DNF @25%

Not a terrible book, just not my jam. They all can't be winners!

**ARC Via NetGalley**

Absolutely amazing read! Such a captivating read! Amazing cover art that was super eye catching would definitely recommend to all!

A billionaire throws a party at his mansion ,Black Lake Manor, amongst the guests is his ex-girlfriend Ella Manning, now a special constable with the R.C.M.P but in their younger days they used to explore the many caves around the area and have uncovered a secret which had become part of local folklore and certain members of the local community had the power to unwind time once in their lives, the people with this ability had a wolf tattoo on their wrists.
After a severe storm, which has cut all communications to the house, the billionaire is found murdered in a locked room. Ella as the only police representative has to try and solve the mystery but is blocked a number of times especially when she appears to be close to the answer, when somebody rewinds time causing her to lose her memory of where she was in the investigation and she has to start from the beginning again, coming up with a different result. A fair bit of Science Fiction in this one so may not be to everyone's taste.

Now this is a clever concept: techno-thriller meets grisly ritual in a locked-room mystery that would make Agatha’s head spin… plus a side-order of supernatural tribal mysticism. Count me in! A short way into reading this I remembered that I’d thoroughly enjoyed the author’s earlier mind-bending mystery, Five Minds, which quite literally crammed five personalities into one sci-fi headspace. Black Lake Manor is rooted in a far more familiar crime-space – the isolated country house, cut off from civilisation by an extreme storm – but it’s no less challenging in many ways.


Remember those Star Trek episodes where the baffled crew go back and redo key moments from slightly different perspectives? That’s kinda what happens here, employing ancient tribal rituals (and a big black wolf) to turn back time. It’s both entertaining and more than a little bewildering, especially because the plot is further thickened by high-tech holograms which can influence events – and then disappear in an eyeblink.

It’s all so convoluted that even the bemused investigator (who happens to be the dead man’s ex-fiancée and a marine biologist as well as a part-time Canadian police officer; keep your disbelief firmly suspended) starts to think she might’ve actually dunnit. There are plenty of re-caps and finickity lists for people who like to write down timelines, clues and inconsistencies – but I was perfectly happy to sit back and watch this imaginative confection unfold.

Best bits? The clever plotting, the octopus, the flashbacks to ancient times. Weaker areas include the characters who are little more than chess pieces being shuffled around the board to fulfil the complex requirements of the tangled plot. And while the author is great at creating intriguing scenarios and answering weird ‘what if?’ questions, his writing rarely evokes the spinal tingles of a truly chilling tale. This is more an exercise in intellect than emotional impact.

However, anyone who’s watched the game of chess played between Chewbacca and 3PO will chuckle mightily at the one of the crucial elements of this story. The author also constructs plausible motives for each of his suspects, and craftily sneaks proper clues among many red herrings. I was genuinely wrapped up in solving the mystery, and thoroughly enjoyed the gratifying conclusion.

7/10

I think this is the perfect read for a rainy autumn weekend, isolated in a remote house and a big storm outside… Nowhere to run, only having a hot coffee as a company and the “Black Lake Manor” book. I don’t think anyone would ask for anything more, believe me! This is the story of three friends, how they changed during the years but they will be involved in a mysterious crime where not everything you see is real… I know, I am being a little poetic with the plot, but revealing too much will be fatal for the next reader! This story is told between different timelines; a story from the past (1800) that will connect all the characters of the present, the childhood of the three friends (how everything started) and the present, how everything will end…
I have to say that I loved how the author made this delicious plot mixing history, fantasy and crime; this had been a really good surprise. I was expecting a good crime but instead I had a twisted and well-plotted story that kept me awake for days.
This is not a book to love characters, but to try to sympathize with them and their problems; sometimes it is a little bit difficult to say the truth, but I don’t think this affects the story, it only makes it more real. You don’t need to love everyone, you just have to coexist with them, but try to not kill them! 😉
If you are looking for an addictive and twisted story, this is your book, believe me.
Are you ready to enter the “Black Lake Manor”?

Very cleverly structured thriller that weaves multiple time lines into one singular narrative, Black Lake Manor is unlike any other thriller I've ever read. Ella has the ability to turn back time. But only once. And only for six hours. Which comes in pretty handy when she's stuck at a cocktail party at the mysterious Black Lake Manor and a murder occurs. Cue lots of detective work, twists and turns.

I will say that the plot gets very convoluted at times, and it did become a struggle to keep pace with everything that was going on. However, the way that everything tied together at the end was wonderfully done. Really intriguing story, and really well crafted.

This was a wild ride. Locked in a Mansion after a very innovative event, the groups host is brutally murdered from inside a locked room. With there being no possible way anyone could of done it, the group are at a loss.
There’s also the added issue that somebody keeps turning back time and tampering with the evidence every time the group get close to solving it.
I don’t even know how to explain this whirlwind of events. Very futuristic and a tad complex, a great read for anyone who wants to give their brain a little work.

