thank you to netgalley for an arc of unnatural ends.

first things first, this book was a big undertaking. there are nuances and complexities to the story, and i think the author handles them well.

i started this book hoping it would have a knives-out feel to it. it certainly has similarities, but it’s it’s own completely unique story, ending, etc. it was a fun world to get lost in and kept me on my toes enough to finish the second half of the book in one sitting.

my only complaint is i would suggest removing the term “queer” to describe oddities. although it might have been used that way in the past, it’s not worth it now and there are other ways to describe things that will be as effective. it’s also used too many times, so even if it wasn’t a bit tone deaf i think the author is creative in so many ways that they can be creative here in describing things.

i liked how in the beginning their father is painted as this person who adopts children and cares for them and provides opportunity, but just like with any family the deeper you dive the more the truth comes out and the false impression melts away. the ending could have easily fallen to an incredibly dark place, but it didn’t. it managed a happy ending without feeling cheesy. great read!

I did not quite enjoy this book because it was not a page turner for me as I was not invested in the story. I realise now that I shouldn't have requested a mystery book because it is a genre that usually does not reach my expectations. Although the plot twists were intriguing and would have pulled me into the book if only I cared to learn what happened next in the book.

A historic thriller set in the moors of England in 1921, the story starts off with our protagonists Alan, Roger and Caroline returning to their childhood home for their Fathers' funeral. There they are met with an unexpected surprise - a clause in the will that says that in the event of a murder , the child that finds the killer will be the sole receiver of the Linwood fortune.
The story is set in multiple POVs and follows our MCs as they uncover their individual origins and family histories. This bit just didn't make sense to me - given the task or finding their fathers murderer, why would they delve so deep into their own pasts? It's all tied up together well enough in the end, but the journey to get there seems a little confusing. The writing itself is so beautifully done. The descriptions, the way the thought process of each of our characters reflect their professions, the dialogue.
One particular line that really stuck with me - ""Why was it that the only roles open to her were either fierce warrior queens or meek little slaves? Whatever happened to the vast spectrum of ordinary woman in between?"
Overall - a rich historic fiction with an average whodunnit plot.

Wow. What a thrilling book! There are so many twists and turn, I did NOT see the ending coming. Every time I expected the characters to do one thing, they would do the opposite. Wonderful story telling, and captivating read.

Thank you Inkshares, Net Galley and Christopher Huang for the advance copy.
This is an author new to me and I will be reading the backlist. What a wonderful writer with such elegant turns of phrases. I felt like I was transported back to Britain in 1920. Linwood Hall in Yorkshire evoked all kinds of Downton Abbey vibes for me. The turn of the century customs and habits seem very authentic and the deferential village people reminded me of how things were in such a flux at this time in history. This was quite a unique take on life in that era and I enjoyed it tremendously. The historical note at the end was a welcome addition.
The plot was very clever, and I enjoyed the twist on the murder mystery. As well as the very cool setting, we have three adult children who, in the process of working out the mystery, also come to terms with their childhood and parentage. Very interesting! It did slow the plot down a bit to have each explore where they came from, but I enjoyed it.
I loved the characters who were raised believing they were all adopted only to find out they are really half-siblings. It was very interesting to see how each dealt with this information. Each chapter is from one character’s point of view, but the narrative moves forward in a way to keep the reader on track. I did enjoy the police office Mowbray’s character as someone with preconceived notions of the aristocracy. He, like all the characters, grew a lot by the end of this narrative and I like to see that in my reading material. His final decision regarding this case was a great ending.
Maybe too many deaths? I might describe this book as a gothic, and I guess this is one where readers must suspend reality a bit. I definitely got weary of all the found bodies. The murderer is ultimately evil personified, and I found the ending to be a bit rushed.
Overall, a very entertaining read.

Who killed Sir Linwood inside a locked room? Christopher Huang is masterful at twists and turns, suspecting so many, and delivering that finale that leaves you pondering back through the book. The Linwood children: Alan, Roger and Caroline all have distinct voices and their past and current lives and thoughts move the plot quickly. The other women in Sir Linwood's life provide more clues and red herrings. You will keep reading late to see who done it!

I liked the idea of this book, I just didn’t really enjoy the book itself. The writing style just didn’t work for me, and there wasn’t much mystery.

Unnatural Ends by Christopher Huang

I would like to thank #NetGalley and #Inkshares for providing the galley in exchange for an honest review. This would have been an early DNF otherwise.

I don't know how to be polite about this.
What I liked: there were moments of beautifully described nature and surroundings.
The author gave the impression of having knowledge in the field of archeology which I was looking forward to.
The premise was interesting.
But.....the beautiful descriptions became very repetitive and there was an overuse of words.
The narrative was very odd, very stiff and an unusual structure to his sentences and phrasing.
The plot was not well developed. The characters were flat and I just didn't care about the mystery (probably because I had guessed the underwhelming ending by 20%.
It's screaming for an edit. Sorry.

