Fantastic! There was so much going on that I didn’t want to put this one down. So many questions finally answered. So much creativity goes into the mystery with the booby traps and I had so much fun keeping up with Tempest as she tries to clear the family name and get to the bottom of the family curse. Great pacing, plenty of possible culprits, this was a fun mystery that I couldn’t get enough of. Can’t wait for the next one!

This story has a murder mystery set in the world of UK theater and professional magic (magician style, not fantasy). It sets itself apart from similar mysteries by having a family angle (they're all in the business), an unresolved murder from years ago, and a Indian-British amateur sleuth at the heart of it. All great things!

Even so, I'm afraid this one just wasn't really for me. It was very easy to put down and hard for me to get really invested in... I'm not sure why. It's well-written, I just didn't get invested in any of the characters.

I read this as a standalone, so maybe part of my disinterest in the characters' shenanigans was due to the story reliance on a connection that was established in earlier books. That said, I often start mid-series without trouble.

📚 Series or Standalone: Series
📚 Genre: murder mystery
📚 Target Age Group: adult
📚 Cliffhanger: no

✨ Will I Reread: no
✨ Recommended For: fans of magicians and puzzles

💕 Characters: 3/5
💕 Writing: 4/5
💕 Plot: 3/5
💕 Pacing: 3/5
💕 Unputdownability: 1/5
💕 Enjoyment: 2/5
💕 Book Cover: 3/5

Thanks, NetGalley and Minotaur, for the gifted ARC in exchange for an honest review.