Review: Murder at Spindle Manor by Morgan Stang

Blurb:

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 added Murder on Spindle Manor to my TBR even before I knew it was an SPFBO finalist. When it won the ninth edition, I knew I had to read it as soon as possible. Plus, the book is r/Fantasy’s book of the month for the Feminism in Fantasy section, which fulfils my “Book Club or Readalong” square in this year’s Fantasy Bingo. 

So many reasons to read this, but I’ve saved the best for last: Read Murder at Spindle Manor simply because it’s a damn good book. 

What I liked:

Right off the bat, what really struck me was the vibe. Lamplight is a hauntingly beautiful world with gothic vibes that will make the hair stand on the back of your neck. The vibes continue to linger throughout the book, its spooky, gothic personality bleeding through every chapter and every scene. This was one of the most immersive reading experiences of the year. 

Next, my favorite part of the book was the protagonist. Isabeau Agarwal isn’t a regular detective. No, she’s a Huntress, an elite sort of soldier trained to track and kill the most dangerous of paranormal entities. She’s secretive, barely letting her personality and history show. That façade of a two-dimensional character worked perfectly for this setting. She is also not trying to be like Poirot or Sherlock; she’s her own thing. I really liked this approach to the murder mystery plot, and am tempted to pick up the next book to see where Isabeau’s adventures take her. Given the book’s relatively short length and faster pace, this one makes for a great weekend read. 

A good locked-room murder mystery is only as good as its roster of characters. And let me tell you, the guests of Spindle Manor make for a very interesting—if not suspicious—bunch. From Ms Keystone to Dr Mulgrave, even Col Thrawl, I loved each and every one of them. As much as Isabeau maintains a stoic and bland persona, these characters are full of color and drama. If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie, you’ll see how she might have inspired the roster, and Spindle Manor serves as a good homage to those stories, while pushing the limits of what a murder mystery can be. 

Lastly, the setting. While we don’t get to see much of the world, the little tasters that we do get are a great tease for the world of Lamplight. Low sunlight, full of will o’ the wisps and other paranormal entities, this is a world that is a delight to explore. In fact, the world is a huge reason why I will continue with this series. But I realize I’m getting ahead of myself. 

When I said the setting, I really meant Spindle Manor and the night of the investigation in particular. Spindle Manor has a character of its own, full of history and secrets that are uncovered over the story. Its atmosphere is as eerie as can get, bringing the story alive with its many supernatural elements. Plus, the race-against-the-clock aspect of the plot keeps our characters on their toes, not giving us readers even a moment to breathe. The tensions are real, and you only feel at ease after the last chapter ends. 

A great use of tension, quirky characters, atmosphere and setting, Murder at Spindle Manor was an exceptionally fun read. 

What I didn’t like:

As much as I wanted to love this one, I had some issues with the plot & narrative.

SPOILERS

The fact that the Dopplevyrm/fantasy plot got side-tracked by the regular murder plot was a letdown for me. Don’t get me wrong, the character dissection that’s staple to murder mysteries plays out nicely. Our roster of suspects is as intriguing as you would want them to be. However, what attracted me to the book was the Dopplevyrm plot. It even builds up nicely. Sadly, once the second murder is added to the mix, the investigation more or less just focuses on that, to the point that we almost forget about the Dopplevyrm. 

What’s more, we do get to see the Dopplevyrm in the very last chapter. Good, right? Well, it happens after a short time skip, something that just didn’t make sense to me. The Dopplevyrm wants to imitate humans and is making its way to Lamplight… why then did it decide to settle in Spindle Manor? Why did Isabeau lie to the Noble, potentially threatening all of humanity? The answers we got for these questions didn’t satisfy my curiosity and left me feeling a tad disappointed. 

Secondly—this one I believe is subjective—I did not like some of the Manor secrets that were unearthed during the investigation. The ghost, the Malformed, and the undead all were intriguing in their own right. However, like my previous complaint, they felt like distractions from the main plot. They loosely tie in with the murder, but the connection doesn’t feel as organic or seamless. 

All that said, the book was still an entertaining read, almost un-put-down-able. I’m sure if I had started this one a Friday night, I would’ve finished it before going to bed on Sunday.

Conclusion:

A great example of a genre-blend done right, Murder at Spindle Manor is a good example of both its genres. The murder mystery is finely executed, the fantasy is just the right amount of mesmerizing, and the book overall is a fun and entertaining read.

TL;DR:

WHAT I LIKED: Premise, vibes, investigation & protagonist

WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE: Some plot & narrative issues