This book drew me in - I read it mostly in one day. I loved the moody setting and the locked-room murder mystery plotline which kept me guessing right until the end. Super twisty, original and surprising, and great fun to read.

A 'locked room' (or residence) murder scene with a killer who can wind back time... the detective having no recollection of how investigation went in the previous timeframe. That is the blurb from the book, an intriguing premise.

The book mostly takes place in 2045, the time of the crime, with sections on a historic story unravelling how the time effects came to be, and some flashback of 20 years to earlier character lives. This is primarily for context, the main 'action' takes place in 2045, mainly (I believe) for some advanced tech involved. We have a location, a murder, and Ella who by default becomes detective, who has links to the place and victim. The early part of the book is mostly context, the killing and early investigation takes place toward the end of the first half, after that it is a crime book with extra twist. Difficult to say too much else without spoilers!

An excellent, intriguing read, well constructed and put together. Twisty with different possible killers as the timelines unravel. Not your usual crime book (see other reviews!), some interest in ideas of alternate timelines and related concepts beneficial but not essential. Will seek out the authors other work.

This mystery science fiction thriller is well written with a very unique premise which gives us an intriguing plot to begin with.

The characters are well written and given the time freeze remind elements, it was pretty easy to keep track of the characters. They are very three dimensional and although the reader does have to suspend belief in some of the other otherworldly aspects, the characters seem real.

The plot can be a bit confusing but if the reader keeps with it, they will soon able to follow the thread. There is some unique aspects that may or may not be strange depending on how you want to look at it but it doesn’t deter from the strong plot. Morpuss is able to balance the time travel expertly which is in itself a difficult thing to really manage but he does this exceptionally well. I often wonder while time is being stopped and rewound, does this happen all over the world and is it happening to me now?

Overall this is a good read and well written and if you are looking for something slightly out of the box, this would be the one for you. It is more of a science fiction thriller with some horror strands but a winner and well worth the read.

Black Lake Manor by Guy Morpuss.
A locked room. A brutal murder. And a killer who can unwind time... In the former mining town of Black Lake, there is an old story about a shipwreck with only one survivor. His descendants have a unique ability: once in their lives - and only once - they can unwind the events of the previous six hours. More than two hundred years later, part-time police constable Ella Manning is attending a party at Black Lake Manor, the cliff-top mansion belonging to the local billionaire. When a raging storm sweeps in from the Pacific, she and several other guests find themselves trapped. And when their host is discovered brutally murdered in his study the next morning, the door locked from the inside, they turn to her to solve the crime. Pushing her detective skills to the limit, against the odds Ella is sure she has identified the killer... but then someone undoes time. With no memory of what she discovered before, her investigation begins again, with very different results. Which of her suspects is guilty? And is there something even more sinister she is yet to uncover? Can she solve the mystery before time runs out... again? 
A brilliant read. Twisty and full of Suspense. 5*.

I can never resist a locked room mystery - but this one was very different to the usual locked room mystery - blending sci-fi and folklore cleverly to produce an interesting backdrop to, and explanation for the murder. The victim is Lincoln Shan - multi-millionaire, tech genius and member of a first nations tribe who have the power to turn back/literally eat time. The main protagonist is Dr Ella Manning, his ex-fiance, childhood friend and local police officer - who takes it upon herself to try and solve the murder. What really confused me initially was the way the book jumped between four different time zones - and remembering what was happening in each. The fact that in the time of the murder time keeps getting eaten and the same events reoccurring (but slightly differently) also really through me initially. I suspect that that may have been the authors intention but I'm not sure I really appreciated that element of the book. Some of the sci-fi elements - ghost walkers, chess pieces that can carry out heart surgery - really required me to suspend disbelief. But overall I really liked the way that the book came together towards the end and thought it to be a very cleverly crafted piece.

A locked room. A brutal murder.
And a killer who can turn back time...
In the former mining town of Black Lake on the west coast of Canada, there is a story about a shipwreck. All those aboard died, except an unnamed man who staggered ashore. His descendants have a unique ability: once in their lives - and only once - they can unwind the events of the previous six hours.
More than two hundred years later, Ella Manning, marine biologist and part-time police constable, is attending a party at Black Lake Manor, the cliff-top mansion of the town's divisive local billionaire. With a raging storm coming in from the Pacific, she and several other guests find themselves trapped. And when their host is discovered brutally murdered in a locked room, they turn to her to solve the crime.
Against the odds, Ella is sure she has identified the killer... but then time is unwound. With no memory of what she discovered before, her investigation begins again, with very different results. Someone is willing to use their gift to protect a killer, and everyone is a suspect...

