The Murder Dance is the 6th Phineas Fox mystery by Sarah Rayne. Released 4th Jan 2022 by Severn House, it's 256 pages (in print edition), and is available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. I've really become enamored of ebooks with interactive formats lately.

This is such a creepy and atmospheric history/mystery with overtones of Gothic horror and a slight Shirley Jackson vibe. Although it's the 6th book in the series, it works well enough as a standalone, with the codicil that the ongoing characters' development in this installment will spoil some earlier interactions in some ways.

Told through parallel timelines, it's a convoluted and oddly constructed story with taints of madness, creepy settings, a malevolent half ruined manor house, and elements of horror. Fans of the author's oeuvre will find much to appeal here.

Four stars.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

When Quentin Rivers unexpectedly inherits a run down Elizabethan manor house he has many dreams and ideas what he can achieve...all involving his cousin Zillah. His regard for her is a little more than familial! Unknown to him Zillah knew all about the house, but had fully expected to inherit herself and sever ties with him.

As part of the plans Quentin recruits Phin Fox and his close friend Arabella to look into the history of the house and family. What they discover is the Cwellan Daunsen, a dance allegedly not performed for centuries. It seems whenever the dance is performed tragedy strikes and that when it comes to the Rivers family history has a habit of repeating.

Another great story from the criminally underrated Sarah Rayne. I've recommended her books to many people, and this one will not be breaking that trend. What I love about her books is that not only are they great stories they are also so evocative, you really can sink yourself into the past but also be invested in Phins investigation. Raynes prose is both elegant and direct-this author unlike other historical writers doesn't need 1200 pages to tell a story (Diana Gabaldon I'm talking to you!) As mentioned before I'd definitely recommend this.

Phin Fox is back, along with his very close friend, Arabella, and her brother Toby, in a music-themed story that takes us north of London in search of potential leads for early music from Shakespearean times. The basic plot involves Quentin Rivers, his cousin Zillah, and their ancestral home The Tabor. Quentin has just learned that he has inherited the house, located outside the small village of Reivers, and plans an excursion to the site with Zillah who had been led to believe since childhood that the house would be hers. Phin, a music historian, becomes involved in this when Arabella and Toby meet Quentin and Zillah while on their own road trip.

Quentin’s complex plans of restoration lead to discovery of some details from the past and Sarah Rayne does a masterful job of revealing the past in providing alternate threads set in the early 17th century and various points during the first half of the 20th century. These are presented through diaries of people who provide details of life at The Tabor and details of the Murder Dance. The real inspiration for some of this tale is Will Kempe, a clown actor believed to be the inspiration for Shakespeare’s Falstaff.

I found that the historical and contemporary stories worked well together with my only caveat being that Quentin and Zillah might have benefited from a bit of fleshing out. But then, they were Rivers, weren’t they!

I do recommend this book and series. All stories are mysteries modern and historical wrapped around musical themes. Rating 4.5* rounded to 5*

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher, Severn House, through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

Good for people who like: dark family histories, gothic rural mysteries with elements of horror, academic detective stories.

The latest in the Phineus Fox series sees the academic researcher uncover the dark past of an ancestral home in rural Norfolk, and the deadly dance performed throughout its history.

Quentin Rivers is thrilled to hear that he has inherited his family’s Elizabethan manor house, even though he had no idea that it existed. His cousin Zillah is less happy - she is aware of the Tabor’s bloody past and had expected to inherit it. Quentin hires Phin’s girlfriend Arabella as publicist for his planned restaurant in the old house, and this draws Phin, Arabella and her cousin Toby into the mystery. The more they learn about the Tabor and the 600 year old dance called the Cwellan Daunsen, the darker and more dangerous this research job becomes. Every time the dance has been performed, the children of the village were sent home and told under no circumstances to look out of the windows. As the Rivers family secrets unravel, will history repeat itself?

The Murder Dance is a weaving and creepy mystery with many historic secrets to discover. Though the Cwellan Daunsen hasn’t been performed for centuries, its dark legend hangs over the house and Rivers family, and its evil seeps through the pages of this story. The ominous legend and tainted family history adds threat and tension right until the end of the book. The mystery is uncovered slowly, and keeps the reader guessing at the truth right the way through. The sinister undertones, and secrets kept by characters and historic records, work with the atmospheric setting and strange history of the family.

A dark and gothic historical mystery, which will be entertaining for readers who’ve enjoyed previous Phineus Fox books, or those who are new to the series. This is not a classic whodunnit - there are touches of horror and much of the story is based on historic records as they are discovered by Phineus. This book will most suit readers looking for a gothic historical mystery which is more character driven than plot driven.

