I love the premise of this series. Tempest Raj is a magician who has temporarily returned to her family's business, building fantastical houses. Pandian takes the "locked room mystery" to new heights with these rooms filled with whimsy and secret, hidden passages. One of my favorite characters, Tempest's grandfather, is accused of murder, and Tempest has to figure out who has railroaded him, and why.

I found it a little hard to connect to the characters in this book. The book club members, including Tempest's best friend from childhood, felt remote and almost unfriendly. Tempest seems to be holding herself aloof from her romantic relationships as well.

I'll probably continue with the series, but with some reservations!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Pandian certainly knows how to craft a "locked door mystery".
Tempest aggrees that there are four impossibilities regarding the murf=der.
It is delightful to watch her unravel all four.

THE RAVEN THIEF by Gigi Pandian
The Second Secret Staircase Mystery

Finished with her philandering has-been of a husband Lavinia has not only divorced him, she’s hired Tempest Raj and the Secret Staircase Construction Company to convert his office into a magical space of her own. To celebrate the renovation Lavinia decides to throw a party having convinced Sanjay, the Hindu Houdini, to hold a fake séance to banish Corbin Colt once and for all. Tempest gives a small group a tour of the new space before the séance begins, then, with everyone joining hands, the scene is set. Just as the call comes to rid Corbin from the space evermore his body comes crashing down onto the table. Murdered. But how? When her grandfather becomes the prime suspect Tempest knows she has no choice but to solve the impossible crime.

Locked room mysteries are a thinking person's genre and with four impossibilities the murder of Corbin Colt is a complex cerebral puzzle to solve. The plot of the second Secret Staircase Mystery is ingenious, especially in how it ties in Tempest's own family mystery to the current murder. I enjoyed seeing Tempest unravel the disparate clues and find the truth-that the crime was not impossible, merely extraordinarily complex.

One of my favorite things about the Secret Staircase Mysteries is the constructions they devise. From the unique home of Tempest and her family to Lavinia's new space, they are dreams made into concrete reality. Another gripping aspect to the series is the characters. The secrets, the drama, the relationships, and the food so willingly shared. Like almost everyone, I adore Grandpa Ash and only wish I could avail myself of his temping fare-I'll have a vada donut...and a cardamom scone with blackberry jam...and...

Filled with surprises THE RAVEN THIEF gives readers a cerebral workout while engaging their imaginations. The mysterious family history, dare I say curse, will keep you enthralled and eager to see what will be revealed next.

This was so much fun, and a bit easier to follow than the last book, or so I thought. Sill don't totally understand the connection with 'Moriarty" but look forward to finding out more in the next installment.

I really enjoyed the first book of the Secret Staircase Mystery series (Under Lock & Skeleton Key) and was excited to return to Tempest Raj's world in The Raven Thief.

This is entirely a wrong reader at the wrong time situation, but I couldn't get into the story this time around so I stopped reading at 40%.

I still recommend it for fans of cozy, locked room mysteries and think I'll pick it up again at some point in the future.

This is an expertly crafted cozy that draws you, once again, into the magical world of sleight of hand and misdirection. Thanks to the wonderful imagery, I am on the hunt for jiggery coffee because it sounds so tempting and a perfect accompaniment to this second Secret Staircase mystery, with a cardamom and chocolate chip scone on the side. The series starter was highly entertaining and this next one is even more mystifying as to the locked room sequence and the description of the amazing creation known as Lavinia’s Lair. Was it a séance gone wrong or something more nefarious or a possible supernatural reason? Four impossibilities according to Tempest and Ravi, but nothing as impossible as the idea of Tempest’s loving grandpa Ash, a retired doctor, and local Good Samaritan, being the murderer. But Ash has secrets and secrets seem to be at the heart of this mystery, magic secrets, secrets of the past, secrets of the present, and Tempest is all-together tired of the secrets. To get to the bottom of this mystery and maybe even the one surrounding the mysterious the deaths of her mother and aunt, Tempest will need the help of her friends and family, and perhaps even Moriarty… Great story that kept me enthralled from beginning to end. If only there wasn’t a year between each book. Looking forward to the next Secret Staircase Mystery and more yummy recipes.

