An amazing twisting turning murder mystery that had me on the edge of my seat. I missed that this was further into a series, but I didn't feel like I had missed too much of the back story while reading it. I shall now be going back to read all the previous books and look forward to future books in the series!

Loaded with quirky characters, banter, wit and red herrings, The House on Graveyard Lane by Martin Edwards is a highly entertaining 1930s Golden Age whodunit. Who indeed?

With dramatic flair, Damaris Gethin loses her head at Hades Gallery. She is portraying Marie Antoinette in front of a group of guests and with the push of a button, she commits a well-executed suicide. A short time earlier, she had asked bright and determined detective Rachel Savernake to solve her murder. Along with reporter Jacob Flint, she sifts through suspects' pasts and amidst the gangsters, music and drama discovers secrets and ingenuity. Several characters are a hoot, especially Kiki de Villiers.

Martin Edwards is an auto-read author for me and this is one rollercoaster of a series! In addition to the above, I like the clue finder, atmosphere and twisty turns. In a few places it felt a wee bit rambly but enjoyable nonetheless.

My sincere thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for providing me with an early digital copy of this captivating novel.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Martin Edwards for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The House on Graveyard Lane coming out August 27, 2024. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I was excited to receive this book! I’ve only read the book before this one, but I love historical mysteries. I thought the title was really spooky and fun. I thought the plot was really interesting and it started off with a lot of action. Rachel is asked to solve a murder before it happens. Rachel is a smart and strong character. I think Jacob Flint is also an interesting character. I think I got a little lost in the details towards the end of the book. There was a lot of description. But I thought the guide to the clues was a great help. I would check out other books by this author!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys murder mysteries!

Thank you Netgalley & Poisoned Pen Press for an eARC ♥️


This historical murder mystery is like a deliciously complex puzzle that'll keep you guessing until the very end. The story kicks off with a seriously creepy request: someone asks Rachel, the main character, to solve their own murder. But Rachel's no ordinary woman - she's fiercely independent, super smart, and doesn't let societal norms hold her back. She dives headfirst into the mystery, navigating a web of secrets, lies, and suspects. I loved how Martin Edwards wove together historical details, suspenseful twists, and clever clues. You'll find yourself trying to piece together the mystery alongside Rachel, and trust me, it's a wild ride! The best part? I hadn't read any previous books in the series, but it didn't bother me one bit - this one stands on its own perfectly. I was totally absorbed in the world and characters, and never felt lost or left behind. But now, I'm hooked! I'll definitely be reading all the books in the series, because I need more of Rachel's sleuthing skills and the author's masterful storytelling in my life🔥

I wasn’t aware that this was apart of a series,so I went in with a fresh mind not knowing anything about the characters. And that was my mistake, but I did think the plot was interesting. It was a bit longer than it should’ve been.

A nicely twisty mystery that sees Rachel working to solve the mystery of the murder of Damaris, who actually guillotined herself in front of a group of people. Rachel's an intriguing character who keeps her own secrets from both Jacob, the reporter who figures in this, as well as the reader. I've not reach many of Edwards' books but I'll look for him again because of his storytelling and, oddly in the genre, sly humor. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and Martin Edwards for this ARC.

Gilded Age detective fiction is such a specific nich genre, but I am always in love with the vibes of these novels. Martin Edwards has created a fun series set in this period with witty, brash Rachel Savernake finding herself embroiled in cozy mystery plots.

I was so excited to return to the world of Rachel Savernake. She is such a fun, sassy detective who doesn’t hold back even in the world of men in 1930s London. She reminds me so much of Miss Marple in that she has an uncanny intuition, and the plots are just lighthearted and fun, even though they do center around mu*der.

I honestly think this is the best installation in the series thus far. The mysteries kept me engaged, the banter between Rachel and the other characters was snappy, and the noir vibes were perfection.

“The House on Graveyard Lane” can be read as a stand alone. However, you may miss some background context and relationships that are expounded upon in this novel. That said, Martin Edwards does an excellent job of recapping backstories so you won’t be lost.

Unlike the previous three novels, this specific book has more of a thriller aspect, making the pace seem a bit faster. The twisty solution will satisfy you, and the dual POV will keep your attention.

I picked up “The House on Graveyard Lane” for the 1930s vibes, and I stayed for the mystery. One of my favorite things about these books is that Edwards includes a “Clue Finder” at the end of the novel, which shows all the pages and sections where the final solution was hinted at. It makes his ending seem logical, plausible, and more enjoyable. If you are looking for a cozy mystery with a touch of thriller, try out “The House on Graveyard Lane.”

