About the Book
MARION LANE AND THE MIDNIGHT MURDER
Author: T.A. Willberg
ISBN: 9780778389330
Publication Date: 12/29/20
Publisher: Harlequin / Park Row Books
Book Summary:
The letter was short. A name, a time, a place.
Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder plunges readers into the heart of London, to the secret tunnels that exist far beneath the city streets. There, a mysterious group of detectives recruited for Miss Brickett’s Investigations & Inquiries use their cunning and gadgets to solve crimes that have stumped Scotland Yard.
Late one night in April 1958, a filing assistant at Miss Brickett’s receives a letter of warning, detailing a name, a time, and a place. She goes to investigate but finds the room empty. At the stroke of midnight, she is murdered by a killer she can’t see―her death the only sign she wasn’t alone. It becomes chillingly clear that the person responsible must also work for Miss Brickett’s, making everyone a suspect.
Marion Lane, a first-year Inquirer-in-training, finds herself drawn ever deeper into the investigation. When her friend and colleague is framed for the crime, to clear his name she must sort through the hidden alliances at Miss Brickett’s and secrets dating back to WWII. Masterful, clever and deliciously suspenseful, Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder is a fresh take on the Agatha Christie-style locked-room murder mystery, with an exciting new heroine detective.
My Review
Marion Lane’s life is complicated to say the least. Her only family member is an unfeeling grandmother. Unfortunately, due to circumstances, she lives with her grandmother and it’s not easy.
She gets a job at a local bookstore, but things aren’t as they seem and this is no ordinary bookstore. Below ground, there is an investigative agency complete with hidden tunnels and ingenious gadgets. To add to the intrigue, there’s a dead body of one of their agents.
When a close friend is accused of the murder, Marion is determined to find the real killer. She never expects to uncover the hidden secrets of the agency.
This is a difficult book to summarize. There are so many things going on with this story. Sometimes I found it hard to follow. It kind of reminded me of the old cable TV series The Librarians with Agatha Christie overtones. A little mystery, a little fantasy and quite a bit of drama. It’s been compared to Harry Potter, however, I’m one of the few that haven’t read that series, so I can’t compare them.
It started slowly for me as we were introduced to all the characters. There are so many different characters and at times it was hard to keep them all straight. Once the story took off, I was intrigued to figure it all out but there were so many twists and turns. It all led to an explosive finale. I could easily see this as a movie.
I’m curious to see if there will be a sequel or if this is the beginning of a series. If it is, it’s off to an interesting start.
She gets a job at a local bookstore, but things aren’t as they seem and this is no ordinary bookstore. Below ground, there is an investigative agency complete with hidden tunnels and ingenious gadgets. To add to the intrigue, there’s a dead body of one of their agents.
When a close friend is accused of the murder, Marion is determined to find the real killer. She never expects to uncover the hidden secrets of the agency.
This is a difficult book to summarize. There are so many things going on with this story. Sometimes I found it hard to follow. It kind of reminded me of the old cable TV series The Librarians with Agatha Christie overtones. A little mystery, a little fantasy and quite a bit of drama. It’s been compared to Harry Potter, however, I’m one of the few that haven’t read that series, so I can’t compare them.
It started slowly for me as we were introduced to all the characters. There are so many different characters and at times it was hard to keep them all straight. Once the story took off, I was intrigued to figure it all out but there were so many twists and turns. It all led to an explosive finale. I could easily see this as a movie.
I’m curious to see if there will be a sequel or if this is the beginning of a series. If it is, it’s off to an interesting start.
For reading challenges:
Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge 2021
European Reading Challenge 2021 (London)
Cloak & Dagger Reading Challenge 2021
FTC Disclosure: I voluntarily reviewed a free Advance Reader Copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are my own.
Buy Links:
Author Bio: T.A. Willberg was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, and holds a chiropractic masters degree from Durban University of Technology. MARION LANE AND THE MIDNIGHT MURDER is her debut novel and launch of her detective series. She currently lives in Malta with her partner.
Social Links:
Twitter: @Tess_Amy_
Facebook: @tawillberg
Instagram: @ta_willberg
OoooOoooo This sounds like a book that is right up my ally! Thank you and have a wonderfully happy day!
ReplyDeleteFollowed you over here from Cloak & Dagger 2021 challenge.
ReplyDeleteInteresting genre-blender, this book. It's a tough act, I feel, for writing, reading or marketing, for that matter. It's a great cover, and hopefully the series will pick up.
~ Lex (lexlingua.co)