Review – Murder at Spindle Manor (The Lamplight Murder Mysteries, Book 1) by Morgan Stang (4/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Historical Fantasy/Mystery
Length: 251 pages
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: October 20, 2022
ASIN: B0BJ4LVXB2
Stand Alone or Series: 1st book in
Source: Borrowed ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 4/5 stars
“For Huntress Isabeau Agarwal, the countryside inn is the last stop in a deadly hunt. Armed with gaslamp and guns, she tracks an insidious beast that wears the skin of its victims, mimicking them perfectly. Ten guests reside within Spindle Manor tonight, and the creature could be any one of them. Confined by a torrential thunderstorm and running out of time, Isabeau has until morning to discover the liar, or none of them—including her—will make it out alive.
But her inhuman quarry isn’t the only threat residing in Spindle Manor.
Gunshots.
A slammed door.
A dead body.
Someone has been killed, and a hunt turns into a murder investigation. Now with two mysteries at her feet and more piling up, Isabeau must navigate a night filled with lies and deception. In a world of seances and specters, mesmers and monsters, the unexpected is hiding around every corner, and every move may be her last.”
Series Info/Source: This is the first book in The Lamplight Murder Mysteries. I borrowed this on ebook from Kindle Unlimited .
Thoughts: I am not a huge murder mystery fan, but this sounded like a fun read, and it very much was. This is an incredibly creative world with some very intriguing characters. We just get a glimpse into this world, but I immediately wanted to know more.
Huntress Isabeau Agarawal is on the hunt, and her mission takes her to the secluded and quirky Spindle Manor. She is searching for a deadly monster that steals a person’s skin and takes on their likeness. As a deadly storm sets in, she finds herself trapped with ten guests at Spindle Manor. When the first death happens Isabeau realizes that there is more going on than just a simple monster in hiding.
This was an incredibly intriguing world, and I enjoyed this glimpse into it. I immediately wanted to learn more about this world. It’s a world of eternal dusk, monsters, 12 foot tall celestial nobility, and Living Dolls. I really enjoyed Isabeau as a character; she has a very Helsing monster hunter charm crossed with some Sherlock Holmes vibes. This book really isn’t about diving deep into the characters’ personalities, so she didn’t have a ton of depth. However, I enjoyed what I did learn about her and her lonely occupation. There is some character development, and based on what happens in the end of the story there will be more in future books.
This book has a quirky cast of side characters as well. A mechanically enhanced former war hero, a doll imbued with the spirit of the innkeeper’s best friend, a mesmer, a spiritualist, and a chronically inebriated former soldier to name a few of them. They were very fun and intriguing.
This is a somewhat classic murder mystery, but you have the complication that one of the inn’s residents is a horrifying skin-stealing monster. So that adds an excellent twist to the story. The mystery was well done with a lot of mis-direction and twists and turns without ever feeling contrived.
My Summary (4/5): Overall I really enjoyed this and plan to continue with the series. This is a very intriguing world, and the story is filled with odd and quirky characters. I enjoyed the main character, and the mystery was well done and kept me guessing. For those intrigued by a kind of dark fantasy murder mystery, I think this would be a good pick. I look forward to reading more books in this series.
