"Black Lake Manor" by Guy Morpuss is a gripping psychological thriller that immerses readers in an atmosphere of suspense and intrigue. The story unfolds in the isolated setting of a decaying manor, where a group of friends gathers for what should be a relaxing getaway. However, the past quickly catches up with them, revealing dark secrets and hidden tensions.

Morpuss’s writing is atmospheric and evocative, effectively capturing the eerie mood of the manor and the complexities of the characters' relationships. Each character is well-developed, with distinct personalities and motivations that add depth to the unfolding mystery. As the tension escalates, the author skillfully unveils layers of betrayal and deception, keeping readers on the edge of their seats.

Themes of friendship, guilt, and the impact of the past are intricately woven into the narrative, prompting readers to question the nature of trust and the consequences of our choices. The pacing is expertly managed, with twists and turns that maintain a gripping sense of suspense throughout.

The story culminates in a satisfying conclusion that ties together the various threads of the plot, leaving readers with a lingering sense of reflection on the nature of relationships and the shadows they can cast.

Overall, "Black Lake Manor" is a compelling and atmospheric read that will appeal to fans of psychological thrillers. Guy Morpuss has crafted a tense and engaging story that explores the darker sides of human nature, making it a standout in the genre.

DNF'd at 25%, I struggled to get invested in this one, but the writing is very good. Maybe I'll try the audiobook in future, as I can often get better invested that way.

A twisty and genius story that will take your full concentration in order to navigate the complex premise

A dizzying tale of murder, survival, historical trauma, and the ethical limits of technology, Black Lake Manor is an ambitious, if slightly muddled whodunnit, that builds on its premise of 'time travel whodunnit' and blends in themes of indigenous representation, First Nations trauma, and the cost of trying to change the past.

Overall I enjoyed Black Lake Manor, I found the complex character relationships interesting and thought the writing meant it was possible to follow the time travelling story line. The murder mystery plot was novel and clever and the location interesting. If you enjoy a clever murder mystery with an interesting location and can get on board with a surreal twist, I would recommend.

I'll admit that time travel often leaves me a bit confused and this is a book you definitely need to pay attention to as it follows a "groundhog day" pattern, where the last six hours are repeated over several times with little clues peppered throughout as to what is happening with the locked door murder mystery. Combining sci-fi with a murder mystery, this was an interesting book and keeps your brain thinking.

DNF @ 39% ⭐⭐⭐ for what I read

#BlackLakeManor should work on multiple levels - locked room, AI, time travel, murder, childhood friends to adults who don't much like each other. Sadly, it doesn't. The world building and the character development is flimsy and as the story went on the feeling of instability got worse. I didn't find the premise viable. Don't get me wrong, I know it's a story set largely in the future but there was nothing to convince and ground me there. I did like the idea of the ghost technology but I fear, with AI, I am a luddite. My take on this book does have me in the minority so do make your own decision about reading it.

My thanks to @serpentstail @viper.books and @netgalley for the free e-ARC in return for an unbiased review.

The story:
A locked-room murder mystery, but not as you know it…

On the same night tech entrepreneur and multi-millionaire Lincoln Shan launches a revolutionary new product, he is found brutally murdered, locked in his own study.

The last thing his ex-fiancée Dr Ella Manning wants is to become involved in the investigation. But as a Special Constable in the RCMP, and with Black Lake Manor, Lincoln’s remote mansion, cut off by storms, she has little choice.

But Ella is up against more than even she bargained for. Because some of the manor’s guests are determined to prevent her from finding out the truth. And they have the power to turn back time…

My thoughts:
Having enjoyed the brilliant sci-fi mystery “Five Minds” by Guy Morpuss, I was keen to read his latest novel “Black Lake Manor”. This time the story is slightly less fantastical, but still a leap into the future and the way technology might be harnessed, for good or evil.

Once again, time plays a big part in the story, with certain protagonists possessing the ability to re-wind the clock 6 hours — but may only do so once in their lifetime. This leads to all sorts of problems for marine scientist / special constable Ella Manning as she tries to track down the killer. Just as she’s on the brink of a solution, time is re-set and she must start again, with no memory of her previous inquiries.

In classic murder mystery style, we have a small number of guests in an isolated location, one of whom must be the killer. Is it childhood friend-turned-eco warrior Maquina, jilted girlfriend Rebecca, or could it be the slimy lawyer Kleber (painted in a very unflattering light, and presumably inspired by the author’s previous profession!)?

