I’m sharing another instalment of my Mini Review Mondays, the most recent of which was last week. In case you haven’t seen any of my previous posts, I do ‘mini’ reviews of books that I’ve previously read and am now ready to share my full thoughts about.
First up, I’d like to talk about Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency by Josie Lloyd. Thank you to HQ for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Alice Beeton never meant to wind up single and childless on the wrong side of fifty. Like her distant relative Mrs Beeton – yes, that Mrs Beeton – she had hoped to have her own spic-and-span household by now. In reality, she lives in an immaculate but dingy basement flat in a rather shabby block in Kensington with Agatha, her fiercely intelligent, if rather over-territorial, corgi-Jack Russell cross.
Now Alice runs the Good Household Management Agency, providing discreet domestic staff to extravagant townhouses and sprawling country piles. So when Camille Messent calls in urgent need of a new housekeeper, Miss Beeton sends out new hire Enya. She’s rather forward but she does come with impeccable references and is fluent en français.
But in the early hours of New Year’s Day, Alice is rudely awakened with the news that Enya has been found dead. As the intriguing, if somewhat scruffy, Detective Rigby struggles to drum up an adequate investigation and the wealthy family and their party guests close rank, Miss Beeton takes it upon herself to solve the crime…
Publication Date: 24th October
CW: death, murder, infidelity
My Thoughts:
Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency was cosy crime at its finest – with a brilliant cast of complex characters and filled with love and joy within the darkness.
This walks a fine line between the intensity of the mystery (particuarly as the stakes ramp up) and that sense of heart and humour that utterly captivates a reader. It all centres around our protagonist, Alice, who is headstrong, stubborn and fiercely loyal. She cares deeply for the people around her, which is precisely what makes her a great detective. For her, this case is personal and she will stop at nothing to seek justice. Her voice is endearing and packed with the kind of gently ribbing humour that I enjoy. It is charming in its candour, with a bluntness that will stand for no rubbish.
Her life is neat, ordered and tidy, as benefits the owner of a household management agency and shouldering her family’s legacy. That order benefits her crime solving skills though with a precision and problem solving attitude. She is one capable woman. I also adored Agatha, her dog, named for Christie herself. It was a little nod to the history of the genre and there was a definite Golden Age mystery vibe to the story.
I also enjoyed the way Lloyd tied in the legacy of her ancestor – setting a standard for her to live up to. We get these excerpts from the recipes of her loved ones, which adds an extra dimension to this world. They just made it feel cozier and reminded you of the love often expressed through the ritual of making food. The actual mystery stands in stark contrast, with a rather ruthless and cutthroat world hidden behind these gilded walls. It is a life of luxury but one filled with secrets and deception. We get some interesting twists and turns along the way that throws several spanners into the works.
Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency shines brightest in its characterisation, particularly around the star of the novel.
Next up, I’d like to talk about The Christmas Eve Murders by Noelle Albright. Thank you to Quercus for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
It’s Christmas Eve at the Merry Monarch. Nestled amongst the Yorkshire Dales, the pub is preparing to host its annual scavenger hunt for its rabble of regulars. There’s the landlord, Mickey, his wife Sofia and their wayward son, James; local policeman Alex and his supernaturally minded deputy Don; as well as Sita, Mrs Fazarkaley, the Kapoors and Curtis, who’s never far from his beloved dog Barkley. Quite the crowd.
And this year, they are interrupted by a knock at the door from Maddie Marlowe, a journalist who was homeward bound to Edinburgh for Christmas – only to be stranded by car failure, and by the snow storm that’s closing in on the village.But Maddie’s arrival won’t be the only surprise of the night.
When the power is cut off and darkness descends, the hunt turns deadly. Maddie and her unexpected Christmas companions must try to find the murderer amongst them, as it seems one of the group would kill to win . . .
Publication Date: 7th November
CW: murder, death, violence, blood, injury, grief
My Thoughts:
The Christmas Eve Murders serves up a classic murder mystery with a distinctively festive slant. Cosy up by the fire and unwrap this tricksy treat Albright has set out.
I love a classic locked room mystery and this utilises all the best aspects of the set-up with this cosy pub turning more claustrophobic as the harsh weather of winter traps out characters in. The opening scenes set that doomed tone with Maddie’s car breakdown in this rural middle of nowhere type of town. It is familiar territory, but still thoroughly enjoyable. You know the small town secrets are all about to spill out. I’ve seen a few too many episodes of Midsomer Murders to trust little towns anymore. I loved this meta wink at the audience throughout the set-up. It feels like all-knowing, highlighting the comedic potential in some of this, but also reverent and like a love letter to the genre.
Once we’ve reached our locale, Albright takes time setting up each of these characters and teasing at the hidden secrets they may share. You have the competition laid out, only for there to be a deadly twist to proceedings. All of this just works so well in creating that atmosphere. It is almost the calm before the storm, letting the tension build and the inevitable start to fall into place. You know full well not everyone in this pub will be coming out but seeing that lead up is brilliant. The mystery itself is also well-constructed, going down interesting rabbit holes and weaving in some great clues. It is tense and terrific. You cannot help but get swept up in the ride.
With The Christmas Eve Murders, Albright takes a timeless mystery setting and transposes the brightness of Christmas into far darker territory. The festive season never seemed so chilling.
Finally, I’d like to delve into Darkly by Marisha Pessl. Thank you to Walker Books for sending me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
When an ad for an internship with the Louisiana Veda Foundation appears, Arcadia ‘Dia’ Gannon rushes to apply. Veda’s game-making empire, Darkly, was renowned for its ingenious and terrifying games back in the day and Dia is as obsessed with them as anyone.
The remaining games are priced like highly sought-after works of art, with the rarest and most notorious commanding tens of millions of dollars at auction. Now, Dia is thrust into the enigmatic heart of the operation. But who are these other interns? Why do they all seem to have something to hide? And why was she really chosen? It soon becomes clear that this summer will be the most twisted Darkly game of all.
Publication Date: 28th November
CW: death, grief, death of a loved one, child death, fire, manipulation, gaslighting, abuse, neglect
My Thoughts:
Darkly is a labyrinthine gem of a book. It follows a dark and twisty path, but the final destination is more than worth the journey.
I was initially sold on this book by that stunner of a premise. It is such a unique set-up and I love a game that spirals out of control (it very much reminded me of The Inheritance Games, which delights in puzzle solving and ingenuity). Pessl more than lives up to that premise. This has such a wonderfully rich, twisted world to explore. I loved the sound of each of these games and the way they blurred reality and gameplay. They have a way of pulling you in and I just wanted to know more. Also, Pessl keeps an air of mystery around them so not all of their secrets are given away to you. Let’s just say if they were real, I would play them in a heartbeat.
The actual mystery is executed well too, with plenty of intrigue and moving pieces to keep track of. There is always this sense of a game within a game. You question which players know more than the others. I loved that fierce rivalry and the competitive element – the meeting of these bright minds in slightly sinister circumstances. There are plenty of rich thematic questions as well around genius, legacy and maintaining artistic integrity. Class definitely comes into play, as well as the established social structures wanting to prevent upward mobility. Throughout this, Pessl’s writing is captivating and uncanny in equal measure, keeping you on an uneasy tightrope throughout. Everything is sketched out with cinematic flair. It feels so atmospheric and Gothic.
Darkly is an utterly gripping YA thriller filled with intricate gameplay and twists that will shatter everything.
A Short Book Lover 
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