This is a classic whodunit mystery with a huge dose of sarcasm. The best way I can describe it is Clue meets Psuedonymous Bosch. Truth be told, it didn't grab me at first, but once I got past those first few chapters, things picked up.

The opening is a bit dull. Baron Angbar's emerald ax has gone missing so he sends his butler out to find a bounty hunter. The bounty hunter ends up being a teenage girl with her own bard. She tracks down a magician who might be involved, but also might not. And that's how the whole story goes. It's one big rabbit hole after another.

Once they all end up at the Angbar mansion, the plot emerges. Everyone is invited to stay for dinner, and suffice it to say, things go awry. The ax, returned earlier in the day, goes missing again, so the magician casts a barrier spell around the castle so no one can leave. The suspects are numerous. Baron and Baroness Angbar. Their children, Kade and Araminta. A guest baron. Lilac the bounty hunter and her bard. The magician. The butler. The chef. The etiquette coach. The guard. Lilac is given the task of solving the crime, but when thievery turns to murder, all hopes of a quick case go straight out the window. Well not exactly. Since the magician is the victim, there is no one to undo the barrier spell. Things are about to get tight. Literally. The barrier is moving in and the castle is going to be crushed if they don't figure things out fast.

There is so much going on in this story it's downright comical. In a good way. Everyone has a ludicrous story to tell. You must be on your A-game to write a book like this. I applaud the author. It couldn't have been easy keeping up with all the details of this crazy plot.

Not a book for everyone, but get this into the hands of the right kid and he'll be forever grateful.

If you enjoyed Christopher Healy's 'League of Princes' trilogy, then you should enjoy this as it takes place in the same world, the Thirteen Kingdoms.

Lila the Lilac is the sister of one of the main characters in the Prince's trilogy, and in this book, she gets her own story.

Lila is tired of living under the confines of her selfish royal parents and is determined to make a name for herself as a mighty Bounty Hunter. She travels many Kingdoms away in the hopes no one will recognize her true identity, and along the way, she befriends Netta, a plucky young lady who wants nothing more than to be invited into the Guild of Bards.

Lila and Netta end up trapped together in the creepy Castle Angbar, trying to solve first a theft, then a murder. There's quite an eclectic cast of characters locked in the castle with them, and if they want to get out alive, the Lilac needs to solve the case before sunrise, or the magic cast by a powerful magician will crush them all.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. Even though I had guessed very early on who the culprit was, I was surprised by some of the twists at the end that I didn't see coming.

Side note: If you're a fan of audible books, I would recommend listening to this if he has Bronson Pinchot narrate it as he did for all his other books. Bronson Pinchot (he played Balki Bartokomous on Perfect Strangers for those of you over 40) is a FANTASTIC narrator, and he does an amazing job with these books.

Surprisingly complex and clever. This book raises the question of how one solves a murder mystery when there's magic involved.

Silly and spoofy at times, but with some deep, worldly lessons thrown into the mix. The silliness will delight middle grade readers, while the intricacies and depth will keep older readers on their toes.

A fun and engaging read. I never figured out the killer. Will you?

Such a cute novel and kind of silly. Not to be taken seriously. Easy read for me. It’s a bit funny when the narrator would speak to the reader making it a fun experience. Classic Clue like mystery. I love the cover of the book! Def recommend reading during Halloween time!

thank you Netgalley for the ARC copy!

No One Leaves the Castle is an intentionally quirky whodunit fantasy with a Clue vibe. The story is original, with its spunky protagonist and her best friend and side-kick bard encouraging her to pursue her dream of becoming a bounty hunter. It was fun to discover the clues right along with the heroine and try to figure out who the culprit was. While there were times the narrative stepped in and pulled me out of the story, explaining things unnecessarily, kids might very well find this cute.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

No One Leaves the Castle has a novice bounty hunter The Lilac set to first track down the thief of the missing Emerald Axe of Angbar, which is missing, returned, and missing again. Then there is a murder, which she is now set to solve with her trusty bard (and BFF) by her side Dulcinetta. The Lilac at first a bounty hunter and now a detective will discover the truth no matter what or else No One will Leave the Castle alive.

No One Leaves the Castle is a very cute and deliberately silly mystery for children. It would be hilarious to read this one out loud with the little moments when the narrator speaks directly to the audience. Naturally easy to read and ridiculously ridiculous at times, but fully enjoyable and will no doubt be a hit for its audience.

Thank you to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

No One Leaves the Castle is full of quirky characters, fun back-and-forth banter, and intrigue! This is an exciting middle-grade book and I know kids who take the time to sit down and enjoy this story will love it. I appreciate the unique story that Christopher Healy has created.

I enjoyed this mystery. This is a great YA read. I found that the narration was unnecessary and redundant at times, which detracted from the story, but I did appreciate that the story wasn’t predictable with its many plot twists.

Thanks to the publishers for sending me a copy through Netgalley. Opinions are my own.

