[I received a digital arc for an honest review]

Death in the Spires by KJ Charles is a new standalone historical mystery. Jeremy ‘Jem’ Kite has been coasting in a menial job after his time at Oxford ended abruptly with the murder of a close friend. Having lost his friends to the scandal, Jem is shocked when he finds that he and the group are now being dragged back into the darkness that was Toby’s murder. With no more job Jem starts hunting down his ex-comrades in an attempt to solve what was left behind in Oxford. With the charming group of characters ten years older and much more jaded, Jem learns that there was so much more to those last moments at school than he ever realized and that unearthing all the secrets could destroy everyone’s life, even his own.

I really enjoyed this mystery from the beginning to the end. Jem makes for a likable narrator who regularly questioned his own motives and memories. He had unique relationships with each of his former friends, especially Nicky. Nicky was complicated in ways that Jem viewed himself as simple so seeing their relationship evolve from school and then ten years later offered comfort to Jem at his lowest points. I appreciated the slight romantic subplot which didn’t take away from the mystery itself.

I found myself surprised the entire time as the secrets unveiled themselves and caused history to become even more muddied. It was interesting to see the characters reveal their true feelings about their time at Oxford through the lens of adults in their 30s versus students in their early 20s just learning to stand on their own. I would recommend this historical mystery if you’re looking for a whodunit that keeps you guessing until the end.

4 stars for Jem’s deep dive into Toby’s murder and all the secrets he uncovers on his journey to the truth.

Quite a few of KJ Charles’ historical romances have a mystery subplot, but Death in the Spires is her first historical mystery ‘proper’. She’s taken pains to make sure readers know what to expect – that this novel is, first and foremost, a mystery and not a romance - so I’m echoing that here for anyone who hasn’t seen the disclaimers. There is a romantic sub-plot running through the story, but there’s no HEA (although there’s the tentative suggestion that there could be one somewhere down the line) and while it’s an important plot point, it’s not the main focus.

Our protagonist is Jeremy – Jem – Kite, a young working-class man from the Midlands who, in 1892, gains a scholarship to study mathematics at Oxford. On his very first day, he’s sought out by Toby Feynsham, the handsome, charming and generous – though spoiled - heir-apparent to a marquess, and the centre of a group of friends that becomes known as the Seven Wonders.

At that first meeting, Toby is clear about wanting to “collect the interesting people” rather than just “mingle with all the men one went to school with” and at first, Jem can’t quite believe his good fortune in being welcomed into such a bright, witty and popular group of people. There’s Toby’s brilliant, fierce twin sister, Ella, and her quiet yet determined roommate, Prue, who are both studying at the women’s college; Toby’s childhood friend, the louche and waspish Nicholas Rook, whose unrequited love for him is common knowledge (although is never spoken of); Aaron Oyede - the only Black student at the college, whose upper-class background does nothing to protect him from discrimination; and the supremely likeable Hugo Morely-Adams, whose principal defining characterisic is his ambition. Becoming friends with all of them and being known as one of the Seven Wonders is like a dream come true, and Jem’s three years at Oxford pass in a glorious whirl of academic success, sporting glory and wonderful friendship - until the fateful night just before Finals when everything falls apart and Toby is killed. The murder and events leading up to it have a profound effect on Jem, and he never really recovers from the shock, his once bright future crumbling into dust when he fails his exams.

The novel opens in 1905 when Jem, tired, downtrodden and just about making ends meet, arrives at his dreary office job one morning to discover that his boss has received a letter containing three lines:

Jeremy Kite is a murderer.

He killed Toby Feynsham.

Ask him why.

It’s been a while since the unsolved murder of Toby Feynsham has garnered Jem any attention, and although it’s not the only malicious letter about it he’s received over the years, this is the first one that has not been addressed to him directly. His boss is not impressed, either by the letter or by Jem’s reaction to it, and Jem decides to resign before he can be sacked. Badly disillusioned and fed up to the back teeth with the suspicion and rumour that continue to dog him, even so many years later, Jem realises there’s only one way he’s ever going to be able to shake the shadows of the past and forge a better future for himself. It’s time to find out what really happened on the night of Toby’s death – and which of their group killed him.

