witchystitches's review
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
bookgrrrlsclub's review
funny
mysterious
fast-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
obsessed with this book and the author. she kills it everytime
wynwicket's review
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
A strange and compelling steampunk-flavored murder mystery with a paranormal twist. Isabeau, the detective, is a Hunter of monsters, cool, brilliant, and very handy with firearms. Her self-appointed sidekick, Evie, is a gem. A treat to read!
llmacrae's review
5.0
Ahhhhhh, I loved this!
I'm not a mystery reader and maybe that's why I really enjoyed it, because I had some suspicions but no real idea what was going on or would happen. Really loved the darker/twisted elements in an otherwise light-hearted seeming sort of "victorian-esque" setting, flavoured liberally with dark fantasy. Loved that it really didn't take itself too seriously and clearly was a lot of fun to write!
Isabeau (Izzie) is not a detective or police officer. She's a Huntress. She's a skilled, trained, talented, badass monster hunter, and she's here to kill one of ten guests who is most definitely a monster in hiding.
Complications arise with a murder, and with secrets hidden within Spindle Manor itself that are revealed. There are all sorts of supernatural spookiness happening, a cast of delightful characters, and a plot that thickens with every chapter.
Really, really, awesome stuff. Some very creative world-building (omg Ralph might well give me nightmares), very capable main characters, some very despicable side characters, and brilliantly written.
Highly recommend!
I'm not a mystery reader and maybe that's why I really enjoyed it, because I had some suspicions but no real idea what was going on or would happen. Really loved the darker/twisted elements in an otherwise light-hearted seeming sort of "victorian-esque" setting, flavoured liberally with dark fantasy. Loved that it really didn't take itself too seriously and clearly was a lot of fun to write!
Isabeau (Izzie) is not a detective or police officer. She's a Huntress. She's a skilled, trained, talented, badass monster hunter, and she's here to kill one of ten guests who is most definitely a monster in hiding.
Complications arise with a murder, and with secrets hidden within Spindle Manor itself that are revealed. There are all sorts of supernatural spookiness happening, a cast of delightful characters, and a plot that thickens with every chapter.
Really, really, awesome stuff. Some very creative world-building (omg Ralph might well give me nightmares), very capable main characters, some very despicable side characters, and brilliantly written.
Highly recommend!
ribshack2012's review
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
rg9400's review
dark
funny
mysterious
fast-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
I really enjoyed this book. It's definitely heavily inspired by Agatha Christie with the tropes of the guests trapped in a mansion due to a storm and the classic Golden Age inspired detective. However, it throws a variety of fantasy things into the mix. My one criticism would be that the mystery aspect wasn't as clever as the best of Christie's novels, but that's about it. I inhaled the book otherwise. I loved the zany characters that almost seemed out of something like Knives Out, and the humor was actually a welcome surprise. At the same time, the world feels mysterious and haunting, with plenty of hints towards all the different monsters infecting the world. I saw a review that compared it to Soulsborne, and I can see that claim due to the Victorian setting and some sections that almost veer into horror. A really effective mix of elements propped up with a strong and distinctive voice, all while being extremely efficient.
I must note that this type of mystery is very much my thing, and so I am certainly biased because I am unaware of any other fantasy book that is so much this type of story. And so it fits my tastes almost perfectly. But regardless, highly recommend it. My favorite of the SPFBO finalists so far.
I must note that this type of mystery is very much my thing, and so I am certainly biased because I am unaware of any other fantasy book that is so much this type of story. And so it fits my tastes almost perfectly. But regardless, highly recommend it. My favorite of the SPFBO finalists so far.
ryn06's review
adventurous
funny
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
3.5
andreab777's review
adventurous
dark
funny
lighthearted
mysterious
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
jmarryott23's review
mysterious
medium-paced
3.0
I love the Agatha Christie whodunnit type of stories where everyone is stuck together. What I didn’t realize until reading this book as that I do not like supernatural elements to be incorporated into this type of story. We do not know the ground rules associated with this world, so when the answer to a mystery is that a spider is in the attic or that someone is a projection, we have no choice but to go along with it. There were too many red herrings for me to really care what they were. Additionally, the classic “detective solves case with everyone present” trope was too drawn out with too many asides taking over. It was almost literally the entire second half of the book.
I enjoyed the book a bit for what it was, but my mixed response might just be because I was in the wrong headspace or just wasn’t feeling this type of genre. I realize this book has a relatively small number of reviews, so I’m not trying to diss the author. It just didn’t all work for me personally, but I recommend it for people find this genre exciting. Ditto for the clever idea of skipping Chapter 13 because of the bad luck with the number.
I enjoyed the book a bit for what it was, but my mixed response might just be because I was in the wrong headspace or just wasn’t feeling this type of genre. I realize this book has a relatively small number of reviews, so I’m not trying to diss the author. It just didn’t all work for me personally, but I recommend it for people find this genre exciting. Ditto for the clever idea of skipping Chapter 13 because of the bad luck with the number.