Tonight, Isabeau Agarwal, Huntress, would kill one of ten guests in Spindle Manor.
A fabulously weird and wondrous cozy horror novel blending historical fiction, steampunk elements, paranormal mystery and gothic fantasy. Spindle Manor is a remote guesthouse where the huntress Isabeau Agarwal is hoping to apprehend a deadly monster disguising itself as one of a group of ten travellers.
But before she can do so, one of the guests is murdered, and as the evening progresses, it becomes clear that Spindle Manor has secrets of its own, and that Isabeau Agarwal is running out of time to solve both the murder and the mystery of the monster’s identity.
If you are drawn to the weird, fantastical and alternative, I highly recommend this one. Murder at Spindle Manor is full of surprises, combining an Agatha Christie-style closed-circle murder mystery with a dazzling array of monsters, creatures and paranormal activities, and a cast of colourful and bizarre characters who bicker and banter and occasionally lovingly parody classic murder mystery conventions, while maintaining their sharp and witty banter and eccentric personalities.
I loved the Gothic setting, the surprising and elaborate paranormal instances, the comedic murder mystery references, the fast-paced action and the fabulous, strong female characters, and I bought book 2 and 3 in the series as soon as I finished reading this one. If you’re a mystery fan in search of something different, or curious about the seemingly contradictory concept of cozy horror, do give this one a try.
Mystery – Cozy horror – Fantasy
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