I knew nothing about this book and had no idea what to expect, which made it all the more fun! I therefore won’t stray into any spoilers here.
The story opens with the first person narrator crashing into consciousness, to find themselves in the middle of a foreboding wood. We hear a scream and a gunshot, and then a mysterious figure creeps up behind us and drops a compass into our pocket, instructing us to head East. From here, we find ourselves sucked into the oppressive world of Blackheath Manor with a murder to solve.
“The future isn’t a warning my friend, it’s a promise, and it won’t be broken by us. That’s the nature of the trap we’re caught in.”
The book won the Best First Novel prize in the 2018 Costa Book Awards, was shortlisted for the British Book Awards Debut of the Year, and reached number one on The Saturday Times Bestseller list, so it comes highly recommended. It’s ultimately a new take on a classic whodunnit, but this is an extremely ambitious book. Its vastly complex structure is managed adroitly, the pacing is excellent, and the blending of genres is a lovely way to breathe fresh life into some of the old tropes. I was absolutely gripped within the first few pages and it held me tight throughout.
If you love a classic, big house murder mystery, and you’re down for some speculative genre blending, you will adore this book.
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Buy on kindle £4.74
Paperback from Awesome Books £3.05
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