Death in the Spires by KJ Charles

Excellent ~ Couldn’t put it down!

What I Liked:
* The Seven Wonders as a college group that included two women and five men of various backgrounds ~ their lives were changed one night and ten years later might be set to rights…maybe
* The mystery of who killed Toby Feynsham, the impact of his death on the Seven Wonders, the secrets unearthed, and how it was eventually solved
* Jeremy “Jem” Kite: grammar school scholarship winner to Oxford, had a brilliant future until a murder destroyed his life, living a plodding existence until a catalyst turns him into an amateur sleuth ~ tenacious, brilliant, and wiser than he realizes
* Nicholas “Nicky” Rook: witty, intelligent, athletic, wicked with a sword, good friend, did well at Oxford and returned to teach there, deeper than he seems
* Aaron Oyede: physician, bright, black, from wealthy family, studied at Oxford, strong, had secrets, was in love with Ella
* Ella Feyhsham: Toby’s sister, brilliant, controlled by her family, was in love with Aaron,
* Hugo “Hugh” Morley-Adams: entitled, forceful, athletic fencer and runner, involved in politics, engaged to wealthy woman, secret keeper
* Toby Feynshaw: wealthy, in line for a title, string-puller, enjoyed being admired, bright and beautiful but his shine seemed to fade and then it was snuffed out
* Thinking about how secrets can destroy or save people and how secrets exposed can do the same…
* The ending and how it all came together

What I didn’t like:
* Who and what I was meant not to like
* How cruel, self-absorbed, and selfish some of the characters were
* Not know what the future holds in store for the characters after that last page of the book

Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more by this author? Definitely

Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

4.0 stars

Oh my god I am in awe of this book.

“You were who you were because he was who he was.”

Thank you so so much NetGalley and Storm Publishing for letting me read the digital arc! I really appreciate it and am excited to read more!!

“I must have solitude.”

I was going to say that it was slow in the beginning but now I’m getting flashbacks and we start with a letter saying that the Jem (mc) killed Toby. They’re part of the 7 wonders, so there’s 5 more of them. I’m going to be honest, it was so hard keeping track of all the names, but also I am slow. Anyway, Death in the Spires had so many events happening one after the other, and I enjoyed the book so very much.

“And talk about the spiritual benefits of being poor is something you never hear from the poor.”

I loved the way K.C. Charles wrote Jem’s thoughts and feelings. It was very interesting to know certain things and I love the LGTBQ+ and POC representation. I didn’t really expect it from a historical mystery book, as the story takes place in the UK in the late 1800s. As a POC, it really felt like we had representation. Even though we’re (the character and I) both have different ethnicities.

“It’s about whether one imagines the world exists to serve one’s needs, or whether one is open to its wonders, a vessel into which the world may pour its beauty.”

I felt that the character was talking about their interest in the love interest, but it felt so sudden. But to be fair, I am not experienced enough about instant love tropes. It’s just one page is like “I’m watching this person” out of nowhere and in the middle of the book. It did really feel like K.C. Charles decided to just throw in the romance, but I think it could’ve been done better… unless there were hints throughout the whole book.. okay it might be noticeable to a neurotypical person, but some neurodivergent people like myself don’t notice these cues.

“One couldn’t help one’s feelings.”

The only thing I’ll spoil about the book is that it pretty much ends things. There’s none of that philosophical “how do *you* think it ended?” bullshit. I like it when stories wrap things up and just end. Is it a good ending? Is it a bad ending? You’ll have to read Death in the Spires to find out!

“Though this is a heavenly angel, hell is here.”

All in all I loved reading Death in the Spires! It was a very fun read, things didn’t really work out with the first book, but she’s definitely on my TBR. If you made it here, thank you so much for reading my review and I hope you enjoy reading!

This one's quite the page-turner! Unlike Charles's other works it's very light on romantic relationships, but it still has the same wonderfully written characters and attention to historical detail I've come to expect of her writing.

Received via NetGalley.

I was really unsure of how this would be, with it not being a romance. It's just a murder mystery.