I really love the premise of this cozy mystery story and always imagine myself exploring their property, with all the hidden rooms and staircases, and of course, cuddling with the big rabbit! I really like Tempest and I love that she and Ivy have locked-room mystery sessions whenever she seems to hit a dead end, pulling some of their inspiration from the classic locked-room mystery writers. The author does a great job of incorporating the family's love of magic into the murder mystery and I love all of the major characters, especially Tempest's grandparents, although her grandmother is not in this book as much. In particular, I love salivating over all the food that Grandpa Ash makes!

For this murder mystery, I did my best to pay attention, and while there were some aspects of the murder that I figured out including some suspicions about the victim, I was fooled by her several times since the ending is never the end, ha ha!

While I also like that this mystery has a major arc that follows us through both books regarding the disappearance of her mother, I really hope they make a lot more progress in the next book, because otherwise, it will start to feel like it's being forcibly dragged throughout the series. I mean, I don't mind if she stretches it out a bit, but I want more than just one piece of insight about her mother's disappearance per book. Similarly, there is a mysterious figure who shows up in the first book and showed up a couple of times in this book that seems connected with her mom. Again, I'm hoping we'll get a bit more than some minor appearances and I'm also hoping that Tempest shares it with at least Ivy, if not her grandparents or father.

I am really enjoying this series and can't wait for the next one to drop! I received an advance review copy for free from Netgalley and the publisher, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is the second book in the Secret Staircase mystery series. Once again, Tempest Raj would like to focus on her final magic show, the disappearance of her mother, and constructing her new home. But that is not going to happen.A client,Lavinia celebrates her divorce from Corbin Colt, and her new home renovation designed and built by Secret Staircase Construction . It’s over the top, but when Corbin’s body crashes in during the cleansing séance , Tempest must figure out this impossible mystery and save her grandfather from jail (he’s been accused of murdering Corbin).
This is an intriguing locked room mystery with a pet rabbit( of course, Tempest was a magician), and a lot going on with her friends and family. Oh, and, of course, a murder. I like her character and really hope the disappearance of her mother is solved in the next book. Until next time, hopefully, Tempest can look into her family’s mysteries, and we will learn whether her family is indeed cursed.

There's a ton going on in The Raven Thief, from the central mystery plot to the ongoing story line involving Tempest's family legacy/curse and what happened to her mother. This book pays loving homage to traditional mysteries, and leaves readers satisfied that the main mystery is wrapped up while leaving us ready for more with the throughline.

Corbin Colt turns up dead in the remodeled basement (remodeled by Secret Staircase Construction) of his ex-wife's house when she is holding a seance to exorcise his spirit from the premises. Tempest Raj's grandfather is quickly arrested as the prime suspect, since he is caught with Corbin's blood on his hands and has an active restraining order against him. Tempest knows he is innocent, and must use all of her magical knowledge and Ivy's mystery knowledge to help her figure out who the real killer is before Ash ends up in jail.

Just as good as the first book! This is another locked room mystery from Gigi Pandian, and while this one had a larger space and a much larger suspect pool, Gigi handles it well and keeps you guessing who dunit. I really enjoyed this one and am looking forward to more books in the series. If you like locked room mysteries, or mysteries without too much gore or too many heart stopping twists, these books are perfect!

I received a complimentary ARC copy of The Raven Thief (Secret Staircase Mystery #2) by Gigi Pandian from NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press /Minotaur Books in order to read and give an honest review.

…is an utterly unique and extremely fun cozy mystery blended with a slight touch of magic….…

Being a fan of Gigi Pandian, I was thrilled to be offered the opportunity to read and review The Raven Thief, the second book of her locked room Secret Staircase Mystery Series.

Picking up after the events of book one, Tempest is living at Fiddler’s Folly with her grandparents and is now working at the Secret Staircase Construction, her family’s company. Busy recreating a new life for herself after moving from Vegas, she is slowly adapting.

Currently, the family business is focused on their client Lavinia who is going through a tumultuous divorce from her philandering ex-husband the infamous has-been mystery author Corbin Colt. Lavinia has gone to great lengths to reinvent her life, including completely renovating her house, using the Secret Staircase Construction Company to create a magical mystery themed place for her Mystery book club members to meet at. When Lavinia decides to conduct a purging ceremony including the burning of Corbin’s left behind belongings, Tempest’s dear friend Sanjay agrees to perform a fake séance for the divorcee hoping to banish the last bad memories of Corbin. In the middle of the séance the room goes dark and when the lights reappear so does Corbin’s dead body, splayed on top of the séance table surrounded by all the attendees. In a locked room, how did the killer get in or was the killer there all along?

