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michelles_book_nook's review against another edition
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-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? Yes
4.0
⚠️ CW: murder, cannibalism, gun violence and animal death ⚠️ If you're looking for a mind boggling murder mystery with a techy sci-fi twist then you need to read this book. Part time constable Ella Manning never thought she'd have to investigate her ex-fiance's murder, but that's exactly what happens when tech entrepreneur Lincoln Shan is found dead in his study the morning after a controversial product launch. Trapped inside Lincoln's mansion above the remote town of Black Lake, it's up to Ella to catch the killer. But Black Lake is no ordinary place and its strange history will make this the most baffling murder case of her career, because some of the town's inhabitants have the power to rewind time and someone is using it to protect a murderer. And just as Ella is sure she has identified the culprit, the last six hours are undone. With no memory of what she discovered before, her investigation begins again with very different results. But which conclusion was true? The race is on to find the killer before they strike again, and time is not on her side. This book had me absolutely baffled until the very end but I was so hooked that I would have happily read it in one sitting. Just when you think you know what is going on something else happens and makes you question everything you thought you knew about all of the characters. This story has a few different timelines ranging from 1804 to the books present day in 2045 that all have their own stories but they equally help feed you small breadcrumbs of information that help you piece together the puzzle of this murder mystery and it is done so well. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and I highly recommend it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder, Cannibalism, and Gun violence
Minor: Animal death
outsmartyourshelf's review
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
In 1804, the Pride of Whitby, is shipwrecked on the treacherous shores on the west coast of Canada. Only seven men originally survive, making it to shore in a lifeboat, with three making it into the labyrinthian caves, but ultimately only, Captain Ross, made it out alive. His descendants are said to have inherited the power to just once in their lives, wind time back six hours & relive it over again, even changing the outcome.
Over two hundred years later, Ella Manning, marine biologist and part-time police constable with the RCMP, is invited to a party at Black Lake Manor, the cliff-top mansion of Lincoln Shah. Shah, a billionaire, was one of Ella's closest childhood friends, alongside Noah Diaz, & is her ex-fiancé, although Lincoln wants to change that. Ella is invited there to witness the unveiling of new technology from Lincoln's company, involving hard light, a technology that allows people to remotely control facsimiles of themselves that are hard to distinguish from the real thing. The party goes off fairly smoothly, except for a powerful storm which brings down communication to the mainland for at least 24 hours, The next morning, Lincoln is dead, murdered, & one of few flesh-and-blood guests to attend is the guilty party. Ella has to navigate old friendships, rivalries, & new technology to try & find the killer, but just as she thinks she has identified the guilty party, time is rewound, & her investigation begins again with different conclusions.
This is a spin on the 'locked room' trope where six people are cut off from the rest of the world for a period of time with a killer amongst them. The difference here is the technology & the myths & legends that may or may not be true. Set in 2045 the technology is certainly intriguing. It takes a little getting into - for the first few chapters I wasn't sure what has happening - but when the story settles into the whodunit, it's so good. Ella is a main character whose personality type would probably be classed as INTJ (Myers-Briggs): emotionally unavailable, logic driven, & is said to have a great capacity for empathising with animals but not so much with humans. Girl, same! The other characters/suspects include Lincoln's current squeeze, Rebecca, his shady lawyer, two of Lincoln's employees, & former friend, Noah Diaz. The book was reminiscent to me of The 7 & 1/2 Lives of Evelyn Hardcastle, but here the case is examined from several different angles/timelines, rather than different characters. Readers who like 'locked room' mysteries with a slightly futuristic twist would probably enjoy this. I did & will probably re-read it at some point.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Serpent's Tail/Viper/Profile Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC. I am voluntarily giving an honest review.
Over two hundred years later, Ella Manning, marine biologist and part-time police constable with the RCMP, is invited to a party at Black Lake Manor, the cliff-top mansion of Lincoln Shah. Shah, a billionaire, was one of Ella's closest childhood friends, alongside Noah Diaz, & is her ex-fiancé, although Lincoln wants to change that. Ella is invited there to witness the unveiling of new technology from Lincoln's company, involving hard light, a technology that allows people to remotely control facsimiles of themselves that are hard to distinguish from the real thing. The party goes off fairly smoothly, except for a powerful storm which brings down communication to the mainland for at least 24 hours, The next morning, Lincoln is dead, murdered, & one of few flesh-and-blood guests to attend is the guilty party. Ella has to navigate old friendships, rivalries, & new technology to try & find the killer, but just as she thinks she has identified the guilty party, time is rewound, & her investigation begins again with different conclusions.
