Definitely a great whodunnit for fans of Agatha Christie and cozy mysteries. This was a fun and highly entertaining mystery. I loved the characters and felt that the plot movement was very smooth. I listened to the audiobook during my workday, so can additionally recommend that as well.

This book is a murder mystery story set within a secret detective agency hidden under London in 1956. The underground detective agency is filled with gadgets, secret passageways, and secrets. A murder happened at the agency, and Marion Lane, a first-year apprentice, helps figure out who committed the murder and the reason behind the deathly act.

The story was a mixed bag for me. I liked it, but it was very slow. I like the murder mystery aspect and learning about the agency’s unique features. Other people said this book reminded them of Harry Potter, and I can see the connection, but it was still missing the magical spark. It was still a fun read though.

Thank you to NetGallery and Harlequin Trading Publishing for giving me a copy for a honest review

Cozy little brittish mystery! Sometimes whodunnits are the best kind of story. There was a lot of fun and clues surrounding the mysterious death after getting warned about something awful about to happen. A little dark acadima in a crime intern way and lots of figuring out along with our characters.

This had real potential, but was a struggle to get through. I finished it, but I don't know that I would have if it hadn't been a Net Galley book. I won't read the next book in the series.

My Highly Caffeinated Thought: An entertaining, witty, and wonderfully developed mystery seamlessly blending historical fiction, investigative crime fiction, and gaslamp fantasy.

MARION LANE AND THE MIDNIGHT MURDER is such a treat for readers. Willberg has not only created a unique setting within Miss Brickett’s Investigations & Inquiries, but she has also gifted her readers with a smart and passionate female sleuth in Marion Lane.

It cannot be said enough how important it is for an author writing historical fiction to truly capture the essence of the time as well as its surroundings. And with this book, the author does this perfectly. There is a transportive quality to the prose which brings the reader along with Marion and others at Miss Brickett’s while they investigate the murder. In addition, the richness of the descriptions of this underground operation helps to inform the reader while adding another level of interest.

The historical elements blended with the exploration of mechanical fantasy made this book stand out. Then you have the characters with a variety of emotions, reactions, and relationships to round out a superbly constructed who-dun-it. There is so much about this book that is brilliant, and all I can say is I am ready for another Marion Lane mystery.

I so wanted to like this book. (It is actually the reason why I have not reviewed any of the other books I have read on NetGalley because I’ve felt so conflicted about leaving a bad review for this one that I couldn’t bring myself to review others). I could not finish this book. I kept telling myself to give it a couple of more pages but no matter how much I read, I just never found it enjoyable. I felt like it was just camouflaged Harry Potter fan fiction. I realize how much work went into this book — from the author, to the agent, to the editor, to the book jacket designer — but I cannot recommend it.

It took me what felt like forever to get through this book. I liked the premise, and I would have to agree with a few others and say that some things about this story were reminiscent of Harry Potter and the world of magic. Unfortunately, this didn't have that charm, and I think a lot of that was due to the characters. They were all very one-dimensional, and they were quite interchangeable. I spent a good deal of time flipping back through to see if I'd "met" one character or other until I finally realized it was a toss up - put the names in a hat, shuffle them up, pull one out, and it was just as likely as not that they were the one talking or doing whatever at any given time. I think it's safe to say that this book was not for me.

This was an average historical mystery. I really liked the premise of this but I think the overall plot was lacking for me to fully enjoy it. I liked our main character Marion but the pacing was a bit show. I saw so many reviews mentions how this reminded them of Harry Potter with the secret 'school' and hints of magic---which is not really explained at all. I DID NOT SEE THIS AT ALL. The world building and character development was just all around lacking. But I guess this is the first in a series so maybe we will get more in the future. However, I don't think I want to continue on in the series. I just don't really understand what this book is trying to be...it was just okay for me.

I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This adventure filled mystery centers around Marion Lane who is a first year private detective apprentice at a secretive underground station. The book begins with a secretary at the agency, Mrs. White, being murdered and since this is a secret agency, we quickly learn that the list of suspects can be narrowed down to only people who work at the agency. At first, the murder doesn’t concern Marion much since she has a lot of work on her plate along with family drama to contend with. But when her mentor is framed for the murder she has no choice but to try to figure out who murdered Mrs. White.