When family secrets come back to haunt her and suspicion is cast towards Tempest’s grandfather Ash, the clock is ticking for her to get to the bottom of it and save her family.

The Raven Thief by Gigi Pandian is an utterly unique and extremely fun cozy mystery blended with a slight touch of magic. One of my favorite things about all her books is Padian creates diverse, quirky, multi-faceted characters who all feel well-formed and really add to the story. My only complaint would be the series through plot with her mother feels a bit slow and repetitive at times.

This entry really has it all, a complex, interesting mystery with thrill, chills, and intrigue. I really enjoyed this entry and look forward to hearing more of Tempest Raj’s adventures.

I really enjoyed the concept of the magicians and secret staircases in the first book but felt the execution was a bit lacking with all the different topics crammed into the book. My fingers were crossed when I started this book and it more than exceeded my expectations. With all the setup from the first book out of the way we could focus on Tempest and her family and friends, the intricacies of the amazing spaces her family creates, and the mystery itself.

This mystery was especially interesting with an impossible murder in an impossible situation. There are several intriguing side issues the investigation goes into and every single one was fascinating and kept me hooked. There is also a series long mystery involving Tempest's mother and a family curse and seeing how this was woven into the plot was interesting.

The characters are unique and highly specialized. There are magicians, craftsmen, and researchers and each character brought so much to the story. This is a fun and unusual read with a great concept and interesting if not always likable characters.

Fans of Under Lock and Skeleton Key, rejoice! Today is the release date for the author’s new book featuring that special staircase company and a terrific protagonist. It is easy to recommend this title to those who will enjoy its whimsy.

Why (and how) did Corbin literally crash a seance party? Will Gigi and her grandfather be able to figure out what transpired? What will happen in this locked room style mystery? There are many suspects, twists and a few hidden places.

This is a most enjoyable novel. It received a well deserved starred review from Publishers Weekly. It is such a fun read.

Many thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this title. All opinions are my own.

The Raven Thief by Gigi Pandian is an intriguing mystery with a cast of characters so culturally diverse that it lends a whole other dimension to the story. It is basically the story of a woman who had been married to a man for many years, until the marriage no longer worked. Both of them had a little trouble moving on until Lavinia decided to hold a séance to purge her house of Corbin’s cheating spirit and burn notes he’d left behind. The séance was interrupted by Corbin’s dead body dropping from the ceiling. Tempest, the amateur sleuth, and friend of Lavinia, worked for her family’s business, Secret Staircase Construction, which was exactly what the name implied: experts in hidden rooms, disguised hiding places, and secret staircases. She was also a magician/illusionist, as had her mother been before her. Her grandfather was arrested for the murder, basically because of the blood found on him. He was a physician and had rushed forward to see if he could help. Everyone knew he was innocent.

This was an entertaining story with many non-mainstream situations and characters. The séance for one, popular once, but nearly unheard of in this day and age. Then, there were the raven feathers found, a trademark of Corbin as the hero in his first, and only successful book, turned into a raven. Tempest’s grandfather was widely respected and even with his ankle monitor, was so beloved he had many visitors; Tempest called it “holding court.” It was indeed a conundrum. The characters are interesting, not your run-of-the-mill and entered the story throughout. There were plenty of side mysteries to keep it interesting. It turned out to be an excellent mystery and a totally enjoyable book.

The reader was Soneela Nankani and she was perfect. She kept the story moving, although a little slowly at times. She was able to make it clear who was speaking with out resorting to ridiculous voices. Nankani was an expert and enjoyable reader. I felt like it was a better listen than read, in part because of the cast of characters.

