Blog Tour: A Will to Kill by RV Raman

Today I'm hosting a stop on the blog tour for 'A Will to Kill' by RV Raman. This is the first book featuring seasoned investigator, Harith Athreya. 

Synopsis:

Ageing millionaire Bhaskar Fernandez has invited his relatives to the remote, and possibly haunted, Greybrooke Manor, high up in the misty Nilgiris.

He knows his guests expect to gain from his death, so he writes two conflicting wills. Which one of them comes into force will depend on how he dies.

Fernandez also invites Harith Athreya, a seasoned investigator, to watch what unfolds.

When a landslide leaves the estate temporarily isolated, and a body is discovered, Athreya finds that death is not the only thing that the mist conceals. . .

The blurb of 'A Will to Kill' instantly hooked my attention as I absolutely love locked room mysteries and I'm always on the hunt for books inspired by the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie. I also really enjoy cosy crime novels and this was exactly what I was in the mood to read. 

The story is set in India and features investigator Harith Athreya, who is invited to stay at Greybrooke Manor by ageing millionaire Bhaskar Fernandez. The setting was perfect for a mystery as the remote Manor is difficult to reach, even more so when it's cut off by a landslide. It is also veiled in stories of tragedies that have befallen previous owners. I actually don't think I've read a book that has been predominantly set in India before so I enjoyed the change of location and the sense of isolation that was created at the beginning. 

The plot revolves around Bhaskar Fernandez, who owns the Manor and wants to put an end to the acrimony between his family - the root cause of which has been battles over money. He has written two wills which will divide his fortune between his relatives in the event of his death. However, which will is used is wholly dependent on the way in which he dies. If by unnatural causes, then he has tasked Athreya with investigating on his behalf.  

I thought that the story started brilliantly with a foreboding sense of atmosphere and drama. I had the feeling that something bad was going to happen at any moment and this kept me on the edge of my seat. I was suspicious of everyone and was instantly thinking about motives in my head. There are lots of clues sprinkled throughout; just enough to help you start to put things together but not enough to truly give anything away. I liked the addition of a floor plan and map of the Manor too as these were reminiscent of many Agatha Christie novels. I thought that Raman did a great job of keeping the suspense going until the very end. Although I had a few guesses at who the murderer could be, I was completely wrong, so the conclusion was also extremely surprising. 

And those are the best whodunnits! The ones where you really get blindsided at the last moment and can't believe you never saw it coming. 

I definitely would have liked to have seen more character development and occasionally I found some of the conversations between people a little stilted. However, I thought that the central figure of Harith Athreya was instantly likeable and I would love to see him in further mysteries in the future.          

   

A Will to Kill is out now, published by Pushkin Vertigo. Many thanks to the team for inviting me to take part in the blog tour. 

Blog Tour: Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T.A. Willberg

Today I'm taking part in the blog tour for 'Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder' by T.A Willberg. Thank you to Trapeze Books for inviting me to take part.

Synopsis: 
Elaborately disguised and hidden deep beneath the city's streets lies the world of Miss Brickett's, a secret detective agency, training and housing the mysterious Inquirers. From traversing deceptive escape rooms full of baited traps and hidden dangers, to engineering almost magical mechanical gadgets, apprentice detectives at Miss Brickett's undergo rigorous training to equip them with the skills and knowledge they will need to solve the mysteries that confound London's police force.

But nothing can prepare 23-year-old apprentice Marion Lane for what happens after the arrest of her friend and mentor Frank on suspicion of murder: he has tasks Marion with clearing his name and saving his life. Her investigation will place Marion and her friends in great peril as they venture into the forbidden maze of uncharted tunnels that surround Miss Brickett's.

Being discovered out of bounds means immediate dismissal, but that is the least of Marion's problems when she discovered that the tunnels contain more than just secrets...

Review: 

A historical mystery set in the secret underground headquarters of a detective agency, featuring hidden tunnels and steampunk gadgets - I think I fell in love with 'Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder' before I even started reading it. 

I loved the plot concept, the beautiful shiny blue and gold cover, the intriguing map inside and the setting for the book. The story takes place deep beneath the streets of London, concealed from the prying eyes of the public. Set in the 1950's there is a wonderful contrast between this period and the incredible, futuristic gadgets that the agency uses in their cases.   

This was a hugely fun and enjoyable read which took me a on a real adventure. Part of the strength of the book lies with its main character, Marion Lane. She's endearing, intrepid, clever and dogged in her pursuit of the truth. She wants to clear the name of her friend and mentor after he is accused of a terrible crime and she won't allow anything to get in her way of investigating on her own. I'm a big fan of locked room mysteries and this had elements of that, with the realisation that the culprit could only only be one of the other agency staff. Marion has a knack for fixing anything mechanical and has learnt to stand on her own two feet due to her difficult family circumstances. I adored her friendship with Bill, a fellow apprentice, and I thought they made a great double act.  

I was intrigued and drawn in by the case that the story is centered around and found that the plot unraveled at a fast pace that kept me engaged throughout. There were plenty of surprises along the way and I think the author did a fantastic job of keeping the reader on their toes. I kept getting to the end of a chapter and then needed to read just one more and then one more after that!

This is the first in a new series that I will definitely be continuing with. It was quirky, original and fun and I can't wait to follow Marion on her next adventure. It's great news that she will be returning in 2022, to appear in 'Marion Lane and the Deadly Rose'.