Thank you NetGalley and Poison Pen Press for the ARC copy of The House on Graveyard Lane!

Unfortunately, The House on Graveyard Lane will be a DNF for me around 27% though. I really tried to push through and keep reading, but the writing style was hard for me to get past. It felt very tell, not show. I was really excited about this book because I love a good whodunnit, but there just wasn't enough going on to keep me engrossed and dying to figure out what happened. Also with all the characters I had a hard time really grasping the world and felt like I was missing information on the characters. (After looking at the other reviews I understand this is in the middle of a series, so maybe if I read the other books in the series my feelings on this would be different).

Definitely a good mystery. I really enjoyed my first book by Martin Edwards and will be watching for more. Twists and turns in the Golden age. Well done.

This is another in the Rachel Savernake series. This one has a very unusual beginning. An artist invites Rachel to a gallery show of famous murders. She wants to hire Rachel to bring her "murderers" to justice. The artist is not dead but she is dressed as Marie Antionette and there is an operable guillotine in the exhibit. When the artist acts out the execution her death is ruled a suicide. What or who drove her to it - who are her "murderers"? Can Rachel bring them to justice? Rachel loves a challenge.

First I didn't know there were three books before this, so I was a little lost with the references sometimes. That being said, it could be read as a standalone. This was my first time reading a modern day written historical mystery so this was a bit of a unique read for me. I appreciated the clue finder in the back. I would recommend if you enjoy golden age mysteries, but I would start with the first book in the series.

Eerie, thrilling and completely brilliant!
My first book by Martin Edward’s but certainly not my last! Murder mystery at its finest!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my ARC

This is the fourth entry into a series that I’d never read before, so I was not familiar with the characters. It didn’t matter much, though, since everybody is introduced in a way that it’s easy to figure out who is who, without feeling like you’re missing anything. The book claims to be a throwback to Golden Age mysteries, and the author plays fair in that all the clues are provided and it’s up to the armchair detective to figure out whodunit. The problem is that the tone is not consistent. Some parts feel like a cozy mystery, with the typical stereotypes , dialogues and the excess of details. But then very modern plot points come up, and all these Golden Age characters discuss them like they’re no big deal. Agatha Christie introduced some very scandalous themes into her novels, but they were supposed to be shocking. This was a time when a woman wearing pants would have caused a scandal, and these characters chat casually about issues that are controversial even today. I enjoyed some parts, such as a Roshomon type chapter where a murder is viewed through different perspectives, but I wasn’t too invested in any of the characters. I think that I’m the wrong reader, since I’m not a fan of cozy or historical mysteries. I hope fans of the series will enjoy it, it just wasn’t for me.
I chose to read this book and all opinions in this review are my own and completely unbiased. Thank you, NetGalley/Poisoned Pen Press.

If you’re a fan of Agatha Christie style of writing and Sherlock Holmes type of sleuthing then you will enjoy this book.
Rachel is a formidable female character living in a time when women shouldn’t be more than what they look like but her wealth and in turn her social standing give her the upper hand. She is smart and observant which makes her an excellent detective.
Hence the would be victim of the murder asks her to solve her murder, but was it really a murder? I won’t spoil it for you.

My problem was that it didn’t say anywhere that this was part of a series when I requested it on NetGalley so I felt a bit lost at times and I did feel like I had started reading the book in the middle. It is still a decent read hence the three stars.

Thankyou NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this advanced readers copy for my honest review!

I really, really wanted to like this book. I enjoy whodunnit type novels, breaking down the clues, letting it take over my mind for a while… but this one sadly didn’t do it for me.
The beginning of the novel was supposed to start off as a big bang- but I started out fairly confused, and I honestly kept getting more confused as the chapters went on. So many far-out there names to keep straight, no characters super enjoyable to latch on to, I just couldn’t do it.

The plot itself was intriguing, along with the clue finder at the end actually helping tie up some loose ends for me.

If I’d have known this was a series before seeing the comments as I was nearly done, this maybe would’ve changed the result. But, at the end of the day, 2 stars is what I could muster with what I knew.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Inc for granting me an arc in exchange for an honest review!

What happens when you are tasked to solve a murder that looks like a suicide? If you are Rachel Savernake you use your wits to solve a dying woman's final wish.

While at an art exhibition in Hades Hall, Rachel Savernake is tasked by the artist, Damaris Gethrin, to solve her murder. As she is milling around, Rachel looks at the guests in attendance and realizes this rag-tag group doesn't have much in common. Who could possibly want the artist dead? Secrets, lies, and more murders lay in wait for Miss Savernake as we learn that each attendee plays an important role and has a hand in the murder-suicide event.