The time-rewinding scenario allows us, and Ella, to consider different suspects in turn — although sadly for Ella, she doesn’t get to remember it! This was a really great way to get to know the different characters, all with plausible motives for the killing.

The author does an excellent job of keeping all the timelines straight, and also throws in some extras — in 1804, exploring the founding of the Akaht (a First Nations band of Vancouver Island), and in 2023 showing Ella, Lincoln and Maquina’s childhood friendship. The conclusion, as with the author’s debut novel, is extremely clever and manages to neatly wrap up all the various strands of the story, which is no mean feat!

Once again, a great read for all mystery fans looking for a really original plot and a hugely satisfying solution!

Not normally a reader of sci-fi but thought I’d try this as at its heart it is a thriller.
I did find the premise of being able to go back in time a bit difficult though. A new reality starting each time. So not for me I’m afraid.

This was a gripping sci-fi, combining two fantastical concepts: time-travel and solid light. It's complicated in parts and there were moments where I really had to stop and think. But I was never bored!

Not sure I can do this fabulous book justice, but I'll give it a shot!

It is a book that keep us readers on our toes.

The story is set in the future but the past influences events at Black Lake Manor.

The tension between ancient traditions and modern technological advances is evident throughout the story.

I don't want to give the game away, but here are some things you can expect -

A houseful of invited guests, yet hardly anyone is present.  Someone is murdered, yet they were alone in a locked room. An old shipwreck. A wolf. An octopus.
Just some of the elements that combine to make a fabulous book.

Great plot, lots of tension - I can't recommend it highly enough. My wee brain was in overdrive (in a good way!)

Thanks to the author Guy Morpuss,  Angana Narula for getting me on to the Blog Tour, publishers Serpents Tail, Viper Books and Profile Books, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book.

A time-bending locked room murder mystery. On a remote Vancover Island the killer has the ability to unwind time, making it repeatedly difficult for the constable to find out whodunnit. A crafty plot makes for a thoroughly compelling read.

Black Lake Manor belongs to local billionaire Lincoln who grew up in the area. When a gruesome murder occurs inside a locked room at the manor, part time police office Ella must try to figure how did it. Since a storm meant no one could leave, she is certain that it must be one of the guests.

However, strange things can happen in the old mining town of Black Lake and they seem to come from a shipwreck over two hundred years earlier. Legend has it that the descendants of the sole survivor of the wreck, have a supernatural ability to turn back time. Ella knows that the shipwreck is real because she came across parts of the wreck in an old cave.

Soon Ella thinks she is on the trail of the murderer, but then someone turns back time and Ella cannot remember anything of the previous day. Who is responsible and can Ella find out before something more sinister occurs?

This book is like an Agatha Christie style mystery that’s been taken straight past the twenty first century – you have legends, mysteries, but also the somewhat frightening role of AI technology.

I loved Black Lake Manor and was completely hooked from the very first page.

This is an amazing locked room style mystery that is intertwined with ancient myths and a legend surrounding a shipwreck that happened over two hundred years before.

A shipwreck at Black Lake, a locked room, a brutal murder, a killer who can unwind time… Wait, what? A killer who can unwind time? Tell me more…

Okay, so, well, there’s a survivor from the shipwreck and his descendants have one unique ability that once in their lives they can unwind time for six hours. Then 200 years later, near the same spot at a mansion (the Manor of the title) on Black Lake there’s a party, a storm and a murder. In a locked room. By chance there’s a part-time police constable attending (all will be revealed) and she begins to investigate. Then just as she thinks she’s solved the murder… time is unwound and she’s back to square one with no memory of what’s she’s previously discovered. And the race against time begins.

Now, let’s rewind to 2021 when Guy Morpuss’ debut Five Minds was released. Was I late to that party? Yes I was, and in 2022 it became one of my top five-star reads.

So, hopes were high for this follow up and to be honest Guy had me at “a killer who can unwind time” as I’m a sucker for anything remotely sci-fi with time-travel twists. And while Black Lake Manor doesn’t quite hit the heady heights of Five Minds, it certainly does not disappoint.

Truth be told, I’d been growing weary of so-called locked room mysteries. They all felt kind of the same-ish. But Guy here has turned that on its head and it’s all the more refreshing for it.

The tale of Black Lake Manor is bloody and quite gruesome in parts – no spoilers, but in the acknowledgements the author is told by his editor “always start with the buttocks”. That should give you a little, ahem, flavour of what’s in store.

It’s a locked room mystery with time-travelling as its USP and some high-tech Tech at its core and whilst Morpuss hasn’t quite re-invented the wheel here he has certainly ripped the heart out of and re-set the clock on a genre that was getting slightly stale. And it’s been re-set with a vengeance. It’s like the wolf ate time (read the book and you’ll know).