This mystery has an interesting premise and an effortlessly immersive setting. I always felt like I was in the early 1900s and the writing style matched that. As I said, the premise of investigating a dead father and uncovering the pasts of the adopted children was a cool concept. However, when it came to the book itself, it lost me. The writing is good, don't get me wrong, but it is slow and there is more of a focus on internal dialogue and descriptions over the plot actually starting. It took a long time for the investigation to actually begin. Once it did, things picked up more, and the characters were logical enough to keep it going. However, I still found it to be quite slow and the mystery lost its charm and my curiosity very quickly. This book just wasn't for me and I think it would be better suited to older age groups who like a slow burn and an older, less personal style of writing. This is by no means a bad book. It just wasn't to my taste. I appreciate the opportunity to read it and wish the author the best.

In the town of Linwood Hollow in England, Sir Lawrence Linwood is found murdered. His adopted children are called home to find that his will states the estate will go to whoever solves his murder. Alan is an archaeologist and the eldest. Roger is an engineer and the middle child. Caroline is the youngest.
As the search goes on, the circumstances of the adoptions come to light. Could someone connected to the family have wanted Sir Lawrence dead?

This is my first book by this author and I liked it. There was a good mystery with plenty of twists and turns. I would recommend it.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

The year is 1921. Lawrence Linwood is found dead, bludgeoned to death by a mace. His three adopted children, Alan, Roger and Caroline are reunited for the first time in two years at his funeral. What's at stake? The Linwood estate — and avenging his murder.

Unnatural Ends is a book about a murder, but more than that, it's a family-centric novel about the three Linwood siblings. I didn't expect to like all three of them this much, but despite their eccentric upbringing and reserved morals, the three of them are smart, interesting characters that have motivations far beyond simplistic greed, as one might have expected. Alan, the eldest, is cold but secretly sentimental; Roger, the middle child, most resembles the former Linwood patriarch but is also a loving companion to his fiance Iris; and Caroline, the youngest, is clever and secretly rebellious. One thing I enjoyed about this novel so much is how the three of them are firmly loyal to each other throughout the novel no matter what, and it's this closeness and willingness to stick around for each other that makes this novel such a pleasure to read. It's a testament to all three of their characters that they can retain this quality, and I spent half the novel reading with bated breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

And the prose — Huang's novel reads like silk. It was such an absolute joy to read this novel. Beyond the main themes of family, abuse and vengeance, there are a litany of other side themes that don't distract from, but rather support and advance, the plot. The different perspectives were utilized perfectly without becoming too messy. The equation of A+ writing and a solid plot that provides its shares of twists and turns makes this my favorite mystery novel yet. The twist in my middle was my favorite — although I didn't like the comparison of how blood ties made one closer, since it didn't seem to add anything to the relationships in question. The ending twist was clever but more predictable. I am a little sad Sir Linwood's end was so swift — but alas, one cannot hope for all that they wish.

This is a book that deserves rereading to fully appreciate it, and that is exactly what I did. It's entertaining, well-written and the perfect length to be read in one sitting. Unnatural Ends has very quickly become one of my favorites this year, and I am so excited to be introduced to Christopher Huang as an author.

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I bailed on this at 75%. These people were raised by depraved parents but that's not what made me bail--a random introduction of cat mutilation and implied killing put me off. I was interested in the story, but that's not something I'm on board to continue reading. I'm sure this book has an audience out there, but I am definitely not it.

A frighteningly clever themed book. I was so enthralled in the story I honestly didn't realise I was three quarters the way through. Packed with shocking realisations. Could definitely see it as a brilliant movie. Highly recommended read👍

The story of Unnatural Ends is set in Yorkshire in 1921. Sir Lawrence Linwood, the owner of the Linwood Hall estate, has just passed away and his three adopted children are called home to attend his funeral. There they are informed, that their father was brutally murdered in his own home. Surprisingly, the lawyer of Sir Lindwood announces that his last will is, that whoever of his children discovers his killer, will inherit the entire estate.
To secure their inheritance, each one of the Linwood children must dig through their father's past as well as their own. Quickly everyone grows suspicious of the people around them and their siblings as well. They discover that the answer of the murder lies in the mystery of their own origins.

The most chapters of Unnatural Ends are written from the point of view of the three siblings Alan, Roger and Caroline, but you also get some point of views from the police inspector, the wife of Sir Linwood and some other characters which are introduced later in the book. You also get some glimpses of the past, which the siblings connect with present events. Through these time switches, you'll learn about how much Sir Linwood was admired by the people of the little village besides Linwood Hall, but also about his harsh and strict behavior towards his adopted children. Each of them standing in the shadow of their father's shadow, always having to be strong and emotionless.

I really enjoyed the different point of views and the time switches! Through them, you learn a lot about the changing dynamics between the siblings and you kind of investigate the murder with them. Because of the many twists and turns of the story, it never got boring. The mystery itself is written very interesting, especially the parts where the siblings discover their own origin, I like stories who dig through their character's pasts.
The atmosphere throughout the story was always dark and mysterious with old buildings and little towns.
I really had a good time reading Unnatural Ends!

