If, like me, you’re a fan of ‘The Seven and a Half Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle’ by Stuart Turton then Black Lake Manor is the book for you. A wolf that can eat time and a murder to solve all on a remote island full of expensive technology – it’s certainly an intriguing premise!

The book is narrated from the perspective of Ella, a woman with a lot of jobs and secrets who openly prefers animals to people. I must admit I found Ella’s character to be a little jumbled: she’s a marine biologist, she’s a cop, she’s the ex-fiancée of the victim and she’s ex-best friends with one of the suspects – it all seemed a little too convenient to be that realistic. I think the cop angle was only really thrown in to give her a reason to want to solve or take the lead on the case but she didn’t really seem to have that much experience in that role so it could have been taken out.

The book presents a locked room mystery and the cast of characters is quite small – there’s Ella, her ex-fiancé Lincoln, an old friend who has recently been sent to jail, a lawyer, the new girlfriend, the head of security and a young helper. Each character as well defined though and had distinct personalities, there’s also a lot of room for red herrings in here and my mind was racing for all angles as I tried to work out what was going on. We also jump backwards in time at various points which the main character is unaware of. These leads to some repetition in events but the author does well to keep each time around feeling fresh and new. If you’ve read a few books of a similar nature though you will notice something straight away which is a big spoiler to the end of the book!

The novel also has a few flashbacks, and I particularly enjoyed the story of Ella and Maq in the caves during their teenage years. I found the imagery to be really claustrophobic and the descriptions made the experience feel real. There were also a few flashbacks to a crew onboard the Pride of Whitby in the distant past, and although these started off interesting, it was hard to see how they linked to the present-day narrative, even later in the book, which became frustrating when you just wanted to work out who the killer was. There is a lot going on in this narrative and even when how the person died is explained it seemed quite confusing in places.

Overall, Black Lake Manor is a fun locked room mystery with a time-rewinding twist. Thank you to NetGalley & Serpents Tail/Viper/Profile Books for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks so much to Viper Books and NetGalley for my early copy. This is a brilliant read, which is part thriller and part sci-fi and completely unputdownable. With great writing, a unique premise, lots of twists and very good characters, it’s one I’d highly recommend!

Black Lake is home to the descendents of the ancient Akaht tribe, a tribe whose history tells of a few members with the power to turn back time. Each person can only use this power once, and can only unwind time 6 hours. Ella Manning is aware of the legend, but isn't sure she believes it. When Ella attends a cocktail party at Black Lake Manor, and herself and the otehr guests are cut off by a storm, she isn't expecting to have to investigate a murder. To ake things worse just as Ella starts to figure out what happened time unwinds and she has to start all over again, this time with very different results.

I really like the idea of this book, I love stories filled with mythology and legends, and this one sounded like it would tick all of those boxes. I hadn't anticipated the tech side of things playing such a large part in the story though, and have to admit that put me off a little bit. I would have liked a bit more focus on the Akaht myths and how the time turning power came into being.

I thought this was a clever idea for a mystery, and although I had guessed some aspects of how things turned out, but not all of them. I particulary liked the main reveal towards the end of the book, I definitely didn't see that coming and thought it was quite inventive.

I did struggle with the jumping timeline here. The story is split across 3 times - 1804, 2025 and 2045. I can understand why the book jumped as it did, given that time manipulation is a central premise. I think it could have worked better if the early timeline and origin story had been told first. I found it hard to follow with the jumping, and really think that the time unwinding aspect on its own was enough time jumping for one book.

The other thing that stood out to me was that there is significant mention made of an octopus that Ella has as a pet, and her relationship with it. I found this very strange and really didn't understand what it added to the story, but perhaps that is just me.

All in all whilst I enjoyed parts of this one it wasn't quite what I expected. There was a lot going on with the tech side of things and the time turning, I think the two sides actually ended up detracting from each other.

Thanks to NetGalley, Serpent's Tail, Viper and Profile Books for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

In 1804, the Pride of Whitby, is shipwrecked on the treacherous shores on the west coast of Canada. Only seven men originally survive, making it to shore in a lifeboat, with three making it into the labyrinthian caves, but ultimately only, Captain Ross, made it out alive. His descendants are said to have inherited the power to just once in their lives, wind time back six hours & relive it over again, even changing the outcome.

