Synopsis
Mysteries abound in Spindle Manor.
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.
Review
I’ve wanted to read Murder at Spindle Manor since I came across it in SPFBO, even before it won the contest. A gaslamp fantasy mystery is right up my alley, and the killer premise hooked me immediately. Our protagonist, Isabeau Agarwal, arrives at the mysterious Spindle Manor for the purpose of hunting down a creature that can take on anyone’s face. Any one of the ten guests might be a monster in disguise. She’s armed and ready to deal with the threat, but the night takes another twist when one of the guests is murdered.
The plot and stakes are established immediately, and Isabeau is a compelling and intriguing heroine. I did feel like we got hit by a lot of characters at once early on, but that’s kind of a requirement in a mystery setup where all the suspects need to be introduced quickly. There are ten suspects, plus Isabeau and her charming would-be sidekick Evie. The pair play off each other well, as opposites personality-wise, and the other characters are interconnected in a complex web of histories and secrets.
The setting is also great. This gaslamp fantasy world features animated dolls, steampunk-esque technology, mediums and spirits and various creepy monsters. With the plot confined to a single setting and a short time, we don’t get to explore a ton of this world, but what we did see is, intriguing and the secret-laden Spindle Manor provides a great backdrop for the mystery’s many twists and turns.
The writing is assured and confident, blending humour and horror expertly, and there’s just the right level of detail added to flesh out the story and world without slowing down the pace. The plot unfolds with cleverness and intrigue, while the characters have an impressive level of depth despite the compact page count.
Overall, this is a highly entertaining and enjoyable read and it’s easy to see how it won the 9th SPFBO contest. I’m excited to read more in this world!
Leave a Reply