What an adorable book. As an adult reading middle grade stuff, I know I’m not the intended market for this book. However I believe adults benefit from being immersed in such worlds sometimes too! What a lovely story, I would definitely put this book into the hands of any child or my younger self. The story is heartwarming, the characters are strong and empowered, the girls are beautifully represented. There is a lot of humour in the book, specifically through the character of Netta, she was precious! I would read more in the series if there were more to be written!

I was provided with an ARC of No One Leaves the Castle by Christopher Healy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book.

I love a good mystery and this is definitely one of them! How can you figure out whodunnit when it seems everyone has something to hide? Leave it to The Lilac to sort it out. A girl who sets out to make a name for herself and is presented with just the opportunity she needs to prove she's a true bounty hunter. Along with her friend and professional bard, Netta, she begins to unravel the many-layered cake that is Castle Angbar, its residents, and their secrets.

I really enjoyed the character development throughout the story and seeing The Lilac grow into a respectable young lady- I mean bounty hunter! All of the characters in general were really well done. I found them all personable in their own quirky ways and the banter back and forth between them as the story went on was entertaining. The pacing was great and I loved the setting and all the discoveries made about the castle and the Angbar family along the way.

This is definitely a middle-grade book I recommend reading and I hope to see more tales of The Lilac and Netta in the future!

What worked:
The story has a humorous angle to it that will make readers smile, or perhaps groan. A novice bard follows the exploits of the young heroine named the Lilac and creates a song about her along the way. The lyrics aren’t always flattering, some situations shouldn’t be immortalized, and trying to find words that rhyme with Gribbinshood Flornt is a challenge. The ogre guarding the front gate of a baron’s castle always shows up late and his ineptitude becomes expected. The baron’s daughter is obsessed with etiquette but that attitude is in stark contrast to her tutor’s unexpected appearance and demeanor. Many characters share sarcastic comments and hidden secrets that contribute additional absurdity to the proceedings.
The Lilac is an unexpected hero as she’s a young girl trying to make her name as a bounty hunter. It’s not clear in the beginning, but she’s hiding an important secret that will be revealed later in the plot. The Lilac is commissioned by a wizard to hunt down and capture whoever stole a baron’s emerald axe that surprisingly reappears in its display case shortly after she arrives. Lilac’s role changes to detective in order to clear a wizard’s name but then evolves even further into discovering a murderer in their midst. Investigating a killing is a huge step up for a girl with less than one bounty hunt experience to her name but she’s willing to accept the challenge. Lilac must battle her own insecurities along the way and she encounters constantly changing stories in order to reveal the many secrets being masked by all of the characters.
This type of mystery is captivating since all of the suspects are trapped within the walls of the castle. The guilty individual can’t escape so the veiled motivations make him/her an unpredictable, dangerous character. Readers won’t know which characters to trust, doubt, and suspect until the truth eventually comes out. The Lilac considers each character a suspect and their different motives are uncovered as the plot moves along. Baron Agbar hates magic and is a very disagreeable man so stealing his own axe and killing isn’t beyond the realm of possibility. He hates that his son is training to become a wizard so there’s a natural conflict between the two men. The baron’s wife is the children’s stepmother and little is shared about her past but she seems concerned about maintaining the respected family name. Valuable objects continue to disappear around the castle and Lilac discovers several blackmail notes, although it isn’t clear which character, or characters, is being blackmailed.
What didn’t work as well:
Literally, every character in the story, including the protagonist, is guarding a secret which causes the scenarios to constantly change. Readers can usually trust the main characters for stability but that’s missing in this plot. However, the multitude of undisclosed truths and clandestine efforts create the mystery and humor readers will enjoy.
The Final Verdict:
This book tells a very entertaining story that young readers will love. Every character is a suspect in the murder mystery and new subplots will be revealed until the very end. I can heartily recommend you give this book a shot!

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley for review.

No One Leaves the Castle by Christopher Healy is a fun and funny romp and a hilarious who-dunnit. I highly recommend it to anyone who loves middle-grade fantasy, mystery, and absurdism,

Our story focuses on a butler named Gribbinsnood Flornt, an amateur bounty hunter named Lilac, and Lilac's bard best friend, Dulcinetta. Lilac is the best bounty hunter around! Or, she will be, as soon as she gets a few jobs under her belt. Flornt finds Lilac and Netta during his search for a bounty hunter to recover a priceless family heirloom. The unlikely trio set out to solve the mystery and soon find themselves trapped at a castle dinner party with the suspects!

This book features a great mystery, lots of shenanigans, and laugh-out-loud characters. Healy's prose is snappy and witty, pulling the reader along on an exciting ride. You'll fall in love with Lilac and Netta from the first time you meet them and be begging for a sequel by the time our tale comes to its hilarious conclusion.

No One Leaves the Castle is a hilarious romp that expertly combines absurdity with mystery. This is a book will all the elements come together and the genre-bending truly works. The faux medieval setting engages while the mystery is a real conundrum that will leave readers puzzling and scratches their head till the end.