🗡️𝓡𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓷𝓰: 2/5 ✨

🗡️𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓜𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓬: I was so excited & so thankful to receive this arc from NetGalley, the cover, the synopsis, the murder mystery? Sounded right up my alley. I did enjoy when the plot actually ramped up & when the twists would come into play, I was so interested to know who was the murderer in question. It was an interesting story & I enjoyed Rachel’s character, she was so witty & mysterious. I didn’t realize this was part of a series with her so I would have loved more of her back story, though thankfully it was definitely still possible to follow along without reading the other books.

🗡️𝓣𝓱𝓮 𝓜𝓾𝓷𝓭𝓪𝓷𝓮: This book felt very slow, the writing wasn’t bad, but there were definitely in between scenes that were very long winded & felt over explained. I considered making this a dnf a several times cause I was bored & I just wanted to get into the plot & up the stakes. This didn’t really happen for me until the last 6 chapters.

I’m bummed this book wasn’t for me as I was really looking forward to it, that being said the pacing may be perfect for other readers. The actual plot itself was enjoyable, I just had a hard time with the in between & lead up to plot connections.

This book was gripping and hard to put down. It didn't feel like everything else you see out there, it felt very fresh. I really enjoyed this book!

Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, this book is not for me. The blurb was intruiging and has an interesting plot, but as I read the book, it didn't click with me. There are too many characters which gets me confused at times. Also, I later realized that this is part of the series, so it's such a shame. I might have liked and appreciated this book if I'd read the first three books.

A twisty Golden Age murder mystery!! Were some of the twists predictable? Yes. Did that make me not enjoy it? Absolutely not!! 🙌

This was a fun read and I really enjoyed the Rachel Savernake character!! So much so that I just ordered the first 3 books in the series! 👏🫣

Thank you to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Martin Edwards for the opportunity to read the eARC in exchange for my honest review! ❤️

TW: suicide

PLEASE NOTE : I requested this arc only because the blurb sounded great. Nowhere on NetGalley it has been said that this book is the 4th of a series, I only discovered it when adding it to my GR TBR.

I still decided to go on with reading it because I know that, usually, murder mystery series get to be easy to follow through even when you read a book out of the series, with only possible spoils of the books before and a quick "hey remember when" talk etc. It was pretty much the case here: there are A LOT of characters and name being given here and there, but other than relationships between some characters that were confusing, it wasn't that hard. But turns out, there were so many characters that none of them got my interest, even with this multiple POV! So I ended up reading it mostly for the plot only and forgone trying to feel interested in any character.

However, even the story couldn't get a grip on me, and I felt bored after the first half of the book (and it's a stretch). The multiple POV were really interesting to see the story and the plot going on from different angles, but it suffered from it as well : the plot was painly predictable, or if it wasn't that easy to guess, it wasn't surprising anyway. So turns out that even the plot itself disappoitned me, when I thought I could at least enjoy this part.

The House on Graveyard Lane by Martin Edwards is the fourth book in the series. I wish I would have know this prior to reading the book however this book can be read as a standalone. I didn’t feel lost while reading it so I don't think it's necessary to read the other books in the series first.

Rachel Savernake’s is invited to an art exhibit by Damaris Gethin and Damaris asks Rachel to help solve her murder which was a strange request given she was alive. Moments later Damaris is doing a reenactment of Marie Antoinette’s execution using a guillotine and to the surprise of everyone…she dies.

The story follows Rachel’s quest to find out the truth behind Damaris’ death. The story also follows Jacob who is a journalist for a newspaper and he is digging the truth behind a very dangerous criminal who was believed to be dead. Jacob faces many challenges and hurdles when it comes to covering this story and all of a sudden he finds himself in the middle of the story.
As the story unfolds we learn the truth behind Damaris’ death as well as other secrets that come to the surface.
Overall the book was really good. It had a slow start and I had to adjust to the way it was written because the story is based in the 1930’s so the way the characters spoke was mirrored to that time. I don’t think this should stop anyone from reading it because the storyline was really good!
Thank you Netgalley and Poisoned Pen Press. All opinions are my own.

""I want you to solve my murder," said the woman in white.

Rachel Savernake gave a sardonic smile. "Quite a challenge."

The woman in white - surreal artist Damaris Gethin - has invited a select group to the opening of her exhibit "Artist in Crime," held in the eerie subterranean Hades Gallery. As costumed models reenact famously violent deaths, the artist herself portrays Marie Antoinette on the day of her execution, complete with a guillotine on the stage. It's not a prop; within ten minutes of Rachel's promise to solve Damaris's future murder, the artist slips her neck into the collar of the device and the very real blade sends her head rolling at the feet of her horrified audience.