Two books down and I can’t wait to see what the author brings us next.

I really wanted to like this book. The premise reminded me strongly of 'The Seven Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle' - one of my favourite books - and there's definitely a similarly intriguing plot here.

Unfortunately, the multiple story strands lacked the tautness required to fully hold them together and I found myself not only getting somewhat lost but also increasingly bored with the action/adventure, gun-toting high-jinks. It probably didn't help that I failed to connect with any of the characters. Indeed, I found most of them really unlikeable and I also found some of the representation uncomfortable at times, which further diminished my enjoyment of the book.

Looking over the reviews, I'm definitely in the minority in having not enjoyed Black Lake Manor. I suspect this is because I was hoping for a classic mystery when the book is actually more of a high-octane thriller with mystery and sci-fi elements. I can certainly see the appeal but sadly it wasn't my jam.

Fiendishly clever, deliciously creepy and brilliantly addictive, Guy Morpuss’ fantastic Black Lake Manor is And Then There Were None for the 21st Century.

Black Lake Manor is a former mining town famous for the legendary tale of a shipwreck with only one survivor who had left its descendants with a precious gift: the ability to once in their lives unwind the events of the previous six hours. Two hundred years later, part-time police constable Ella Manning is attending a party at Black Lake Manor, the opulent cliff-top mansion owned by a billionaire when a raging storm ends up trapping all the guests. But there is a further shocking surprise for Ella because their host has been found brutally murdered in his study the following morning – and the room was locked from the inside. With the guests all turning to Ella to solve the case, the part-time police constable has got quite a challenge on her hands! Will she find out whodunnit? Is she in danger? And could the killer end up striking again?

Just when Ella begins to think that she might just have uncovered the killer, something strange happens. Somebody undoes time and Ella is right back where she started. With no memory of what she had discovered, she has no other choice but to start over. Only, her investigation ends up yielding a completely different result. Can the killer be unmasked a second time? Or will time end up running out again?

I couldn’t read Guy Morpuss’ Black Lake Manor fast enough! Guy Morpuss takes some of crime fiction’s much-loved conventions and turns them on its head by imbuing his story with an unusual premise that serves to increase the tension, danger, jeopardy and suspense. Full of mind-blowing twists and turns, rib-tickling humour and eccentric characters that leap off the pages, Guy Morpuss’ Black Lake Manor is a must for crime fiction addicts everywhere.

I love me a locked room style murder mystery so I was very, very excited to get my hands on a copy of Black Lake Manor by Guy Morpuss, so thank you very much to Viper books and NetGalley.

This book has so much going on, it's far from the usual investigative thriller! With elements of technology, AI, First Nations culture, superstitions, traditions, it will have your brain bursting! While confusing in parts, the book was a mysterious and captivating read! I was kept guessing throughout and just when I thought I had a grasp on everything, I was proven wrong! Who doesn't love being surprised over and over?

The technology side of things had me scratching my head. I'm not very good with anything techy so I think it's safe to say I didn't understand a lot of that side. It was fine though as it didn't effect the overall feel of this story.

The multiple timelines worked very well with creating the suspense within the story. All the characters are on edge and just when it looks like things will be explain, whoosh, you're brought back to the start. A very compelling element of the book!

Black Lake Manor was one of my most anticipated reads of 2022 and it didn't disappoint! I'm not overly sure I've read a book quite like it before and it's a mystery I won't be forgetting any time soon, unless the wolf eats time!

* Please research any trigger warnings before reading *

Guy Morpuss's first novel was out-of-this-world unique and exceptional and Black Lake Manor follows suit, This book has everything- historical shipwrecks, futuristic robotic fortune telling, a murder and a timetravelling investigator-set a remote manor on top of a clifftop. All the things i didn't know i needed together in one novel until i read it. The storyline is sharp and deliberate, but always mysterious and tantalising. I love the world that Guy Morpuss creates - his dreams must be amazing!

This is a brilliant second novel from Guy Morpuss. I absolutely loved 5 minds and wondered how a second novel would compare, and this is honestly the way to do it! I love this sort of genre where it is set in the real World but with some twists and turns which take you into the fantasy/sci-fi realms. Brilliantly plotted, with a great story, that unwinds in a really unique way.

Starts off with an interesting premise which adds some intrigue to the story but in essence this is a country house murder mystery.

Characters tend towards the stereotypical but overall this is a decent and entertaining yarn.