Review – Murder on Hunter’s Eve (The Lamplight Murder Mysteries, Book 3) by Morgan Stang (5/5 stars)
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Fantasy/Steampunk
Length: 378 pages
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date:July 11, 2024
ASIN: B0D54FPW8Z
Stand Alone or Series: 3rd book in The Lamplight Murder Mysteries
Source: Borrowed ebook from Kindle Unlimited
Rating: 5/5 stars
“It’s the week of Hunter’s Eve, a yearly celebration of monsters, ghosts, and things that go bump in the night. But for Huntress Isabeau Agarwal, the event is a stark reminder that in her line of work, there is never a day’s rest.
Murders rock the city, and Isabeau is charged with solving them before the killer strikes again. One, a macabre accident during a dangerous magician’s trick gone awry. The other, a slain politician, his disfigured body displayed atop Lamplight’s most memorable landmark.
The deaths are seemingly unrelated, until Isabeau learns both magician and politician belong to the same mysterious social club filled with powerful paragons of the city, each with their own hidden agendas—each with a reason to kill.
And during it all, a werewolf stalks the streets, bounding from rooftop to rooftop and claiming the lives of innocent citizens. As Isabeau uncovers the city’s secrets, complications arise: the monster and the murders may be connected.
The magician. The police chief. The Ethereal Maiden. The professor. The criminal kingpin. The industrialist.
One may be a killer. One may be a werewolf. All are hiding something.”
Series Info/Source: This is third book in The Lamplight Murder Mysteries. I borrowed this on ebook from Kindle Unlimited.
Thoughts: I really enjoyed this third installment in The Lamplight Murder Mysteries. This book was a bit different than previous books in that we are let loose in the city of Lamplight rather than in an enclosed environment. I actually loved this format even more than the previous two books. I have been wanting to learn more about the mysterious city of Lamplight and this book didn’t disappoint.
There is a werewolf loose in Lamplight…and even worse a murderer loose. Isabeau and Evie are trying to enjoy a night at the theater, watching a magician, when his show goes very wrong and his assistant is killed. They quickly find out that this isn’t the only killing of the night, and Evie is called in on the case. Isabeau and Evie find out that both murders are linked to a mysterious social club, and the werewolf may somehow be linked into this all as well.
This book had a lot more action than the last couple books. I actually enjoyed this open format a lot more and really enjoyed exploring Lamplight. The things I like best about this series are the amazing world and the intriguing characters, and we get to see a lot more of both in this story. I actually am not a huge fan of murder mysteries or who-dun-it types of stories. However, I love this setting and these characters.
I also love that we learn a lot more about monsters and about Isabeau’s past in this book. Both Evie and Isabeau are growing and changing as characters which is fun to watch. There was a bit more about politics and we are exposed to more of the ghostly aspects of this world as well.
This was a very fun and easy read that I enjoyed immensely.
My Summary (5/5): Overall I really loved this book and thought that this was the best book in this series so far. I loved the more open format and venturing into the city of Lamplight. I loved how the murder mystery intertwined with other aspects like werewolves, ghostly apparitions, and politics. I really love the characters here and enjoyed learning more about their history and watching them grow. I would recommend to anyone who enjoys a creative dark steampunk-esque fantasy world with intriguing characters and a well done murder mystery.