I was invited to read/listen to the e-ARC/AUDIO of The Raven Thief by St Martin’s Press and MacMillan Audio, respectively, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are mine. #Netgalley #StMartinsPress #MacMillanAudio #GigiPandian #TheRavenThief

I love locked-room mysteries, and this one was fantastic! It was filled with so many twists and turns and sleights of hand that I had no idea what was going on until the end. And now that we're getting to know Tempest and her family, friends, and home better in this second book in the series, I was completely immersed in the story and am ready to go live in the treehouse! I can't wait to see what comes next for Tempest and the whole Raj family. (And this vegan was thrilled to find the vegan recipes in the back of the book and will definitely be making them!)

This is the second book in this well constructed, creative series. A locked room type of mystery is very intriguing and attention grabbing. Tempest being part of a family of magicians/illusionists who has come home to work for her father’s Secret Staircase Construction business, adds a unique component to the story. I like the fact that Tempest and her family and friends use their backgrounds as illusionists, knowledge of classic mystery novels and the unique spaces created by Secret Staircase Construction as tools in the resolution of the mystery. The characters are entertaining and the creative mystery keeps you guessing.

Thank you #netgalley and Minotaur Books for the Arc.

Tempest has completed her first project with her families business at Secret Staircase Construction. That same client (Lavinia) asks Tempest her grandpa and her friends to come to a mock seance so she can rid any negative vibes from Lavinia ex husband Corbin everything is going great until it wasn’t. Now Tempests grandpa is the main suspect.

This book has a lot of sleuthing in it. There’s not much else of a side plot other than some hints here and there about her mother (which was carried over from the first book). I honestly liked the first book better. It has more of the Secret Staircase Construction things and more food. This one I felt like it was lacking some of the secret room vibes. It was also a little too long.
The ending does set it up for the next book which could end up being really fun so I’m interested in reading that.

I loved the first book in the series with its interesting characters and classic mystery style plotlines. The Raven Thief is a compelling continuation to this entertaining series. Classic mystery lovers will find a lot to like in The Secret Staircase Mystery series.

This locked room mystery was complex and fun to try and puzzle out on my own. However, I didn’t figure it out until it was revealed to me in the end.

Reading The Raven Thief convinced me that I want to live in this world of secret staircases and libraries stocked with British classics. Bring on book three!

Eight people sat around the table holding hands at the seance when author Corbin Colt’s body fell to the table. One of them was the murder, but that was only the first impossibility that confronts magician Tempest Raj. Her grandfather was one of the participants and has now been arrested for the murder. Corbin had appeared on a live broadcast just moments before his death, but that was fifty-five miles away, another impossibility. In a mystery filled with misdirections Tempest uses all of her skills to prove that what seems impossible is actually possible.

After her divorce from Corbin, Lavinia hired Darius Mendez’s construction company to redesign part of her home. Mendez, Tempest’s father, specializes in hidden staircases and rooms that make a home unique. Tempest used to build her magic shows around a story. Now she uses her skills to help her father provide a story built around his design. Part of Lavinia’s design provided a meeting room for her mystery book club. When the design was completed, the fake seance was planned to expel any lingering thoughts of her ex-husband. The attendees included Tempest, her grandfather Ash and members of her book club.. Temoest’s friend Sanjay, a professional illusionist, conducted the seance. Corbin’s murderer had to be one of the attendees. He had a restraining order against Ash for an alleged attack. As a doctor, Ash checked Corbin’s body for signs of life so he had his blood on his hands. Sanjay and her other friends rally around Tempest to help her prove Ash’s innocence. Corbin’s best selling book was The Raven and Gigi Pandian uses periodic appearances of the large black birds to add to the sense of mystery. This is a story with a strong feeling of family and friendship as well as murder, kidnapping and a solution that you will never see coming. I would like o thank NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this book for my review.

This second in series was just as good as the first and in some ways even better. I liked the creepiness factor of the mysterious ravens hanging around and the descriptions of all the cool secret passageways and panels that Tempest's dad put in all the construction he did. I'd love to have a secret room like hers!

There were quite a few suspects but eventually got suspicious of someone and it ended up being right. Although I still went down all the rabbit holes and enjoyed the ride to find out for sure if I was right. I love how misdirection always plays a part in these books, and it's pretty awesome how Tempest figured everything out. She had her good pal Samjay helping along with bestie Ivy. Gideon got in on helping as well, so the four made a good team. It'll be interesting to see what adventure they get into next!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Minotaur Books via NetGalley, and my opinions are my own.