I am happy to report that I thoroughly enjoyed it! I really shouldn't have worried; it's KJ Charles, I adore her writing.

I think that what I most liked about this story is that the real bad guys got their comeuppance. And there were a lot of bad things going on in this particular friend group.

One thing I find quite entertaining is that there are actually fewer dead bodies in this murder mystery than there are in some of Charles' romances.

The story is about a group of friends who are studying at Oxford. Our POV narrator is surprised at first to be included in this group, as he doesn't really seem to fit. But they all become fast friends, until one of them is murdered. The murder goes unsolved until ten years later when each of the members of the friend group have an anonymous letter sent to their employers/loved ones/etc, stating that they are the murderer. This prompts Jem, after losing his job, to start digging into what actually happened. The friend group is somewhat reunited, secrets, and the murderer, are revealed.

Excellent mystery, it had me guessing for most of the book, and then we have a secondary mystery that is also solved. Everyone gets what they deserve in the end, and it is most satisfying.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from a mystery by one of my favorite romance authors, but what I got was freaking great. Death in the Spires is an exciting mystery with KJC’s typical quick clip of a pace and tight plotting. Despite not being genre romance, there is a romantic subplot, a strong internal emotional arc, and themes of loss and loneliness. In other words, the book still gave me lots of feels. At this point I’ll read anything KJC writes, and I look forward to more mysteries.

What an absolutely amazing murder mystery! K.J. Charles never disappoints! I went back and forth constantly throughout this book, trying to decide who the killer was. It was filled with twists.

This is wonderfully written and very well fleshed out with an intriguing premise and a great cast of distinct characters. Each character comes across as a unique defined individual without any of them seeming one dimensional.

I loved the setting, and the flashbacks worked well with the story. Everything felt dark and very immerisive. I enjoyed Death In the Spires immensely and eagerly await more from the author.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Death in the Spires is a solid whodunnit mystery. Set in the early 1900's we follow Jem (Jeremy) as he reunites with his university mates to finally figure out what happened to their friend Toby, who was found dead in his room 10 years past. Jem is certain, given the history between him and his friends, that one of them is responsible for the crime. In true Christie fashion, we go through each of the cast of characters to find out who has motive and opportunity. I really can't say much without giving the game away!

While this book is through and through a mystery, and the author has stated it's not a romance, it does have some romantic ideations. Jem is having a tough time and I spent the book really rooting for him to get things figured out and have a happy ending. KJ Charles masterfully weaves a complex story of seven characters and gives them so much individuality in such a short book. I was on the edge of my seat several times and was satisfied with the ending but sad it was overly so quickly. Many feelings were had. I will happily continue through KJC's backlist and absolutely pick up the next new release!

This book teeters on the cliff-face of “Famous Five (plus 2) go to Oxford” and an episode of “Morse”, but all done in a rather charming way. The register, considering we’re in 1892, is fairly wrong, but again it does not grate.
K.J. Charles’s mystery about a suspicious death at an Oxford college in the last years of the 19th century is quite well woven with a tight cast of seven. The “reveal” was a bit lengthy, hence 3.5*, rounded up to 4*.
An entertaining read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this - K.J. Charles always has a deft hand with words and storytelling and there's no difference here. This story takes a group of marginalized students (some with more marginalization than others) and juxtaposes their college years and friendship with events years later as one attempts to find the real truth of a murder.

No character here is wholly without flaw - there are valid suspicions for everyone to have been involved in the murder of their friend Toby, and what it costs Jeremy to find it out means unearthing stories and the truth of his friend group. I loved Charles' way of forming the characters, giving them all secrets and flaws that made absolute sense in both their time and their relationships with one another. As secrets are revealed, it makes events and other scenes make more sense. Jem's pursuit of knowledge--his dogged pursuit of the TRUTH, no matter the cost to himself or anyone else--culminates in a complicated confrontation with the potential to harm more than it might heal.

Morally grey characters are one of my favorite things, complicated personalities that don't allow a simple good/bad dichotomy, and K.J. Charles knocks it out of the park with giving everyone depth and reason and motive. I refuse to spoil the ending but I loved it; it was reasonable, clear, and most of all, human. These felt like real characters we were privileged to peek into the lives and minds of, and it was a wonderful read.