This book was reviewed by Cathy.

With thanks to Canongate Books and NetGalley for an advance copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

Shelves: General Fiction (Adult); Mystery & Thrillers; January 2022

The murder dance by Sarah Rayne.
Having unexpectedly inherited an Elizabethan manor house in rural Norfolk, the new owner Quentin Rivers has asked Phineas Fox to investigate the house's history. Phin soon becomes immersed in The Tabor's dark and mysterious past, and in the course of his research uncovers tales of a curious dance, the Cwellan Daunsen: a dance that has not been performed for centuries but whose strange legend still lingers. The dance has a dark side; whenever it took place, children were told to stay indoors - and on no account to look through their windows . . .
A really good read. Good characters. I did like Quentin. This is the 4th book I've read of Sarah. 4*.

A gripping, creepy and entertaining story in this excellent series.
It's a gothic novel, not a classic whodunit, and there're some moment which are borderline horror.
I was happy to catch up with Phineas, Annabelle and Toby as they are fleshed out and well written characters.
The plot is well crafted and I liked the different part and the dark story of a family and of the Cwellan Daunsen
I would have preferred some paranormal element to turn the story into a true horror.
I enjoyed it and it's recommended.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

A country house and a family that suffers from a 'taint' are the backdrop to another installment in this series by Sarah Rayne. Whilst the book is a complete tale within itself there is very little for the reader who comes fresh to it to hang their understanding of the relationship of Phineas and Arabella. However the country house in question has recently come into the hands of a new generation of the family. The plans to turn it into an upmarket restaurant leads the owner to engage the services of historical researchers. It is their look into the past that shows up the way that history has repeated itself and that the family 'taint' has carried through. There are moments of truly chilling narrative in this story balanced by detailed historical diary entries making this a good read. The mystery element is less relevant to this tale than others in the series but this doesn't detract from what is a good overall novel..

#TheMurderDance #NetGalley

This was way more scary than I thought. I liked the sense of adventure, the tension but I admit that I often felt the tension broken by sections taking too long or the same ground gone over again. Yet in some places the borderline horror was a bit too much for me in terms of tension. So all in all I am not quite sure what to make of it.

Quentin is the modern-day owner of The Tabor, the latest in a long ancestral line who have built and dwelled in the home. His cousin Zillah joins him as he surveys his new inheritance and makes plans to turn it into a restaurant. Zillah seethes with secret jealousy- The Tabor was meant to go to her, and she has more knowledge of its bloody past, making her feel as if she deserves to be its mistress. After a chance meeting with promotional agent Arabella, Quentin agrees to allow her to dig into The Tabor’s history with her partner, Phineas. What they find is a grisly past with repeating themes of death, madness, and a dance that ties them all together.
The story seems to have so much promise on the surface, but even with all the historic accounts and the shocking events, the language fell flat. Scenes that should have the reader on edge were conveyed in such a manner that it blended in with the mundane. Sometimes, the language was redundant – I even highlighted a paragraph that had two sentences that had the same exact meaning right after another. A keener edit would have done the book wonders.
Mysteries generally are plot driven, but since this book leaned heavily on its characters to move the story, it would have been appealing to have more character building around Phineas and Arabella. From what I gathered, Phineas seems to be the hero of this mystery series but introducing him so late in the story (chapter 4, about 15% into the book) made it so he didn’t get the reader’s investment that was already built for Quintin and Zillah. As for Quintin and Zillah, they essentially pushed aside for historical accounts. Lots of historical accounts. Maybe one or two too many.
I will say – pretty cool ending! But I won’t spoil it.

Arabella's new gig as a publicist for a proposed restaurant in Norfolk leads Phineas, Arabella, and Top on yet another adventure as they track down the truth about the so called Murder Dance. Quentin Rivers didn't expect to inherit the house- his cousin Zillah did- and he's shaky on its history. This spans three time periods- the 1600s, the early 1900s, and the present- t0 tell the story of the Rivers family. Lots of secrets, dark secrets. No spoilers from me but readers of the series (note that this will be fine as a standalone) know that Phin will untangle things. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. I like this series not only for the characters but also because I always learn a little something. A very good read.