This is a great whodunnit read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found them believable.
Great suspense and found myself second guessing every thought I had continuously.
Can't wait to read what the author brings out next.
Recommend reading.

I was provided an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. This is my own honest voluntary review.

This was an interesting read I enjoyed it very much. Very different from what I usually read which made it all the more enjoyable. My thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for giving me the opportunity to read this book in return for an honest review.

I thought this was a really good premise and enjoyed the mix of crime and sci-fi, as with his previous book. It didn’t take me long to read and it’s a great one to lose yourself in when you need a good thriller with some twists and turns.

An interesting take on the 'locked room' mystery. Set over three time frames with one having a number of threads. Reading an e-book made it more challenging as in the 2045 timeframe I kept thinking 'I've read this information before'. This made it hard find where and when I was. Once it realised that was part of the mystery I just ran along with it. Lots of twists and turns and never being sure who to trust made for an exciting read and interesting conclusion.

This wasn't my usual type of thriller with having the supernatural/futuristic tech aspect but I thought I'd give it a go. I kind of enjoyed the plot but being very much like the main character and loving animals so much I hate it when we have to read about the death of them, it really does upset me, even when like in this book it's quite brief, I really struggle so if I had known beforehand, I would've avoided reading.
I did enjoy how strong the MC was and how she was determined to fight back and solve the misery, I love a strong female leaf.
But overall this wasn't really my kind of book unfortunately. Thank you for the copy #NetGalley #BlackLakeManor

I found this book intriguing and fascinating: a mix of mystery and techno thriller with elements of mythology.
A story full of twists, secrets, different timelines that surprised me and kept me guessing.
Ella, the woman in charge of the investigation, is a complex character and she grew on me. I like the claustrophobic atmosphere of the island and loved the storytelling.
It's was an entertaining and gripping read.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Oh my goodness this mind-blowing book has everything!

We begin with a shipwreck, then there is an underground cave system, a 200 year old lifeboat discovery, a gruesome locked room murder, artificial intelligence, cannibalism, tribal secrets and time travel. And an octopus called Scarlet. I love a story involving an octopus.

If someone had told me a story could involve all of the above and make sense I would have been doubtful but this really works very, very well.

Told along three main timelines, the first set over 200 years ago, the next two set in the future; 2025 and then 2045, where the most amazingly impressive technological ideas you could only imagine are really happening at Black Lake Manor.

The morning after a huge party at her rich ex-fiancé’s home, Black Lake Manor, Ella is summoned and taken to his study to find he has been murdered in a rather gruesome manner. She is a constable but has not had any experience of investigating murders so she tries to gather as much evidence as she can, and interview the other five people in the house, to hand over to the murder detectives when they arrive.

Problem is there was a storm and they are cut off from the outside world without any form of contact.

A bigger problem is as soon as we think we know what is going on, time is wound back and we are back at square one, along with Ella.

I can’t go into more detail as I don’t want to give away any spoilers.


I highly recommend you read this book, and read it over the course of a few days. You won’t want to put it down as it is incredibly addictive! Yes it is mind boggling but I didn’t lose track of what was happening as it is just so well written.

I am looking forward to what the author comes up with next as he is on my auto read list after having read just this one book.

Huge thanks to Viper Books for having me along on the tour, and also to Guy Morpuss for writing such a brilliant book and for being incredibly understanding of my admin error meaning I’m about a week late in posting 😔

Thank you for having me on the #blacklakemanorblogtour Angana and Viper books I'm so happy I got the opportunity to read this eARC.

My review in one word: WOW!

Let's start with the blurb shall we before I give you my thoughts...

'A locked room. A brutal murder. And a killer who can unwind time...

In the former mining town of Black Lake, there is an old story about a shipwreck with only one survivor. His descendants have a unique ability: once in their lives - and only once - they can unwind the events of the previous 6 hours.

More than 200 years later, part-time police constable Ella Manning is attending a party at Black Lake Manor, the cliff-top mansion belonging to the local billionaire. When a raging storm sweeps in from the Pacific, she and several other guests find themselves trapped.

When their host is brutally murdered in his study the next morning, the door locked from the inside, they turn to her to solve the crime...'

There's more to the blurb but I feel it hints at info in the book and I don't want to use too many characters up so that I can't write my review 🤣

This book was so good, it's not like anything I've ever read before and was a great mix of crime and fantasy. I really enjoyed the concept of the book and how it was set in the past, 1805, and the future, 2025 and 2045. The novel is very much a whodunnit with a lot of twists, it's one that certainly keeps you guessing - I was hooked right from the start. I loved the futuristic elements with regards to technology and time travel, that were encorporated with the heritage of the descendants - it all worked so well together.

Guy Morpuss' use of description is fantastic, especially when it came to the caves, I was claustrophobic just reading about it, and his character development is excellent. I honestly think this book would make a great film!