As everyone reels from the shock, Rachel quickly learns that Damaris herself accomplished the deed with the push of a button - a suicide. So then why did she ask Rachel to solve her "murder?"

Keen for the hunt, Rachel begins sniffing around the other invited guests, including a former lover with shady financial dealings, his widowed sister-in-law, and her has-been songwriter friend. Meanwhile, crime reporter Jacob Flint - also in attendance, in hopes of meeting celebrated French beauty Kiki de Villiers, allows his fascination with her to endanger his own life when a ruthless gangster returns to London, looking to take back what's his.

Equal parts thriller and whodunit, The House on Graveyard Lane leads Rachel and Jacob into a viper's pit of suspects, each sneakier and more venomous than the last."

Yes, I'm sure you too want to know how a suicide is murder...

How can you solve a murder before it's happened?

'This is my challenge for you,' the woman in white said. 'I want you to solve my murder.'

London, 1930s: Rachel Savernake is attending renowned artist Damaris Gethin's latest exhibition, featuring live models who pose as famous killers. But that's just the warm-up act...

Unsure why she was invited, Rachel is soon cornered by the artist who asks her a haunting favor: she wants Rachel to solve her murder. Damaris then takes to the stage set with a guillotine, the lights go out – and Damaris executes herself.

I didn't realize when I started reading this book that it was the 4th book in the series. Although I was a bit confused at some parts it was an enjoyable read.

I didn’t realise this was book 4 of the series but it was a happy accident as I raced eagerly through the earlier books to be able to read this one

Rachel savernake is basically a more fun, female Sherlock Holmes. Her intelligence is beyond sense, and her dark secrets add nothing but mystery to everyone who encounters her. After an artist asks her to solve her murder before killing herself during an exhibition, how can she say no? The curiosity and challenge is too much to turn down. Along with her friend, Jacob flint, crime reporter, the search leads us down the rabbit hole to gangsters, songwriters, doctors and of course, the famous Kiki de Villiers

Definitely a book to completely immerse yourself in to thoroughly follow the various storylines and characters motives, something I fully enjoyed doing. Rachael Savernack and journalist Jacob Flint find themselves at a living art presentation staged by avant garde artist. She asks Rachael to solve her murder, and then takes her own life. Not one to shy away from a mystery, Rachael dives into getting to know the various characters who may have been involved, while Jacobs own investigation into some of the same people is brought to an abrupt end by his editor. Set in the 1930’s, London and the countryside are portrayed as home to both the wealthy and those hit hard by the depression. With plenty of suspects who are willing to plant red herrings, I didn’t see the ending coming. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Head of Zeus, for an advance readers copy. Martin Edward’s Lake District mysteries have long been a favorite series of mine, and this one, while very different, is just as good. Just a note, if you follow this series the book was published in the US with a different title in 2023.

"I want you to solve my murder."
This challenge from surrealist artist Damaris Gethin to Rachel Savernake opens The House On Graveyard Lane (Poisoned Pen Press), the fourth novel in Marin Edwards' Golden Age Detective Fiction series.
When Gethin dies by guillotine a few minutes later during her Artists In Crime show at the Hades Gallery, the logical conclusion everyone comes to is that she committed suicide. However, Rachel is not so sure and sets out to solve the murder. Little does she know that Version's death is one of several murders to follow with each case connected to one another.
Edwards has created a fascinating detective in Rachel Savernake. She is brilliant and fearless. The crimes are complex and thoroughly puzzling. In true Golden Age fashion, Edwards puts all the clues out there for the reader to find and be able to solve the crimes themselves. He even helpfully provides a clue finder to guide readers through the evidence.
If you haven't discovered the Rachel Savernake novels, you are really missing out. Not only has Edwards created a thoroughly fascinating detective, but he fills these novels with rich historical detail that transports the reader to 1930s England. Do yourself a favor and get acquainted with Rachel Savernake.

Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for the advance copy of this book via NetGalley. No other consideration was received in exchange for this review.

Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for the digital copy.

Unfortunately it's a dnf at 24%. I had no idea this was book 4 in a series when i requested it. I have found it hard to connect with the characters including the main character Rachel Savernake. I'm putting this down to it being a series and maybe if I'd read the first book I may have connected better.

This was my first Rachel Savernake novel. Even though it is a series you can definitely read it as a stand alone. It captured my interest from the very start. Rachel is a tenacious and somewhat nosy lady. She just can't help but figure out the puzzling murders placed before her. I love the relationship she has with Jacob and the Truemans. They add a lot to the story and make it all more interesting.

The golden age with a touch of modern flair makes this mystery a great read.