Willberg has created a distinctive world set in the late 1950’s that is filled with technology and an interesting group of characters. I did find this story to be a bit slippery when it came to nailing down the details of the world and characters. It took quite a large chunk of the book for me to feel like I had a firm grasp on who some of these characters were. The more we learn about the world and get to know people more the more I enjoyed the story. And the story was a thrilling one involving some spooky details, nefarious characters and long held secrets.

I got strong Harry Potter vibes from this story since it is a pretty self contained building that Marion and her fellow apprentices are working at, as well as some other minor plot lines that occur. A big difference is that our characters are all adults and there is relatively low drama amongst them. I also loved all the Clue vibes (they even play Cluedo at one point!) and I think Willberg did a great job using these familiar tropes in a unique way.

I feel like this book, being the first in the series, really cemented the core of the world and the characters who fill it and the next book will just build on it. Which, I’m hoping means that I will find the next one easier to jump into since I did struggle quite a bit with the beginning of this book. If this book sounds like something you would enjoy then I do recommend you pick it up and try not to get discouraged by the rather slow beginning. It took me switching to an audiobook version for me to get past the first few chapters and I really enjoyed the narrator so I also recommend reading this book that way.

Marion Lane is an apprentice at a very peculiar detective agency in 1950s London. When an employee of the agency is murdered, Marion and her friends get involved in solving the case since they had found a very strange map and uncovered certain clues. T. A. Willberg twists the tale in several directions at once that keeps Marion and the others in the dark while the reader slowly puts the clues together to form a complete picture that is not what I expected going in. A very nice beginning to what looks to be an interesting series

It’s being called the adult versions of Hogwarts mainly because there are professors and the order and the underground tunnels. It’s steampunk but somehow fizzles in the steam department in the middle. 
It's really a 3 1/2 but I rounded it up to 4 stars.

Strong beginning but many strong characters that tend to just off. My main problem is with Marion who is brilliant at cracking how to get in and think outside the box. She loves working in the gadgetry department and does solve many of the mysteries, such as how to be undetected in a tunnel that senses body heat and forces a camera to go on. 

Marion Lane is a lonely orphan whose grandmother took her in when her mother died. She is currently 23 years old and her grandmother wanted her to be married to a gentleman her grandmother handpicked. Thankfully, her mother’s old friend, Frank, who she met at her mother’s funeral of all places, offers her help whenever she needs it the most. This time, it was when she loses her job at an auto repair shop and her grandmother is introducing her to her new fiance. Frank offers Marion an apprenticeship with Miss Brickett’s Investigations and Inquiries but to the outside “upstairs” world, it’s known as Secondhand Books and Curiosities.

In her first year, she finds Miss Brickett’s is a secretive detective agency, housed in the tunnels beneath London to keep away prying eyes. It’s dedicated to investigating crimes the police have trouble—or little interest in—solving.

This time, the big crime is on one of their own, Michelle White, who is a filing department clerk at Miss Brickett’s, is murdered in the detective agency’s underground offices. Michelle was an unpopular employee since she had a tendency to watch for and report to management, any infraction of the rules made by her coworkers. She receives a letter and goes to the tunnel only to have her throat sliced by her own Snitch (Herald Stethoscope aka the Snitch). Yes, you read correctly. The mere word takes us back to Hogwarts only there is no Harry, Ron, and Hermoine. Too bad because I really enjoyed the Harry Potter series. 

Here’s the thing, there’s a lot of secrets amongst each other. Considering Bill and Marion are supposedly close and good friends, they don’t tell each other their private secrets, such as when she found her mother dead. She finally does reveal it to him as he later reveals why he was helping the school bully, David. In fact, even the staff has even more secrets from each other: facility and students, alike.

She pieces things together and tries to observe and stay alert. Yet she gets caught by Handsome and the Mysterious Kenny, with the good hair. No, I'm not making fun of him. Willberg really does write that in and repeats herself several times about his good hair and that he’s all face and maybe some substance. Seems that Nancy hired Kenny because she needed an outsider to have a look at an investigation they were struggling with at the agency. Yet she gave him no information about the case.

With all the plot twists and turns, it was getting me more confused than Professor Snape's allegiance to which side from the Harry Potter world. I know the higher counsel is there to protect and serve but it makes you wonder, who is really the good guy, or are they really self-serving. 

I would like to thank NetGallery for the advanced reader’s copy of the book.

