Murder at Spindle Manor

4.5 stars.

This was so fun right from the beginning. It felt very much like I was watching a fast-paced off-broadway show, especially the parts where almost the entire cast of characters was running from room to room as a group looking at this and that while the main character was making revelation after revelation.

The cast of characters was interesting and diverse and silly and weird. The world is intriguing and mysterious and you're given only little bites of everything it entails, but I love that sort of thing (especially when I know the book is part of a series and I can assume that I'll continue to learn more and more about it all). I want to know more but don't mind the slow burn. Every few pages you're given one new piece to the puzzle of the world and each one is more interesting than the last. There is a ton of interesting stuff going on here and I love all of it.

I didn't figure out the big mysteries but I generally am not the sort of person to try to do that as I read, I'm just along for the ride. I do believe that if a reader wanted to, they could have pieced it all together along with the main character - all the big clues are there on the page if you're looking hard enough.

I had some minor gripes with the ending but really my complaints were so minute and did not take away anything from my overall experience with this funny, creepy little story. Cannot wait to get into the next entry in the series.

I enjoyed “Murder at Spindle Manor.” The author did a great job incorporating classic murder mystery tropes, which gave the story a familiar and nostalgic feel. However, what really stood out to me was that this wasn’t just another stiff and serious whodunit. The addition of humorous sections added a refreshing twist, making the read both engaging and entertaining. The balance between mystery and light-hearted moments kept the pacing enjoyable. I’m definitely looking forward to continuing the series. A solid 4 stars.

An Agatha Christie/Sherlock Holmes-style mystery with all the expected set dressings: a group of guests, a dark, stormy night, murder most foul, and the paranormal with enough of the unexpected to keep it fresh.

I absolutely loved the tone of this and the world in which it is set is intriguing. Knocking off a star for a few minor logistical issues with some things that occur (I won't list them here because once you see them, you can't unsee them) but don't let it stop you from checking this out!