I loved this dual-timeline YA mystery from one of my favorite YA authors, Maureen Johnson. After a date goes disastrously wrong, Marlowe needs to get out of town and starts working at Morning House, a historical home and site of a family tragedy. As time goes on, we learn what really happened at Morning House that fateful day, and see those events mirrored in the present.

If you are a fan of the author's Truly Devious series, you will find a lot to like here: funny, quirky characters, an atmospheric setting in the form of a creepy, isolated house, and a locked room mystery (times 2!) that unravels. The pace was fast, and kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved Marlowe, and the side characters in the form of her coworkers were also a treat. The sense of unease throughout the whole book kept me on the edge of my seat. I read this book in 2 days, because I truly could not put it down without finding out what would happen next.

I have been reading Maureen Johnson books for about 15 years and books like this ensure her as a must-buy author for me.

Marlowe Wexler has the worst luck. All she wanted was a romantic date with her crush, Akilah, but when things went up in flames (literally), and thinking Akilah wouldn't have anything to do with her after that, she took a summer job at Morning House, a mansion built on an island in the 1920s and abandoned shortly thereafter when the family staying there suffered unthinkable tragedy. Now, for the first time since that happened, they are opening the island up for tours, and Marlowe gets a job there as a tour guide. What she discovers while staying there is the mystery of why the previous occupants left, and why history seems to be repeating itself.

I really liked this book. The mystery was fresh, and the characters were many, varied, and unique. Watching Marlowe enter the group and try to find her place in it was interesting, but the best part was, of course, the mysteries themselves. The dual timeline and POV kept things hopping, and the ending tied things up nicely.

I enjoyed this book very much and highly recommend it.

5/5 stars.

*** I would like to thank NetGalley, HarperCollins Children's Books/HarperTeen, and Maureen Johnson for the opportunity to read and review Death at Morning House.

Death at Morning House

By: Maureen Johnson

Publish Date: August 6, 2024

Publisher: Harpercollins children’s Books/Harper Teen

Mystery and Thrillers/Teens and YA

#DeathatMorningHouse#NetGalley

200 Book Reviews Professional Reader

I would like to thank both Harpercollins and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

Book Review:

I gave this book 4 stars. It was a little slow at the beginning, but it started to pick up around 60% of the way through. It is a dual timeline. Present time and July of 1932. On July 27, 1932, two children died. One from drowning and the other from a fall. The family left the next day. The house has remained empty since. Present day the home has been bought and renovated and is open for the summer for touring before it is closed to the public for private use. There is an historian who is doing research on the house and the family who used to own it. She is also the boss of the 6 teenagers who are working there for the summer. Three of them are in charge of the tours, one is a lifeguard for the lagoon pool, 1 is in charge of the water equipment such as the boat and jet ski and the last one is in charge of the gift shop. 5 of the teenagers are from the local area and the 6th one is from out of town who was just recently brought in to fill an empty spot. Why was she brought in instead of using another local teen? You will have to read the book. There are actually several mysteries in this book, and you really need to pay attention to get the clues. I was surprised at one of them and barely figured out the other ones just before the reveal.

What I really enjoyed about this book was the friendship; even though some of the friends weren’t perfect but that is how life is. I liked how they worked together even though they didn’t think they could trust each other.

So I gave this 4.5/5 stars. I really enjoyed this books. I loved all the characters, they are were likeable. I loved the dual timeline and multiple POV. Marlowe was smart and I loved the way she thought. I could not put this book down and when I thought I knew what was going on I didn’t. There were so many twist and turns. A good mystery always keeps you on your toes and this did that so well. The filler and commentary were great and did not take away from the story. It flowed so smoothly . The ending was great to see it all come together and it got a big “WTF” lol so I highly recommend this book yall! I will probably take a stab at her other books as well!

I will read anything that Maureen Johnson writes, so I was super excited to read Death at Morning House. When four teenagers are working on at a mansion on an island, the new comer realizes there are secrets no one is sharing. Is the house haunted or is there something else going on? The book discusses a coming of age story, betrayal, the power of family, and has an overall feel-good message by the end. Will be purchasing for my library. Highly recommended.

An incredible book with wonderful characters and a beautiful setting. It will keep you guessing until the end.

Somehow, I still haven’t read Truly Devious, but now I feel the feral need to go back and read that series asap after loving this one so much!