Death in the Spires, KJ Charles’ Edwardian Oxford-set mystery, is a past-present narrative centered around a vibrant group of friends (the “Seven Wonders”) before and after the death of their charismatic ringleader, Toby, a future Marquess, who arrives at Oxford openly looking to “collect” interesting people, including our narrator, Jem Kike, a scholarship student who can’t believe his luck at befriending the colorful, charming Toby and his crew.

There are shades of If We Were Villains and The Secret History here: an enviable, entangled group of friends fractures along already existent fault lines after the death of one of their own, though the mystery is more at the forefront in Death in the Spires, as Jem desperately tries to solve Toby’s ten-year old death after receiving a threatening letter at his place of business.

Toby’s death shattered Jem, whose bright future at Oxford was lost to “nerves”, which left him unable to complete his degree or pursue interesting or meaningful work and perhaps, more tragically, unable to contemplate human connection after facing the knowledge that one of his dearest friends was likely a murderer.

Jem’s amateur detective work begins to unearth the other secrets the Seven Wonders have worked to bury and Charles uses both the dark academia and mystery genres to explore issues of class, race, sexuality, and gender to great effect.

Charles was clear with her readers that this is not a romance, though there’s a fragile, tender love story at its core, and the many forms of love, including romantic, platonic, and familial, drive the Seven Wonders in both the past and present.

I’m glad to see Charles branching out; Death in the Spires is a well-done mystery and I look forward to many more.

Thank you to Netgalley, Storm Publishing, and KJ Charles for the ARC.

4.5 stars

Wow… this book was… everything! It’s dark and funny and so much queer! Love it so much! I love the mystery and the thrilling and all those secrets… Wow. Just wow. I finished it one week ago and I literary can’t stop thinking about it. It’s the first book I read written by Charles, and know I want to read everything that she had written and everything that she will write.

This was my first book by KJ Charles, and it will NOT be my last. Death in the Spires was one of my top books so far this year. Lots of mystery, intrigue and drama to keep you guessing right until the end. Thanks for the opportunity to read this ARC.

How do you get me to read a book that is not a romance? When one of my favourite romance writers decides to write a book that isn’t a romance! I would read anything KJ Charles writes, and wow am I happy I read this one!

Death in the Spires is a historical mystery that follows the story of Jem, who is working class and went to Oxford on a scholarship. While he was there, one of the members his group of friends was murdered. The story jumps between the past and present day. I loved getting to know all the characters in both timelines, and trying to figure out whodunnit.

While it was not the central focus, there are some romantic elements to the book, and of course I absolutely adored those parts! The way the mystery was unravelled was expertly executed, which is no surprise from KJ Charles who is a master at managing elaborate plots. This book has a lot to say about class, justice, friendship, and forgiveness. Recommended!

I don't even know what to say. I am stunned. A masterpiece. Truly. THIS IS WHY I READ. THIS BOOK!!! I am emotionally wrung out. Jem, Nicky, Ella Aaron, Prue, Hugo and Toby. Did I say Jem and Nicky!!! If I could give this book 100 stars, I would. I feel like I've been on a rollercoaster.
Thank you to netgalley for the ARC. Opinions are my own.

This is my first time reading this author so like many others I wasn’t aware of her background in writing romance novels. That being said, the writer skillfully intertwines some “romance” in the murder mystery plot. Jem is a likeable character who comes from a poor upbringing and struggles with a physical disability. He continues on to the university where he earns opportunities for advancement both academically and socially….until a murder interrupts his growth.

Thanks to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my unbiased review.

4,5⭐️
It’s November 1905. Ten years have passed since the unresolved murder of Toby Feynsham that tore apart The Seven Wonders. A once close-knit group of friends who studied together at Oxford University, until one of them stabbed a knife in Toby’s chest.