Over two hundred years later, Ella Manning, marine biologist and part-time police constable with the RCMP, is invited to a party at Black Lake Manor, the cliff-top mansion of Lincoln Shah. Shah, a billionaire, was one of Ella's closest childhood friends, alongside Noah Diaz, & is her ex-fiancé, although Lincoln wants to change that. Ella is invited there to witness the unveiling of new technology from Lincoln's company, involving hard light, a technology that allows people to remotely control facsimiles of themselves that are hard to distinguish from the real thing. The party goes off fairly smoothly, except for a powerful storm which brings down communication to the mainland for at least 24 hours, The next morning, Lincoln is dead, murdered, & one of few flesh-and-blood guests to attend is the guilty party. Ella has to navigate old friendships, rivalries, & new technology to try & find the killer, but just as she thinks she has identified the guilty party, time is rewound, & her investigation begins again with different conclusions.

This is a spin on the 'locked room' trope where six people are cut off from the rest of the world for a period of time with a killer amongst them. The difference here is the technology & the myths & legends that may or may not be true. Set in 2045 the technology is certainly intriguing. It takes a little getting into - for the first few chapters I wasn't sure what has happening - but when the story settles into the whodunit, it's so good. Ella is a main character whose personality type would probably be classed as INTJ (Myers-Briggs): emotionally unavailable, logic driven, & is said to have a great capacity for empathising with animals but not so much with humans. Girl, same! The other characters/suspects include Lincoln's current squeeze, Rebecca, his shady lawyer, two of Lincoln's employees, & former friend, Noah Diaz. The book was reminiscent to me of The 7 & 1/2 Lives of Evelyn Hardcastle, but here the case is examined from several different angles/timelines, rather than different characters. Readers who like 'locked room' mysteries with a slightly futuristic twist would probably enjoy this. I did & will probably re-read it at some point. 4.5 stars (rounded down).

My thanks to NetGalley & publishers, Serpent's Tail/Viper/Profile Books, for the opportunity to read an ARC.

If you’ve read this author’s debut ‘Five Minds‘, then you know he has the most refreshing and unique way of telling a crime story. Granted, that debut blew my mind so hard that I was a little hesitant about ‘Black Lake Manor‘. Anticipations were high, no matter how hard I tried to curtail them. I shouldn’t have worried. They were met and exceeded!

I’m going to keep this short and sweet because it’s just impossible to write a decent review about ‘Black Lake Manor‘, especially without giving anything away. Also, the less you know, the better. Really, all you need to know is this : it’s a locked room mystery and someone is able to turn back time. Le gasp! Obviously someone is going to die and also obviously someone (Ella) needs to investigate this death but when Ella gets too close to the truth … poof, she’s right back where she started with no recollection of what came before.

If you’re worried that things will become awfully repetitive, don’t. Some discoveries change, or don’t happen at all. Results vary and as the reader you end up way more confused than Ella herself, as you desperately try to figure out if there are any pointers that will help you reach the ultimate conclusion! I wasn’t at all able to even think of a character to point a finger at. They were acting immensely suspiciously. There’s a lot of history to wade through as some have been friends since childhood, some petty behaviour, some grudges. Not everyone is as as they seem. Or even real. Le gasp #two 😉.

Just like with ‘Five Minds‘ it’s best to just go with the flow, let Morpuss lead you wherever it is he’s leading you. Most of the time, I didn’t have a clue what was going on but I was loving every minute of this story! Really, just dive in and discover it all for yourself. It will mess with your head and make it hurt until smoke comes out of your ears. Apologies if this review is too vague for you but I really don’t want to ruin anything. I just hope you’ll enjoy this immensely well-plotted, ingenious, wildly entertaining, crazy mindfuck as much as I did. I’ve no idea where Guy Morpuss keeps getting this stuff but I can’t wait for more. Highly recommended!

A really unique read, with a murder mystery aspect that kept me gripped all the way through. Enjoyed this one much more than the authors previous book.

If you like crime and sci-fi this is a mandatory purchase!

I loved Five Minds by Guy Morpuss and the moment I saw Black Lake Manor I knew I *must* read it. His writing and stories are extraordinary.

A locked room mystery, AI and time manipulation. I don’t know if you could make a better combination of themes for me.

The plot is great, the crime intriguing, the murder weapon really smart and the investigation definitely unique. I loved the backstories including one from the hundreds years ago.
It’s a brilliant mix of an old and a highly advanced worlds.

Plus I’ve learnt something about octopuses!

I can’t wait to see what the author comes up with next!