If you like:
🤣 deliciously dark humor
👯‍♀️ Great Cast of character
🔐 Locked Room Thrillers
🔍 Who did it?!
✌🏻 Dual Storylines
💨 Fast Paced Thrillers
📓 YA Books

Maureen absolutely nailed the frustrating and often faulty logic and overly brave actions of teenagers!

All the clues, twists and turns, and misdirection were so well done to bring this story together and to keep me reading unable to put it down!

The dual timelines and multiple POVs absolutely made me eat up the story even more needing to know the connection…

Thank you so so so much to the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my review! I hope others enjoy this one as much as I did and I now fully get the hype around this new to me author!

This book was such a good take on the 1920’s making the reader feel and see the story. It was a good mystery that kept me hooked from the very beginning. It had me at the edge of my seat praying for her safety, loved this read.

I loved the Truly Devious series and was excited to see a new Maureen Johnson. This is very similar, but such a fun read. The back and forth between timelines and perspectives made for a good story.

After accidentally setting a fire on her date, Marlowe decides to take the summer off and become a tour guide on an island... and finds herself having. to solve a mystery that has bodies dropping while simultaneously trying to figure out an unsolved mystery of an a mysterious family on the island. Marlowe Wexler was just trying to impress her date... too bad that ended with her accidentally setting the house on fire and her crush quitting the same job they had too. Marlowe then decides to get a new summer job: working as a tour guide on the same island where Morning House is, a famous mansion that was abandoned due to the fact that there were so many deaths and that the house has a horrific secret that remains unsolved. Not to mention the new friend group she has also had one of their friends mysteriously die... and now another body has dropped. Marlowe is determined to find out what is happening and who is doing this before she becomes the next target. Can she figure out who is killing people and who had killed the family at Morning House? This is definitely a summer mystery read. While I was iffy on the mystery, I did like the two separate mysteries and the dual timeline. I kind of wish the pacing was a bit better and the mystery a bit more fun to unravel, but you can't win them all. Its an overall okay mystery read for me but I definitely would recommend it for YA readers looking for a summer mystery.

Release Date: August 6,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | HarperTeen for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Told from past and present this book unravels the tale of a family led by a patriarch obsessed with the science of eugenics. But the death of two of his children causes him to abandon his home which is bought and reopened for tours years later. However the house has more secrets to discover and some may be deadly.

Marlowe Wexler is a tour guide at Morning House, a 1920s island mansion. But the longer she's there, the more she thinks something isn't quite right.

This is a good book with lots of twists and turns. Alternating between the past and the present is like getting a twofer!

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Available August 6, 2024

I requested Maureen Johnson’s newest standalone YA mystery DEATH AT MORNING HOUSE because I’m a big fan of her Stevie Bell mysteries, and this book did not disappoint! After a mishap at home, a teenager takes a job leading tours at the historical Morning House in the thousand islands. Mysteries and mayhem in classic Maureen Johnson style ensue.

The pacing of this book was really excellent. Johnson is a master of her craft. The characters were likeable and funny, and the mysteries satisfying. I really thought I’d had it figured out, but my suspect was a red herring. Can’t wait for more! Hope we see Marlowe, Van, Riki and Akilah again.

Fans of Truly Devious series will love this one!
I enjoyed the duel timelines it has historical fiction vibes with mystery and it flowed smoothly between the timelines.
Maureen did a good job showing the individual personalities of the characters, Some I liked some I didn’t.
I like the MC Marlowe the way she thinks and all of the interactions and relationship she formed. The old mansion on the 1000 Islands was cool. I thought I had it figured out but the twist made it so exciting ☺️🤓💜📚
I liked this book!
Thank you to Netgalley for an e-ARC
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Maureen Johnson's "Death at Morning House" is a captivating blend of mystery, humor, and a touch of romance, all set against the backdrop of a mysterious mansion with a dark past. The story follows Marlowe Wexler, whose life takes a turn for the worse when a disastrous date results in an accidental fire. With her house-sitting career literally up in flames, Marlowe finds herself in need of a new job, which leads her to Morning House—a grand mansion built in the 1920s on an island and soon abandoned.

Marlowe's new job as a tour guide at Morning House seems straightforward enough: low risk of fire, high chance of monotony. But as she navigates through tales of stained glass, nut cutlets, and Prohibition, Marlowe discovers there's more to Morning House than meets the eye. The mansion's history is marred by mysterious deaths, adding a chilling layer to her summer job.