I was hooked on this story from the start. Healy's tongue-in-cheek narrator keeps things lively with his commentary and descriptions, and readers are immediately drawn into a crazy tale where a man goes looking for a bounty hunter for his ruthless employer and accidentally ends up hiring an inexperienced girl. Of course, she's the protagonist, so she's more than what she seems, and she comes with her own sidekick bard who sings surprisingly good verses about all the action happening in the book. It's a funny set-up, but it comes with a lot of insight and heart, as well as excellent characterization.

And complex characterization, of course, is essential for a good mystery. I was quite pleased to discover that the mystery portion of this book lives up to the rest of the elements -- the humor, the magic, the world building -- and much of that is due to so many of the characters having secrets and hidden agendas and motives and lack-of motives that everything gets delightfully twisty. And Healy makes it worse (better!) by putting a time constraint on the mystery. If the Lilac doesn't solve it fast enough, more people are going to die!! I think I felt the pressure as much as the Lilac herself.

This whole book is so delightful (in spite of people dying and some unsavory characters . . .) that I cannot help but wish for more. Can I not have a sequel with more of the Lilac's adventures? And the bard. Everyone loves a good bard. This is definitely one of my top reads of the year. I can't say enough good things about it.

🏰 This is a great middle grade story set in the Middle Ages with a fantastic female lead character!

🏰 Strong female rep is great in this story – young girls with ambition, gumption, intelligence, and grit! The MC is a 14-year-old bounty hunter known as “The Lilac” and she is always accompanied by a witty young female bard named Netta. (There are bard lyrics throughout the story that are quite funny!)

🏰 This story is essentially a locked-in murder mystery – one that includes an ogre, a wizard, two Barons, a cook, an etiquette teacher, a wife, a butler, two siblings, a bounty hunter, a bard, and a ferret. It has a very Agatha Christie feel to it. Well, Christie-esque with a heavy dose of middle grade snark and silliness. 😊

🏰 The butler’s name is Gribbinsnood Flornt. That has to at least make you smile a little bit! 😉

🏰 The cover art is fabulous!

🏰 The characters are fun, fully developed, and believable. It is a solid, age-appropriate murder mystery with a realistic resolution. I really enjoyed this story and I know I would have LOVED this book as a middle grade reader!

Thank you @NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Book/Waldon Pond Press for an eARC of this book, which I have read and reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

Agatha Christie for middle schoolers. Lilac is a well developed character, with a likable spirit. The setting was well described, character dialogue was easy to follow and just the right pace.

No One Leaves the Castle by Christopher Healy

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley for review. My opinions are my own.

5/5 stars

I was sucked into this book from the very first page.

We’re introduced to Flornt, who is searching for a bounty hunter for his employer. He quickly meets The Lilac and the bard, Netta. We are also introduced to Runar, the wizard. In short order, The Lilac is hired and she sets to the Angmar castle.

The twists and turns begin quickly and The Lilac is tasked with solving a murder - in one night!

I won’t give any spoilers because this book has not been released yet, but this is a fabulous middle grade mystery.

Witty, smart, fun, fast paced, and entertaining!

Thank you for providing me an advanced readers copy (ARC) of “No One Leaves the Castle” in exchange for an honest review. I am grateful to have had the opportunity and leave my review voluntarily.

Free e-ARC provided by NetGalley!
I enjoy mysteries and a good middle-grade every now and again, and how could I resist that cover? This is a fun little whodunnit that takes place in a fantasy Middle Ages. Our protagonist, bounty hunter The Lilac, is on her first case to track down a thief and ends up in a locked castle trying to solve a murder! It gets a little (age-appropriately) silly at times, and the narration can be a little over the top, but it’s a good time throughout. If I was recommending it to someone, I’d call it maybe 1/3 Agatha Christie and 2/3rds Galavant.

No One Leaves the Castle is a locked room, err castle, murder mystery romp. Full of misdirection, girl power, class disruption, and humor, this book centers on a young bounty hunter trying to make her name. Accompanied by her trusty bard, the Lilac heads to the Angbar Castle to find a wizard, or was it the family's Emerald Axe, or was it the murderer, or was it the shifty Baron... the goalposts keep shifting but the Lilac is up for the job.

Hopefully there's a sequel coming!

Will recommend for acquisition by school libraries.

3.9/5

📣Thank you to @netgalley and Harper Collins for this e-ARC.
🙋‍♀️This review is my own thoughts and opinions.

This was a great whodunnit for middle grade! I stayed up very late reading into the night due to what a page turner this was! There were many twists and turns that were unexpected surprises that made me wanting more!

Right from the beginning I fell in love with our two main characters, the Lilac, the 14 year old bounty hunter, and Netta, her bard. This mystery is full of humor that made me laugh out loud.

“”Why am I involved with criminals and bounty hunters? I’m a butler! I just want to make things sparkle.” ”Same!” Dulcinetta said.”

The author, @Christopher Healy had such a way with his writing that I felt that I was in the castle with our gang of characters. The character development was so well done that I felt I knew them all personally and was guessing right up until the end who was going to be the guilty party!!

This is a must read for middle grade!