Death in the Spires is a compelling, twisty and atmospheric story featuring an interesting cast of characters and into which the author effortlessly interweaves bigger, topical themes of women’s agency and bodily autonomy, racism, homophobia and social inequality. The pacing is brisk, the prose crisp and insightful. The wit and humour that generally characterise the author’s work are a bit thin on the ground here – which is an observation rather than a criticism – but as usual, she creates a fantastic sense of time and place, skilfully contrasting Jem’s time amid the dreaming spires - where optimism reigns and everything is a new adventure - with the sadness and melancholy of his present, where it’s almost always foggy, rainy and cold. Most of the story is set in Jem’s present day – 1905 - but there are some well-placed chapters that detail the key events from his time at Oxford, and the structure works extremely well, the flashbacks offering greater insight into the complex dynamics of the friendship group and helping to build an encroaching sense of disquiet.

Unlike some murder-mysteries where the characters take a bit of a backseat to the intellectual exercise of uncovering clues and theorising about the crime, those in Death in the Spires are pivotal and their interactions and strongly-crafted relationships are what give the story its emotional heft. Each of them is well-drawn and intriguing, and they have all been badly affected by Toby's death - but they have secrets to keep, and none of them is pleased to learn of Jem’s determination to get to the truth. So while this is a whodunnit and Jem does find out who killed Toby (not without some risk to life and limb along the way), the resolution is about so much more than that. Jem and the others have been living with the consequences of the murder for a decade and only one of them seems to have been able to move past it; for the rest, it’s been ten years of suspicion and gossip and looking over their shoulders, so for them, it’s as much about finding hope for the future and a way forward as it is about uncovering the truth. And even then, the truth is not black and white and they – and we - are faced with the sorts of complicated questions about truth and justice and forgiveness that will resonate with anyone familiar with the author’s work.

Death in the Spires is a gripping murder mystery, and while the plot is complex, it’s neither difficult to follow nor explained to death. Jem – quiet, stubborn, broken but loveable Jem – is a wonderfully engaging protagonist, and one of my favourite parts of the story was watching him gradually finding himself again after ten years of drudgery and trying to fade into the background. This might not be genre romance, but different aspects of love – romantic, familal and platonic – are strongly woven into the story alongside themes of friendship, regret and healing, and we’re left with a sense of optimism for Jem and his friends.

KJ Charles has clearly found another niche, and I’d happily read more historical mysteries from her – although I’m grateful that she’s said she doesn’t intend to abandon historical romance any time soon. But while we wait for the next one of those, Death in the Spires is utterly captivating and a splendid way to get your KJC fix.

Justice - what is it? Funny how changes in perspective make us view justice and it's meting out in a different manner.

A flowing run amid the Oxfordian spires taking on board friendship, privilege, homosexuality, abortion, gender equality.

An enjoyable read especially because our sleuth is not the dark he-man type.

An ARC kindly given by author/publisher via Netgalley.

I originally requested this book for a review on Netgalley because I was attracted by the title and description and because of the setting in Oxford around the turn of the 20th century.
Jeremy Kite livelihood is threatened when his employer receives an anonymous letter accusing Jeremy of having killed Toby Feynsham, one of his best friends during his studies at Oxford. Jem decides to track down his former friends and and to find out who murdered Toby, in the hopes of exonerating himself.
First he visits one of the "seven wonders" (as the friends used to be called) in London, a politician, and than travels on to a small village where one of the two female students has become a school mistress. Finally he goes to Oxford where he spends time at his old college where he reconnects with Nicky Rook, whom he has always had a crush on and who was the only one who stayed on at Oxford.
Will Jem discover who the real killer was and does it matter? This book is not so much a whodunit as a psychological quest and in the end it doesn't really matter who the killer is. What makes the book so interesting is how the developments that took place around the time of Toby's murder influenced all these peoples lives and the way they responded, then and now.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. Full marks!

Loved it. KJ Charles managed to give us a solution to the mystery that was satisfying in sooo many ways. Just top notch.
I will add a slight caveat/warning that the first half is pretty grim, since Jem is not in a good place, but that’s in comparison to the mostly lighter-hearted books I read. If you read murder mysteries with serious stakes it’s probably just fine for you. Also: that part did not drag on, every word was necessary, and it wasn’t gratuitous.
And then second half began! Revelations, reunions, danger, discoveries: the pace picked up and Jem’s mood did, too, and I couldn’t put the book down.
I can’t wait to read again and see all the dropped clues.
I got a review copy from the publisher, all opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This is my honest review.

Wow. KJ Charles can literally write anything and it will be amazing. It comes as no surprise that she can write a murder myster book, giving the majority of her romances have crime or murder in them. But I feel like Death in the Spires took this to a completely different level.