Lately, I've been stuck in a reading slump. I usually go back to old favorites to get back into a regular reading pattern, but alas, it hasn't been working. Then I read the blurb for this book. I love a good mystery. The time frame and overall theme were interesting. I rarely read books set in the 1950s. The story starts with the death of a filing assistant. Clues suggest that the killer is a fellow Inquirer. Everyone who works for Miss Brickett’s Investigations & Inquiries is under suspicion. The main character, Marion Lane, is a newly minted Inquirer and takes up the task of finding the murderer after her friend is accused of the deed. Things are not as they seem in London's underbelly. Marion keeps her wits about her, despite her inexperience and amateur sleuthing skills. I thought the setting and worldbuilding were done well. I don't know much about the architecture of London, but it's creative to have the Inquirers running around the tunnels throughout London. If you're a fan of alternate universes set in post-WWII London where mysteries are around each corner, this is the book for you.

This was an extremely different book that would be apt for those who loved investigation set on magical realism, felt like a bit of Harry Potter to me. I liked the concept as it was something new for me. overall, an interesting read.

From the title, Marion and the Midnight Murder, one would expect a cozy murder mystery. However, what you received a was a novel that wasn’t quite sure how to classify itself. Set in 1950s, this detective novel tells the story of a (literal) underground detective agency in England that fills in the holes where the police cannot.

The story itself is excellent, but then it goes off of the rails when it incorporates steampunk-like devices and potentially Harry Potter tools, with moving doors and disappearing tunnels. It made it hard to tell what this author really wanted this book to be. Was it supposed to have magically elements? Were they just building machines that were just advanced?

I was left with a story I enjoyed, but confused about what the author wanted me to think and not in a good way.

A fantastic debut novel! I loved the magical Harry Potter like feel mixed with mystery and suspense. Though parts were slow I was glad I pushed on. Great characters and storyline and a ending I thought was fitting! I look forward to reading more books by This author. 3.5 stars. Thank you to the publisher for my copy.

Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder was an enjoyable, light hearted, read. The underground secret world was definitely a location I would revisit.

The Review

It’s Sherlock Holmes meets James Bond with a heroine at the center in this explosive historical fiction thriller. The author does a great job of layering the narrative enough to weave together a complex mystery that will have readers analyzing every detail of the case and exploring this fully realized world themselves.

Marion Lane is such a fantastic new heroine in detective mystery thrillers. The character’s growth over the course of the narrative is as equally exciting as the mystery itself, which delves into the heart of London’s underground scene and the vast mythology of this secret organization. The setting and tone play perfectly with the genre and story, as the city itself becomes as alive and memorable and the cast of characters.

The Verdict

A gripping, suspenseful, and intriguing read, author T.A. Willberg’s “Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder” is a must-read narrative. The balance of character development, mystery, and setting help to elevate this historical fiction read to new heights and puts a unique spin on the classic whodunit style, closed room murder thriller storyline. With the hope that more stories within this universe will be told, this is not a book to be missed, so be sure to grab your copy today!

This book has an intriguing premise and starts strong. This seemed like the mystery and fantasy tropes would carry it a long way. The downside to it is that the characters were somewhat forgettable. The characters become difficult to keep track of and easy to confuse. There are some parts that are fun and intriguing but the story does not hold true throughout.
Good for those who like mystery with a bit of fantasy.
#MarionLaneandtheMidnightMurder #NetGalley #HarlequinTradePublishing #ParkRow

Uh.....if this book had had a better editor, it would have been amazing. However, there were a lot of characters who didn't need to be there (Dave, whose plot could have been added to Bill; most of Marion's friends; half of the professors; and her grandmother-whose plot was completely irrelevant to the entire book) and plots that were unnecessary and, it's a small thing, but multiple characters whose names start with M making it hard to tell them apart. Other than that, which annoyed me so much that I had to do a review here right away, this was your standard steampunk adventure yarn. Hidden agencies, hidden bases, mustache twirling villains. Not much new, but interestingly packaged if 30% of the book had been edited out.

I received an advance readers copy from the publisher for exchange for a free and unbiased review. I found this book to be a quick and delightful read. It reminded me of an Agatha Christie story. It had all the clues and red herrings that you needed to make it a true mystery. Marion is inquisitive and a strong character who wants to clear her bestfriend from being charged with murder. Having the backdrop of WWII makes it very insightful and and interesting read. I would read another book by Willberg and would recommend this book to any reader.