waiting to be uncovered, and so does she.

The premise of this was super intriguing and it ended up being quite fun. A family controlled by an overbearing father and the

eugenics

element were enough to hook me. Although this is YA, that part felt quite mature, although it wasn't discussed in great detail. I think Johnson does an amazing job of keeping her mysteries YA by not getting too gruesome or bogged down in the nitty-gritty dark parts, yet each mystery involves quite mature, dark themes. That allows them to appeal to adults while still being appropriate for YA audiences. She just has a knack for plotting a mystery in a way that is complex enough to intrigue even adults. The way she toes both genres makes these almost feel like cozy adult mysteries, and I am here for it. The writing flows great, the mystery keeps moving with hints and clues paced throughout. We have a house with a dark past as the setting. It's not necessarily a creepy house, just a mansion where some stuff has happened. That element of the setting could have been played up even more to elevate this further. Also, props to the author for creating a mystery that doesn't involve committing to a series! I'd recommend to literally anyone who likes the mystery genre, unless you need lots of extremely dark stuff.

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imsorrywhat's review against another edition

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dark funny mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.25

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caseyface's review against another edition

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adventurous mysterious medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Maureen Johnson is one of my favorite authors! She knows how to weave a mystery while leaving breadcrumbs through the story that all add up in the end. This is a stand alone book, but in the same vein as the Truly Devious books. It brings past and present together surrounding a supposedly cursed family and their mansion in the Thousand Islands. Murder, eugenics, fires, and awkward young love; what more could you ask for? This is a great book for those who love mysteries and a touch of history. Definitely recommend!

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