A Phineas Fox Mystery full of creepiness and evil. Set in Norfolk in the present time with flashbacks to earlier times.
Quentin Rivers inherits an old house called The Tabor. His cousin Zillah has grown up expecting that the old house will be hers when Osbert dies. I love the way evilness creeps into the relationship between Quentin and Zillah and how it is reflected in the history of the old house.
The Tabor is very old and in need of repairs. There is a lot of old stories about The Tabor and the people who had connections with its history and the people who used to live in the old house.
Phineas Fox and his two friends Arabella and Toby help with researching historical connections of the old house.
I loved the way the history of the old house is revealed. There are lots of secrets and evil intentions.

I had not read any of the Phineas Fox books, but thoroughly enjoyed The Murder Dance. I was hooked from the start with the gothic feel and the premise of a sinister dance associated with historic manor house. The plot centers on different time periods in the house's history -- the Elizabethan era, the early 1900s and the present.

In the present day, Quinton Rivers, a incredibly unlikeable man, has inherited Tabor Hall and dreams of turning it into an upscale restaurant. He will share his bounty with his cousin, Zilla, who is furious that she didn't inherit and who is equally unlikeable. (Quinton also is obsessed with Zilla. Ick!) Quinton asks Phin and his girlfriend Arabella to look into the house's history to uncover any potential publicity gems. The reader learns the history of the Tabor and its dance through "journal" entries written by earlier residents of the house.

I did struggle to categorize the book. It isn't quite a mystery in the classic sense of whodunit. But I felt the plot compelling and really like Phin and Arabella. I look forward to reading other books in the series.

This is fast becoming one of my favourite series from the author - intriguing and in parts, eerily creepy, I loved it!

Sarah Rayne offers a new mystery for Phineas Fox and Arabella Tallis, which is just as good as the previous entries in the series. I enjoy Rayne's template of creating an imaginative mystery tied to a mysterious performance piece buried in the past. Here it is a dance - the Murder Dance, which children were not allowed to witness and which has haunted a family and a village for generations.

Rayne is skilled at blending suspense in the present with the same in the past and weaving a tale that encompasses both. Her present day characters seek to unravel the past while also dealing with trauma, deception, and betrayal in the present. I very much enjoy Rayne's creation of the mystery from the past, and the Murder Dance is just as creepy and horrifying as the Executioner's Song in her last book.

Here, too, we see Phin's relationship with Arabella progress and we get to know Arabella a bit more intimately. They make a great team, and I particularly like how Rayne writes the couple as intellectual equals. The other present day characters, cousins Quentin and Zillah, are two of the creepiest I've read in a while.

I recommend Rayne's books all the time and this one will be no different. Well done!

A gothic setting, compelling characters, and a devious plot combine for a lovely new entry into the series. (Also completely enjoyable as a standalone!) Unravelling the centuries-long history of the murder dance and Tabor hall is as enthralling as unravelling the mysteries of the psychology of this novel's characters.

**Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review this advanced reader's copy in exchange for an unbiased opinion.**

This book is well written. Lots of adventure with tension and action. I like the progression of Phin and Arabella’s relationship. I look forward to more in this series.

This is my second go at a Phineas Fox mystery, and, like the first, it just isn't working for me. I think the issue is that it's big on creepy ambiance, but not satisfying as a mystery. I will try to remember not to request titles from this series in the future.

Absorbing Gothic Mystery…
The sixth in the Phineas Fox mysteries and Phineas is tasked with historical research relating to an Elizabethan Manor House in Norfolk. He soon discovers a gruesome and brutal past which may well catch up with the present. An absorbing, well written Gothic mystery with a compelling narrative and a credible cast of characters. A worthy addition to this well crafted series.

I received this book for free for an honest review from netgalley #netgalley

I wanted to like this book but sadly it wasn't my cup of tea but I'm still happy I got a chance to read it.

Thank you Canongate, Severn House for the eARC.
This is my favorite Phineas Fox in the series, loved it!
Quentin Rivers has inherited an Elizabethan manor house, The Tabor. It's dilapidated, but he believes he can turn it into a posh restaurant, with donations from interested investors. Plus, he will share living quarters with his beloved niece Zilla. Zilla, who is furious ... she was supposed to inherit The Tabor! Outwardly sweet and dainty, her mind is working furiously as to how to become The Tabor's rightful owner.
Phineas and Arrabella travel to the manor, hoping to go back into time researching the family's background and a mysterious dance that was performed hundreds of years ago by them.
We follow the history via journals written by various people who lived in the manor or visited it. It turns out the manor and the Rivers family have a bloody and macabre past that stretches into the future.
Phineas is utterly absorbed with it all, as usual, while Arrabella works right along with him. I love Arrabella, especially when she has her klutzy moments, and I'm glad the two of them are closer than ever.
A thoroughly enjoyable read that I recommend highly!