This was my first dive into the world of Rachel Savernake and it will not be the last. I loved the historical troupe of London murder mysteries set during the Golden Age. I read Rachel as one of those sassy, wise-cracking "It" girls from the 30's that are depicted in old Noir films and wish I could be her.

This book is a great example about how sometimes your past catches up with you.

The Finch sisters, Esther, Meg, and Claire, decide to explore an abandoned house and are each presented a key to one of the numerous rooms. Each girl witnesses something horrific that they refuse to talk about. Years later, the youngest is found dead in the house. When the surviving sisters explore the house again, the ghost of Claire haunts them and informs them of things that have went on. As the sisters work through the house, they learn that things aren't always what they seem.

This book is quite spooky at times and downright eerie at others. Well-written characters and a unique plot. Pacing was slow at some parts but picked up in others.

Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press for a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75
Although it was initially a bit jarring to find out this was book number four in an ongoing series (which may have been an oversight on my part), it is considerably easy to get into.

A cozy murder mystery set in 1930s London where a well-known and reputed artist asks the main character to investigate her death, this confuses the MC (as the artist was alive when she asked the Favor), but leads to a very cozy murder mystery.
The vibes were immaculate and although it may take a little longer to get into than most thriller mysteries, this is definitely worth a shot.

I am looking forward to delving into more of this author’s works.

Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the eARC in exchange for an honest review

Whoops, I did it again. Picked up yet another book that is not the first in a series. I really feel like at this point, this is all just my fault for not focusing on all the details while requesting books on name and cover.

Look, I'm not going to change. This method is working well for me. A thriller whodunit is quite up my alley. While there was times, especially in the beginning, that I found myself a tad lost, I kept plodding in and enjoyed this work more and more as I turned each page.

I'd really like to read the other books now. Even if I'm now out of order.

Firstly I want to start with the fact I wasn’t aware that this book was part of a series. I still thoroughly enjoyed the read and of course can’t wait to get into the other books. That said, I really enjoyed this cosy historical murder mystery. I finished it in one sitting as it was so interesting!

Set in London in the 1930s the main character Rachel is asked to solve a murder and so begins the clever twists and turns that will pull you into this story , a marvellous read if your an armchair detective like me! A wonderful start to the story and a satisfying ending. A gripping read from start to finish and would recommend this to anyone who loves a good whodunnit mystery.

Im giving this 4 stars as it was an enjoyable, well written read and I will be looking up the other books in the series!

Thankyou to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and Author for this Arc in exchange for my honest review.

The House of Graveyard Lane starts with a shocking scene of murder - or is it? While I was immediately dragged into the book, I felt that I could not keep up with all the names and personalities, perhaps because I had not read the other series? (I did not know this was part of a series when I requested the book.) I found the main character to be unlikeable and rather unreadable, and despite the chaos and drama of the opening scenes, it just did not hold my attention for the rest of the book.

Although a bit confusing at the beginning, it ended up being an enjoyable read. At times, it felt like the author was trying too hard to play up elements of the time period but this didn't detract from the overall plot. Definitely a unique premise.

I think it's important to note that I did not realize beforehand that this is the 4th book in a series, and once I did, it did NOT make me want to stop reading for one minute. It actually just made me want to read the rest of the series!

Needless to say, I really enjoyed this book. A mysterious woman in white seeks out the main character, Rachel Seversnake, for her impressive track record in difficult-to-solve mysteries. This woman, Demaris Gethin, asks Rachel to solve her murder and being that Demaris is clearly alive and well when she asks this, Rachel is obviously confused, but most of all, intrigued. This interaction sets off a chain of convoluted events involving a wide range of characters that will keep you guessing as you follow along on the race to the truth in this eerie, 1930's London, murder mystery.

I did however have to slow down a bit during this read since there are A LOT of names being thrown around in the first, maybe 30%, of the book. So much so, that at one point I started writing them down, I was having such a hard time keeping up, and then gave up even that because there was too many! That got a little frustrating at first. I also wanted to slow down because every chapter is packed with information, and I started to get worried that I'd miss important details if I wasn't giving it my undivided attention. For me, this meant I had to take a lot of breaks throughout the book, but I always kept wanting to come back. The story never lost my interest, it just took me longer to finish than I'm used to for a mystery/thriller.

Lastly, some of the information regarding the case comes to the reader via conversations that Rachel would have with a reporter, Jacob, who would get it from people he interviewed, after the fact. I thought this was a little anti-climactic since we don't see a lot of the pieces coming together as it's happening. For this reason, I'd recommend this book to readers who enjoy cozy mysteries, more so than thrillers.

All in all, I enjoyed the book! I'm looking forward to diving into more of the Author's titles.