I have to say, I did miss the intimacy that came with her romance novels, but this book still had plenty of pining, Scandal, and a little bit of love. Characters are unlikable, then not, then likable again. You do go through all the different feelings that Jem has throughout the book in very stark reality.

One of the things that KJ Charles is so very good at is research, (being incredibly through and accurate about Oxford college and how it would function in the timeframe). She is also incredibly good at characters, staying true to how each one would react, why they would be that way, and that found family connection that rings beautifully true, even when her characters blood relatives are not great.

Don't go into this expecting a romance, but do go in knowing you will still get Charles' delightful storytelling, humor, and well rounded characters. Jem is precious and I just want to hug him.

I've read other books by KJ and enjoyed the regency MM romance. I grabbed this without reading the blurb, expecting the same. I was so disappointed....just kidding. I loved everything about this story. The fascinating setting of Oxford, the amazingly complex characters, the mystery, the relationships, and, of course, the unexpected finale. All of these characters had depth, and I loved how they all interacted with each other (both in the past and today).

I found this a bit slow starter as we had to learn about 7 character's who were all friends at Oxford in the 1890's. One of the friends is then murdered which is where the mystery comes in. Still unresolved 10 years later, one of the group is determined to find out who in his friendship group felt compelled to murder this man. It opens up a lot of wounds, prejudices and bad feeling with no really satisfactory ending for me. It's not a cut and dried answer and lots of other secrets are turned up as well. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is one of those cases where I enjoy a book so much I don’t know how to leave a review. It was great!! What more to say…

This is KJ Charles’ first pure murder mystery (though of course she had written about plenty of murders and mysteries in the past) and while I’m usually here for the romance (which this is not) there was still such a distinct KJ Charles-flavour that I couldn’t put it down. It reminded me of Donna Tartt’s THE SECRET HISTORY, except set at turn of the 19th century Oxford, and if the mystery was pacey and the narrator wasn’t utterly insufferable. It was oddly heartwarming to watch the shattered group of friends reconnect, despite the killer in their midst.

KJ Charles dips into the murky waters of murder mystery/dark academia genre with an ease and proficiency of an expert she is, delivering a story that ticks all the right boxes - haunting atmosphere, beautifully drawn characters, moral conundrums, stirred emotions, a bittersweet romantic twist and resolution that goes beyond satisfactory. Plot is carefully and meticulously planned, challenging the reader with complex questions for which there are no easy answers and offering unexpected warmth and hope. I am not sure a murder mystery is supposed to end up so feel-good, but damn, I am here for it.

“That was a foul thought, planning to trap his friends into admissions, but they weren’t his friends any more, and one of them had murdered Toby.”

Apparently this is being referred to as “dark academia” by quite a few people, but not knowing much about that subgenre (although I certainly should add that expression to my book vocabulary) I’ll stick with a mystery story, an amateur 1905 investigation into a decade-old murder at Oxford by a man who not only feels that his life has been ruined by that murder but who also knows that the murder had been committed by one of his formerly close-knit group of friends.
———
‘Don’t,’ she said. ‘Don’t ask me to remember all the golden times and how wonderful it was. It’s such a lovely lie, and it makes everything worse now. Stop dreaming about the spires. It was a dreadful place and those were dreadful people, and you and I got caught in their games and paid for it. And you may not want to remember how much we hurt each other, but Toby is rotting in the ground to prove it.
———
One of the reasons I like K.J. Charles’s books despite overall being quite wary of romance genre was that they have always been mystery first and romance second — but this one is a straight historical mystery with romance barely in the background, just enriching the story rather than *being* the story. And that’s what I like. And sex mechanics are off page too, and therefore are not distracting — a brief “It had been tender and gentle, and it had felt at once utterly alien after so long of nothing but knees on cold floors and the hard hands of strangers” is worth ten pages of play-by-play sex mechanics that to me are often awkward and unintentionally funny.

It’s a book of young hopes and dreams and the shattered illusions that university opens the doors for everyone to the good life in a class-conscious society, and the scars our youth can leave on us. It’s brief and somewhat episodic in its pre-murder timeline, but despite brevity is still full with the pain of strained friendships and falsehoods and entitlements and resentments (even if some of that does get healed eventually). It’s a sad story above all, with no satisfying comeuppance or brilliant conclusions — but with promise of healing, which is the best to hope for.

I liked it even if I wasn’t fully sold on some plot points — but ultimately it didn’t matter given that quiet and satisfied enjoyment it gave me in the end.