There were lots of twists and turns in this novel and I wasn’t really sure who to trust – everyone seemed to be keeping secrets and lying about what they were up to. There were several red herrings and some misdirection that had me suspecting all kinds of things! I was trying to guess what was happening and kept changing my mind.

When I first picked up this book I really didn’t know what to expect, but what I read blew my mind.

The story has 3 different timelines 1804, 2025 and 2045. Each timeline has a very significant part to play in the story.

There is tragedy and shipwreck, new life forms beginning, entrapment and more death along with an investigation that is difficult to conduct.

This is not my usual sort of read and at the beginning I did find it quite challenging but it all comes together further into the book. As the pace quickens, and the tension rises everything becomes more clearer.

This is one thrilling story that is packed full of mystery and fantasy.

This book both confused and intrigued me and I loved it! Will definitely re-read once it’s out as sometimes books like this make more sense when I read as a hardcopy.

The concept of this is fascinating, I love the authors writing style and the characters he creates (check out Five minds) and the different timelines.

A massive ‘hell yeah’ for the Chess Board?! This needs to be a film as I need to see that come to life!

Oh wow. Wow. Several days after finishing this novel and I'm still going, 'wow'.
Mixing myth, mystery and technology this is definitely one novel that stays with you long after you finish the final page.
There are four main timelines so let's start the review by getting organised and sorting out where we start:
in chronological order:
4 November (onwards) 1804
23 July (onwards) 2023
13 February 2025
4 October 2045
In 1804, we learn about the tragic sinking of the Pride of Whitney in a small bay off the coast of Canada and the very unexpected outcome for a handful of survivors.
In 2023, we meet Ella Manning and her two good friends Lincoln and Noah. Events and discoveries on a routine adventure into a local mine, setup the trio for the murder in twenty years time.
In 2025, we meet one of our protoganists Lincoln again, and learn about a very unusual ability that he processes.
In 2045, we come to the present day of the story and the 'main event' so to speak as party followed by a seemingly impossible murder takes place in a locked room.
I did need to take my time reading this novel as 'time can be unwound' and all previous events and knowledge reset so it's an novel to take slowly and enjoy every paragraph as you puzzle just how such as impossible murder could be committed.
Oh and don't forget to read the acknowledgements - there are some brilliantly fun comments in there aswell!

In 1804 a ship is shipwrecked at Black Lake Manor and the survives resort to cannibalism to survive. The result a new native tribe forms where they can turn back time.
Years later the year 2045 CEO and tech billionaire Lincoln Shah is throwing a lavish party in his mansion on remote island. The next morning, they find him locked in his room dead. As there is a storm brewing there is no way on or off the island, so Ella Manning a Canadian Mountie decides to lead the investigation into his death. But the other partygoers think there might be a conflict of interest as Ella is Lincoln’s ex-fiancé.
The story goes back in forward in time showing the back story and what leads up to present day and Lincoln’s death.
Black Lake Manor is another mind bending, time travelling thriller from Guy Morpuss that at first, I found quite slow and a bit confusing. But I delved further into the story it suddenly comes clear. This is a unique thriller that all lock room mystery lovers will enjoy. 4 stars from me.

This was certainly a clever premise - members of the local First Nations tribe have the ability to turn back time to 6 hours previously, but they can only do so once. At first I was a bit confused while we jumped around establishing the various timelines - 1805 with the shipwreck that led to the tribe being created, 2025 I think when Lincoln is working and uses his power to turn back time (which is how he gets a lot of money to set up his empire), and then I think 2045 when he is a billionaire, and gets murdered at a party he’s hosting. Because time rewinds a few times in the later timeline, Ella (his ex fiancée, local part time cop and marine scientist) ends up restarting her investigation, losing any knowledge gained before. It’s certainly a head spinner, but very clever and keeps you reading! Definitely recommend it.

This review will go live on my blog on 8 September:

Hi and welcome to my review of Black Lake Manor!

Oh my giddy aunt, what a book! After Five Minds I expected nothing less than a highly original, twisty mindfuck of a book, and that was exactly what I found in Black Lake Manor.

Black Lake Manor’s main storylines alternate between events in 1804 and 2045, with a few sidelines to learn more about the characters and their history. It is always clear where and when we are, and I had no issues jumping from one timeline to another, it never felt confusing.

In 1804, a ship is wrecked at Black Lake and some of its crew have to resort to rather unsavoury measures to survive. This sets in motion the creation of a new tribe, its members able to turn back time, but only six hours, and only once in their lifetime.