The House on Graveyard Lane is a cozy mystery that starts with the surprise right from the beginning: a woman who is not yet dead asks for her murder to be solved and then dies by her own doing in a public spectacle. This series of books follows Rachel Savernake, a wealthy English woman who spends her time reading and solving crimes, her friend Jacob who works for a newspaper, and a variety of other shady characters that Rachel knows from her social circle. The time period this takes place in is the 1930s so while Rachel herself doesn't seem to be in any economic trouble, many references are made to the struggles and downturns of other characters.

I was expecting something maybe a little creepier and mysterious from how this book begins, however it soon moves away from the initial mystery and into investigating a network of criminals which involves lots of travel back and forth between various estates. Occasionally the perspective shifts so the reader can see how all of these conspiracies are connected from the persectives of those in it. The perspective I found most unneeded was Jacob's as he came across as very insecure and having trouble making decisions which didn't do a whole lot for the plot.

I liked that this book tackled issues specific to women in a way that mostly is factual, sensitive, and debunks stereotypes and myths. Some of the dialogue on this topic seemed a little forced, but I appreciate the general point that was successfully gotten across.

How Rachel arrived at the conclusion to solve how everything was interconnected was confusing to me in that I didn't entirely follow how she connected all the dots even though the author helpfully included an explainer at the end where clues where (apparently something done in 1930s crime fiction). It all seemed a little convenient and beyond the stretch of typical suspension of disbelief when she put it all together and how it neatly wrapped up. I also found the reason for the first death which started the book off to be a bit of a stretch in addition to a reveal at the very end which seemed very forced and barely hinted at throughout the book.

Another mystery that's part of the plot isn't a death, but the identity of a mysterious man one of the characters is romantically interested in. He is apparently someone "very important to the nation" who if found out, will cause a massive scandal involving national security. Unfortunately this plot point didn't go anywhere although I had an idea of who they were alluding to based on the time period. Maybe a red herring or just something for the reader to think about if they're able to put it together.

I would definitely recommend this to someone who enjoys cozy, historical mysteries, and hope to read the rest of this series.

Many thanks to Poisoned Pen Press and to NetGalley for this ARC to review. This review is my honest opinion.

Thank you to Netgallery and Poisoned Pen Press for an early release copy of The House On Graveyard Lane by Martin Edward’s, this book will be available for purchase on August twenty-seventh of 2024.

The House On Graveyard Lane is a dnf for me on page 52, 18% complete. I wasn’t aware going into this that it was a series (Netgallery didn’t have it marked as a series, I’m unsure if you can read this without reading the others) When I first started this I kind of felt like something was off about the writing, it just doesn’t click with me. There are way too many characters with hard to pronounce names that are hard to keep track of. There are little to no character descriptions to help me really picture these characters at all. I was interested in the mystery of Damaris but the story just has a lot of things that turn me away from it.

This was a great murder mystery! It was a super fast read as well because each page left me wanting to read the next - it was so hard to put down. It was a cleverly written mystery with a variety of characters.

In "The House on Graveyard Lane," the line between art and reality blurs in a chilling and suspenseful whodunit that will keep you guessing until the very end. When surreal artist Damaris Gethin invites a select group to the opening of her exhibit "Artist in Crime," held in the eerie subterranean Hades Gallery, no one expects the night to end in murder.

As costumed models reenact famously violent deaths, Damaris herself portrays Marie Antoinette on the day of her execution, complete with a guillotine on the stage. But when she slips her neck into the collar of the device, the very real blade sends her head rolling at the feet of her horrified audience.

As everyone reels from the shock, amateur detective Rachel is determined to uncover the truth behind Damaris's death. But when it's revealed that Damaris herself accomplished the deed with the push of a button—a suicide—Rachel is left wondering why she asked her to solve her "murder."

Equal parts thriller and whodunit, "The House on Graveyard Lane" leads Rachel and crime reporter Jacob Flint into a viper's pit of suspects, each sneakier and more venomous than the last. From a former lover with shady financial dealings to a widowed sister-in-law and a has-been songwriter friend, everyone is a suspect.

With its clever plot twists, well-drawn characters, and atmospheric setting, "The House on Graveyard Lane" is a gripping and suspenseful read from start to finish. If you're a fan of psychological thrillers and suspenseful whodunits, this is one book you won't want to miss. Prepare to be on the edge of your seat until the very last page.

A Most Unusual Exhibition..
The fourth in the Rachel Savernake series, set London 1930’s, and Rachel has been invited to a most unusual private art gallery exhibition. Once there the artist, Damaris, asks an odd favour - for Rachel to solve her murder. When Damaris is guillotined to death, seemingly by her own hand, Rachel must question herself. Meanwhile a fellow party guest has his own mission and threads will soon merge in a tale where nothing is quite as it seems. Combining a Golden Age touch of puzzling mystery and deftly drawn characters with more modern twists this is a fitting addition to this very enjoyable and well written series.