Johnson's writing is engaging and witty, perfectly capturing Marlowe's quirky personality and her knack for landing in unusual situations. The blend of humor and suspense keeps readers on their toes, making it difficult to put the book down. The setting of Morning House is richly described, with its eerie atmosphere and intriguing past adding depth to the story.

The characters are well-developed, especially Marlowe, whose resilience and sense of humor shine through even in the most challenging situations. Her interactions with Akilah, the girl she's been in love with for years, add an emotional layer to the story, highlighting Marlowe's vulnerability and growth.

While the plot is engaging, it does rely on some familiar tropes of the mystery genre. However, Johnson's unique voice and fresh take on these elements make the story feel new and exciting. The pacing is well-balanced, with enough twists and turns to keep readers hooked until the very end.

Overall, "Death at Morning House" is a delightful read that combines mystery, humor, and a touch of romance in a way that only Maureen Johnson can. It's a perfect summer read for those who enjoy a good mystery with a side of laughter.

After a disaster date, Marlowe Wexler leaves town to work at a grand historical home. She’ll be a tour guide and must learn the history of the home and it’s past owner in the 1920’s, Dr. Phillip Ralston and the tragedy that occurred there.

I can’t say too much without spoiling this one but it’s a great mystery that will make you angry because it’s rooted in some horrible history. It’s a dual timeline and I enjoyed the past chapters more than the current, but I liked how the timelines worked together. The characters in the modern timeline were all interesting and I liked getting to know them. I wish I had even more time with the past time line characters. That could have been its own great historical fiction. This book is special because it has a touch of different genres: mystery and historical fiction !

“The past looks better when it’s a little blurry. Soft focus. That’s how we like our past. That’s why we never learn.”

Death at Morning House comes out 8/6.

I enjoyed this murder mystery set between two different time periods. The character development is great and you will feel for the main character throughout as she has awkward encounters multiple times. Some interesting twists and turns throughout this story for both the present and past timeline.

YA + mystery + dual timeline!

Marlowe ends up on a small island in Thousand Islands giving tours of Morning House, an abandoned family mansion built in the 1920s where two members of the residing family died.

The professor in charge of all the tour guides goes missing, and a new mystery on the island begins.

Read if you love...
- YA
- mystery / thriller
- dual timeline
- solving cold cases

I absolutely loved the Truly Devious trilogy, so I was so stoked to see another standalone from Johnson!

One of my favorite things about Johnson's books is the dual timeline + double mystery: the present day plot with a mystery is tied to a past timeline with a mystery, so you get to read through two plots happening (with the main focus on the present day).

This one was also fun because I loosely know the area from the research I did while editing a friend's debut book, so it was cool getting to be back in Thousand Islands. Also, not gonna lie, I really want to know if the author loosely got the idea for this book from the history of Boldt Castle (my fave editing fact checking rabbit hole).

Anyway, this one was a rollercoaster in both timelines. I was constantly trying to figure out who did things and definitely did not have it figured out. I loved the cast of side characters, the location, and the tiniest bit of romance.

Big shoutout to NetGalley & HarperCollins Children's Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

PUB day: August 6!

Location: Thousand Islands, New York
Representation: queer MC
Content warning: child death; fire / fire injury

Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy of this book--It was one of my most anticipated releases of the year! Johnson's Stevie Bell mystery series is in my top reads of all time, and the writing in this book felt like coming home. It was lovely meeting this new cast of characters and exist in the heads of Marlowe and Clara--and the beginning of this book is straight up hilarious. Overall, I did find this mystery and its island setting to be slightly less enamoring than those of Ellingham academy, and I found myself more interested in the mystery of the Ralston family rather than what Marlowe finds herself caught up in. But truly, see what I did there, Maureen Johnson cannot miss and this book will surely be a favorite of mine.

3.5 stars, rounded up. A standalone murder-mystery featuring a girl named Marlowe (fitting, right?), who is accident-prone, with an amazing memory, an aptitude for attention, and perhaps a bit more than her fair share of awkwardness.

As Johnson has proven she can do so well, she continues to tell the story of solving a cold case, with interspersing passages of the past and the present. The mystery is wrapped up in one novel, with a sense of closure at the end. The characters are diverse and interesting, and the plot is engaging. It took me awhile to warm up to this one. Something about Marlowe’s introduction struck me as slightly false, at first. The plot moves things along well, however, and the characters in the 1930s are very engaging.

I do recommend reading, but I do not think it is Johnson’s best.