Solid 4 stars.

——————

Thanks to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for providing me with a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

**I was provided an electronic ARC from the publisher through NetGalley.**

KJ Charles presents historical mystery novel Death in the Spires. Set at Oxford, this dark academia murder investigation follows Jeremy "Jem" Kite, a scholarship student whose studies were derailed by the murder of one of his best friends. Ten years later, the case remains unsolved and Jem receives an anonymous letter accusing him of the crime. When the letter causes Jem to lose his job, Jem is resigned to uncovering what happened to Toby. When Jem tracks down the remainder of his friend group, the answer is clear. Seven of them were there. One of them is dead. Someone in the remaining six is responsible. And someone is taking exception to Jem asking questions.

KJ Charles is known for her historical romances and rightfully so as they're brilliantly done. I have been a KJ Charles fan for years, and was thrilled to learn that she was stepping into a new genre. Romance is still included in Death in the Spires with all the toxicity demanded of a dark academia friend group; however, the romance does take a back seat to the mystery. This is a feature, not a bug, for this book. Everything I love about Charles' historical romances is still highlighted here, but with a reframing of the narrative to center the mystery. The moody setting, the carefully crafted characters, the inclusion of queerness in a historical with acknowledgment of how that is effected by the time period. It's all there.

Readers of Charles already knew she could plot a novel, but this book highlights exactly how many threads Charles can interweave and balance while still making the readers care about the cast. Dark academia has been a trend in recent years and, arguably, the phrase is used too loosely. This, without doubt, is true dark academia. Readers get glimpses of the Seven Wonders during their time at Oxford interspersed with Jem's decade-later investigation. Both timelines have their space to shine, and I never felt myself overly attached to one versus the other.

Overall, I don't have enough nice things to say. I'm at risk of this book becoming my personality for the foreseeable future. I've already bought a copy for my shelves. If KJ Charles weren't already an auto-buy author for me (and she is), this book would have solidified her in that role. I look forward to see what Charles comes up with next.

A ten-year-old unsolved murder has shattered Jeremy’s life. Accused in an anonymous letter, Jem delves into the tormented lives of old friends present that fateful night, sparking their suspicion. The closer Jem gets to unraveling the gruesome truth, the bolder his shadowy pursuer becomes, attempting to silence him.

This is a heartbreaking mystery, a story of friendships shattered. It’s dark and atmospheric, but with an uplifting and satisfying ending. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

The story starts in 1905 but goes back to 1893 and this was a story that pulled me in from the start, a gritty and tenacious story that started ten years before when what people called The Seven Wonders became friends at Oxford University, lost one of their own in a brutal murder that ten years on has never been solved.

Jeremy Kite was one of these friends and when Toby Feynsham was killed in his room, Jeremy lost everything he had worked for. It ruined his life and now again it is causing problems when another mystery letter arrives accusing him of being a murderer, he has now lost his job and Jem has had enough, he will not stop at anything till he finds the killer and gets the answers he wants and needs to move on.

Jem starts on a journey to track down the other five wonders and finds that they two are receiving letters but they are willing to let things go unresolved, but not Jem and he ends up back at Oxford University where it all began, but the closer he gets to answers, the more secrets he uncovers the more danger he is in.

Will he finally uncover the truth, will it be better to leave some things in the past and the secrets buried deep?

This is a story that I do highly recommend, filled with a fabulous murder mystery, secrets and blackmail and wonderful characters, it had me guessing till the very end, which I thought was so good, will the seven wonders left behind become best friends again or will they all move on?

My thanks to Storm Publishing and Netgalley for my copy to read and review.

This a great 'who dunnit' story about a group of friends all affected by the murder of one of their group. I did struggle a bit when all the characters were introduced trying to remember who was who but after a couple of chapters I was really gripped. The gradual reveal of all the characters secrets kept you guessing and the reveal about the victim's behaviour and actions added to the story. This was a great read.

A slow starter, one that needs to introduce seven characters and set the scene is well worth it! A mystery surrounding the death of a man who was in a tight knit friendship group at Oxford University in the early 1890's. Still unresolved 10 years later, one of the group is determined to find out who in his friendship group felt compelled to murder this man. It opens up a lot of wounds, prejudices and bad feeling, all of which is excellently played out. Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced copy.

I have been a KJ Charles fan for years, so naturally I was excited about the opportunity to read her latest book.