Which one the Seven Wonders killed Toby remains a mystery, even for Jeremy Kite. His life hasn’t been the same since his friend died. After he received yet another letter calling him a murderer, he decides to take the matter into his own hands. He’s lived long enough in the shadows, ruined by the murder of his friend. He must find out who killed Toby. Determined to find and expose the murderer, he seeks contact with his old friends, who he hasn’t spoken with since that night..

My thoughts
Death In The Spires was moody, mysterious, full of dark academia vibes and somehow comforting. What I loved most about it was the diverse cast and how KJ Charles connected the mystery with social and political issues from that timeperiod, which were taboo or even forbidden (and unfortunately still relevant today). The story comments on racism, misogyny, homophobia and classicism. The cast has queer, disabled and Black characters, as well as people from different economic classes.

I enjoyed the set up of the book with the dual timeline, alternating between before and after the murder and watching Jeremy reconnecting with people he once knew, or so he thought. They are all put in a different light after the murder, even Jem. I don’t know if I loved Jem or hated him. He frustrated me a lot at times. But he was very well written, just as the other members of The Seven Wonders, or shouId I say suspects?? I had no idea who was lying and who told the truth and was guessing until the end! The mystery kept growing and developing, only unfolding bit by bit.

I hope KJ Charles will write more queer mysteries, but in the mean time I can catch up on her other books! I want to thank NetGalley & Storm Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read and review this ARC.

You meet Jem on a bad day, he is shown a letter that makes him turn to the past to find answers. On the way you learn who he is, and how he ended up where he is. You meet past friends of his, all of whom were broken in different ways by the murder of one of their own.
Are Jem's memories of his time at Oxford contain more fiction than fact? As Jem meets with his old friends he sees that they are just as followed by the past as he is.
Uncovering who killed Toby requires uncovering all that was happening around Jem and the rest of the "Seven Wonders".
Well written, and hard to put down. Building Jem's past brings all the characters fully into being and the world really finds form in their memories and their present. At some points you feel bad for Jem, other times you can't decide if you should trust him, or his memory.
Are the Seven Wonders what he remembers? And how did it all come crashing down?

5 stars

From start to finish, Death in the Spires is a historical mystery reader’s delight. The descriptions of life at Oxford in the early 20th century are rich and evocative without ever taking away from the characters or the plot, both of which kept my interest throughout. While reading, I kept feeling nostalgic for something that I never actually experienced. That takes talent!

Each character was distinct and memorable, and their secrets kept on coming. I love in mysteries like this when each and every person in the group has multiple hidden layers that may or may not be connected to the murder, and I was continually second-guessing my hunches as more information was revealed.

I would highly recommend this title.

This is my fifteenth book by this author. This is supposedly a bit of a departure for her in that it is not a romance but billed as a mystery, though most of her books have a large focus on mystery. That said, this one just wasn’t for me. The writing is good and what I have come to expect from this author. I just wasn’t all that interested in the subject. It’s a very slow burn mystery that takes place in a primarily academic setting, almost an ode to Oxford and peppered with references to Shakespeare’s Cymbeline, of which I had zero knowledge or reference.

The story follows a group of 7 students at Oxford in a dual timeline of the present in 1905 and the past when they met in 1892 and subsequent events that followed until one of them is murdered. While the characters are easily distinguished, I felt that their characterizations weren’t deep enough for a character study and the mystery was too slow to be a focal point. I did enjoy watching the building and tearing down of the relationships between the characters; however, I think the setting overshadowed everything else in the story.

I would give limited recommendations to this book for those that enjoy slow burn mysteries in an academic setting and especially those fascinated with Oxford.

Thank you to Netgalley and Storm Publishing for a copy provided for an honest review.

Death in the Spires is a historical murder mystery based in Oxford. University friends have lived with a secret for ten years, Jem has spent too long living under the cloud of his friend's death, and is determined to find out who killed Toby....but at what price?

I really enjoyed this book. I could picture the locations/scenes without it being overly descriptive. The characters were a mix of likeable and unlikeable, and this added to the atmosphere of the story. There weren't any 'slow' parts of the book as there was always something happening, and this made it a real page turner. I would be happy to read another book by KJ Charles.