To start with,
I came close to dnfing this book multiple times. Some things I don’t like, the writing style. It’s very dry when describing detail. However, I do like the character work, they each felt very unique and had their own experiences and troubles. I also like each of their relationships with father and how it changed their perspective of the murder. I also appreciate the murder mystery aspect, it’s what kept me reading, I spent the whole time just craving to know who murdered father. To be frank, this book had many good qualities, it just wasn’t for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and Inkshares for the e-ARC.

I loved this book, though the formatting was a little off. There were multiple spots in the book where the dialogue had unneccassary spaces and were all over the page. Since this isn't published until much later I'm assuming that formatting issue will be resolved by then.

I thought this book was a great mystery, I would compare this to an Agatha Christie novel. I honestly did not see the twists coming and was delighted by the conclusion of the novel. I loved the complex family dynamics and how the siblings worked together to, well eventually worked together. I'm excited to read more from this author.

|E-ARC provided by NetGalley and Inkshares. Thank you.|

Unnatural Ends is an ambitious story about a father, his three adoptive children, and a murder mystery to solve. The most intriguing aspect of this book, in my opinion, was the characters. It is definitely a character-driven plot. Alan, Roger, and Caroline, with their nuances of a perspective on the way that they view the world and their surroundings; Alan, with his archaeological knowledge and his love for history. Roger, with the mechanical way that his mind functions. And Caroline, with her character-analysis of the people in her life and the people she newly meets.

Now, I have to say that I didn't feel anything towards Lawrence Linwood, nor did I particularly care for his character. He was set up to be a fearsome man, with his own "idealistic" mentality, and his interest in eugenics. While the latter topic (and the way it hints at the atrocities committed in the Jewish Holocaust) is surely a horrific thing to discuss, it wasn't galling enough in the way that it intended to be, and his motivations and actions were unfathomably unbelievable to a degree.

I had several issues with the way that Rebecca Linwood was written, and that also applies for the detective, both of which we did not get enough character development or background for.

As for the plot, it was sadly not engaging at all. I also don't see the need to have the story set at such a date (the 1900s) just because it could serve as a surprise element for the twist, which was hardly surprising, since I've come to the conclusion that the characters came to at the end, halfway through the book. I feel like we spent a lot of time studying the past actions of Lawrence Linwood instead of the history of Linwood Hollow itself.

In a sense, the story was a Christie-esque mystery, with semi-developed characters, a semi-well-written plot, and a rushed ending.

If you're a fan of historical settings (which I myself am, but wasn't a fan of this one), and beautiful sceneries, this one definitely sets the atmosphere for it.

After their father’s death, Alan, Roger and Carolina Linwood, complying to Sir Linwood’s will, investigate his murder. In doing so, they found out about their origins.

The first thing that the reader notices is Huang’s beautiful prose: elegant, but never too complicated.

The characters are all well thought. The three main characters are victims of their father’s abuse and it’s evident how this has shaped them as individuals. In order to make this more apparent the author cleverly uses flashbacks, which are never boring.

Despite all of this, I must say that I am not very satisfied with this book.: the plot is its main problem.

In his will, Sir Linwood asks his offspring to investigate his murder in exchange for the family estate. By the end of the book, we discover that Linwood staged his own death with the purpose to follow his children’s investigations and chose which one deserved the estate. Now, I get that Sir Linwood was an eccentric person, but this whole thing feels forced.

Also, for a huge part of the story Alan, Roger and Carolina basically end up investigating their own past and origins while Sir Linwood’s murder investigation feels relegated to the last part of the book which makes the book quite slow-paced.

Overall, this isn’t an awful reading and may interest readers who are keen on historical mysteries.

Thank you Inkshares and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Christopher Huang captures time and place brilliantly in this 1920s mystery. Three adopted siblings return home to the Linwood estate upon the murder of their adopted father, Sir Linwood. Already in shook due to the murder,the second one comes with the reading of Sir Linwood's will. After leaving his wife part of the estate for as long as she lives, for his adopted children he has special wishes. Specifically, that whichever of the three captures his murderer, he/she will inherit the entire estate! And so the investigation begins.
There were plenty of twists within this story, and we are introduced to several peripheral characters,at times making it confusing to keep who was who straight. Some of the characters did not need to be introduced if you ask me, for I felt their role had no significant impact on the plot line. There are plenty of red-herrings through tout. Sometimes I wasn't sure what really was going on. Overall the story held my interest until the end. The author does a wonderful job of setting the tome and atmosphere, so if you feel you're in a gothic mystery setting, which I really enjoy this book did well. What I didn't like was who the real murderer was! I am sorry, I found it very far fetched that events could proceed as long as they did with this murderer running around creating havoc and no one realized? You will know what I mean if you read the book. I am not giving any spoilers! The book moves along at a good pace, all in all a well written who-done-it for a quick weekend read!
Thank you to Inkshares and Net Galley for the free ARC, I am leaving my honest review in return.

Unfortunately, I just couldn’t get into this book. I was SO EXCITED to get an advance copy and then it just wasn’t for me. I even enjoyed keeping track of details about the house I assume will come into play later, but it just didn’t keep my attention.