This is a spin on the 'locked room' trope where six people are cut off from the rest of the world for a period of time with a killer amongst them. The difference here is the technology & the myths & legends that may or may not be true. Set in 2045 the technology is certainly intriguing. It takes a little getting into - for the first few chapters I wasn't sure what has happening - but when the story settles into the whodunit, it's so good. Ella is a main character whose personality type would probably be classed as INTJ (Myers-Briggs): emotionally unavailable, logic driven, & is said to have a great capacity for empathising with animals but not so much with humans. Girl, same! The other characters/suspects include Lincoln's current squeeze, Rebecca, his shady lawyer, two of Lincoln's employees, & former friend, Noah Diaz. The book was reminiscent to me of The 7 & 1/2 Lives of Evelyn Hardcastle, but here the case is examined from several different angles/timelines, rather than different characters. Readers who like 'locked room' mysteries with a slightly futuristic twist would probably enjoy this. I did & will probably re-read it at some point.
My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Serpent's Tail/Viper/Profile Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC. I am voluntarily giving an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism and Murder
Minor: Animal death
mybookscape's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
My review in one word: WOW!
Let's start with the blurb shall we before I give you my thoughts...
'A locked room. A brutal murder. And a killer who can unwind time...
In the former mining town of Black Lake, there is an old story about a shipwreck with only one survivor. His descendants have a unique ability: once in their lives - and only once - they can unwind the events of the previous 6 hours.
More than 200 years later, part-time police constable Ella Manning is attending a party at Black Lake Manor, the cliff-top mansion belonging to the local billionaire. When a raging storm sweeps in from the Pacific, she and several other guests find themselves trapped.
When their host is brutally murdered in his study the next morning, the door locked from the inside, they turn to her to solve the crime...'
There's more to the blurb but I feel it hints at info in the book and I don't want to use too many characters up so that I can't write my review 🤣
This book was so good, it's not like anything I've ever read before and was a great mix of crime and fantasy. I really enjoyed the concept of the book and how it was set in the past, 1805, and the future, 2045. The novel is very much a whodunnit with a twist and one that certainly keeps you guessing - I was hooked right from the start!
Guy Morpuss' use of description is fantastic, especially when it came to the caves, I was claustrophobic just reading about it, and his character development is excellent. I honestly think this book would make a great film!
Black Lake Manor is due out on the 8th September so make sure you get those pre-orders in because this isn't one to be missed!
Let's start with the blurb shall we before I give you my thoughts...
'A locked room. A brutal murder. And a killer who can unwind time...
In the former mining town of Black Lake, there is an old story about a shipwreck with only one survivor. His descendants have a unique ability: once in their lives - and only once - they can unwind the events of the previous 6 hours.
More than 200 years later, part-time police constable Ella Manning is attending a party at Black Lake Manor, the cliff-top mansion belonging to the local billionaire. When a raging storm sweeps in from the Pacific, she and several other guests find themselves trapped.
When their host is brutally murdered in his study the next morning, the door locked from the inside, they turn to her to solve the crime...'
There's more to the blurb but I feel it hints at info in the book and I don't want to use too many characters up so that I can't write my review 🤣
This book was so good, it's not like anything I've ever read before and was a great mix of crime and fantasy. I really enjoyed the concept of the book and how it was set in the past, 1805, and the future, 2045. The novel is very much a whodunnit with a twist and one that certainly keeps you guessing - I was hooked right from the start!
Guy Morpuss' use of description is fantastic, especially when it came to the caves, I was claustrophobic just reading about it, and his character development is excellent. I honestly think this book would make a great film!
Black Lake Manor is due out on the 8th September so make sure you get those pre-orders in because this isn't one to be missed!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cannibalism and Murder
Moderate: Gun violence
Minor: Animal death
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