In 2045, local billionaire Lincoln Shan is found dead in his study after an exclusive party. He’s been murdered in a rather gruesome manner and the storm raging around the manor means that no one was able to get in or out, so the killer must be either a guest or a member of personnel. With all external means of communication down due to the storm, the victim’s ex-fiancée, Ella Manning, is the closest thing they have to law enforcement, even if she is just a part-time constable, and she’s determined to get to the bottom of things. But then the wolf eats time and Ella has to start over, without even knowing it.

I do love me a locked room murder mystery! And a sci-fi angle! And a mindblowing reading experience! And Black Lake Manor delivers it all, wrapped with a neat little bow.

As soon as I’d read the first chapter, I knew I was in for a treat. It grabbed me and didn’t let me go. I tried not to overthink things and just let the story flow and take me wherever I needed to go, I knew I’d fry my brain if I tried to figure it out, but I couldn’t stop myself. I loved seeing the story come together, all the different elements, all the chess pieces, and then suddenly see the light, when all is revealed and starts to make sense.

I had a brilliant time with Black Lake Manor. I’m very happy that I had the foresight to save it for a lazy Sunday, since it did lure me in the just-one-more-chapter trap, as expected, and I finished it in a day.

Black Lake Manor is a cleverly plotted, luscious thriller with its own innovative tech, its own mythology and the loveliest octopus you’ll ever have the pleasure of meeting. If you enjoy locked-room murder mysteries of the stormy, sci-fi and mind-bending variety, I highly recommend you pick up Black Lake Manor.

Black Lake Manor is out now in hardcover and digital formats, with the paperback to follow next year.

Massive thanks to Viper Books and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

This was a great puzzle of a novel but I did find it a bit confusing to be honest. Very good though but you do have to concentrate. Lots of clues to guess and a good set of characters (although I didn't like many of them) but I didn't connect with the novel like I thought. There are books with puzzles in them that are really impressive lately and I do like this one but I think I will have to read it again.

Overall a very decent read. Imaginative concept and interest backdrop. The writing flowed well. I just personally didn’t feel connected to the characters which capped my investment in the story.

I will say Black Lake Manor was intriguing, though my complaint would be that the timeline skipping felt a bit excessive at points. Would definitely recommend, I just didn’t connect with it.

Cleverly Wicked..
Cleverly wicked, mind boggling mystery of immense proportions. Part traditional locked room mystery and part time travelling, mind stretching speculation. It’s very well done, with a plot peppered with well crafted characters, some pitch perfect settings and, of course, twists aplenty. Unique and quite impossible to part with.

Really interesting story concept, time travel, isolated mansion, and murder of an unlikable person. The time jumps were interesting, at times confusing, and also repetitive. It unintentionally slowed the story. I like Guy Morpuss’s writing, this is my second story of his. I always love his story ideas but find the execution doesn’t make a five star read for me. Will try again, because I do like the uniqueness of his stories

So clever. So absorbing. So messed up.

When ego, technological advancements and mystical traditions collide, you get Black Lake Manor and a pretty trippy ride. Set over 3 timelines, and then some. There is so much about the potential power we can harness from the earth that so many of us either don’t know about, don’t believe or choose to ignore. Technologically, we are all predominantly using technology that years ago we would have been sceptical about and we know that technological advancements are unstoppable. Just how much they will benefit humankind is down to those in charge, playing ‘god’. Scary, thrilling.

Oh and the research was impeccable.

A wickedly clever murder mystery with a fantastical element reminiscent of The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle. There has been a murder on Vancouver island, Canada, at the home of a wealthy tech billionaire in 2045. As well as cutting edge technology being unveiled at the party the night of the murder, the billionaire has links to a local tribe who are rumoured to have the power to turn back time - but only by 6 hours. Ella Manning is a special constable with the Canadian mounties, but as the only person on the scene with any authority as a storm bears down, she is put in charge - despite being the ex-fiancée of the murder victim. Everyone seems to have a motive, and Ella has to put aside personal relationships in order to view everyone as a suspect. But then time resets… and with it the murder investigation. This sounds rather fantastical as a plot, but it is very cleverly pulled off - from the tribal backgrounds and story strands in 1806, the multiple timelines, and likely-sounding technologies of the future which complicate the investigation, it makes for a really interesting murder mystery novel. I can see this making a great film one day too!

My thanks to #NetGalley and Viper for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.