The term “dark academia” is overused, but much like the gold standard of the genre The Secret History, this book is about a group of friends who experienced a terrible loss during their university days. However, in this case, The Seven Wonders did not conspire as a group to murder one of their own. Nevertheless, golden boy Toby was murdered, shattering their sense of camaraderie and forcing the tight-knit group apart.

Protagonist Jem has spent the last ten years in relative mediocrity, eking out a humble existence as a clerk. Perhaps he might have ascended higher, had his aspirations not been cut short by Toby’s murder. Jem would like nothing more to move on from his Oxford days, but when a letter accusing him of the crime is sent to his workplace, he is forced to acknowledge everything he has been trying to forget.

The best thing about the mystery is that it is much more complicated than one would think. I’m going to try to remain vague to avoid spoilers, but Toby’s murder was not THE incident that drove the group of friends apart. It was the final incident, and the revelation of secrets from a decade ago leads to some unpredictable reactions.

I would absolutely recommend Death in the Spires. As KJ has said, this is not a romance novel, but there is an element of romance. I enjoyed the rapport between the two lovers. The denouement was more poignant rather than satisfying; after all, there’s no honor in schadenfreude. I certainly hope that this isn’t the last of Charles’ historical mysteries.



I received a digital ARC of this book from Storm Publishing/NetGalley

If you are looking for a cozy murder mystery, this one is not for you! The death and murder which happened 10 years ago comes back to life, when a friend of the deceased receives a letter accusing him of the dead. Sit back and hang on until the end!

hello, kj charles stan here. and yet again an amazing new novel from this historical romance icon.

but, this is not a romance, it’s a historical mystery/thriller! our hero is a a queer disabled clerk turned amateur sleuth, trying to uncover secrets of an event in his past that ruined his life.

tho not a romance novel, charles’ proficiency with romance writing is evident in how the characters and relationships are written - the feelings and yearning and angst. oh the angst. most mystery novels i’ve read, i usually find the characters and their characterization and interpersonal relationships lacking. not the case here.

jem is a great character. he’s definitely an amateur sleuth. he makes bad decisions and suffers the consequences and uncovers more than he ever expected to. i was engrossed with the mystery and the flashbacks to the past.

the ending was super satisfying. loved how the threads were tied up and the opportunity for a future, but not a sequel, the characters can live out their lives without another book (but i would be the opposite of opposed to charles writing a bonus short story or epilogue as she’s done previously for some of her books, even the trad pubs. i just want snapshots of jem post-this book 🥺)

another amazing read from charles.

I fell in love with the writing of KJ Charles when I read her series "A Charm of Magpies". That series is one of my favorites EVER, and that's in 59 years of life! I never read anything by her that I didn't love, and this new book is no exception. Most of her books are M/M romances, but the author is quick to point out on Goodreads that this is not a romance. What kind of book is this exactly? I think she wrote it best (again, from Goodreads): "It's your classic Group Of University Friends Reunite With Murder set 1895/1905, enjoy.". It is, and I certainly did!

In 1895 at Oxford University, a group of friends was dubbed by the newspapers as the Seven Wonders, as they were full of charm and talent. However, everything fell apart after the vicious murder of Toby Feynsham, the friend who all revolved around. In 1905, Toby's murder still remains unsolved. Jeremy (Jem) Kite not only lost a dear friend, but the event ruined his entire life. When he receives an anonymous letter at work accusing him of being the killer, Jem is determined to uncover the truth. He tracks down all the other friends who were present at the time, and they are all still dealing with the fallout of the murder. They all loved Toby at Oxford; could one of them actually be the killer? As Jem grows closer to solving the mystery, it appears that someone is trying to silence him. Will the secret ever be revealed?

This book was absolutely riveting; I absolutely hated to put it down for any length of time. The group of friends revolved around Toby, but the story revolves around Jem. Jem was from a poor family, but he was able to attend Oxford on scholarship. He worked hard among the privileged, and managed to do well improving himself. He was a slight young man with a clubfoot, but he was accepted into a circle of dear friends. After Toby's murder, Jem couldn't continue his studies due to a "condition of the nerves"; he ended up working as a lowly clerk. When his place of employment received the anonymous letter accusing Jem of the murder, he ended up losing his job. This gave him the impetus to discover who murdered his friend. The story went back and forth between 1895 and 1905; however, there was no confusion with this. Actually, it increased the tension, seeing how great friends could be torn apart, and secrets be revealed. Apparently the friends all came to the conclusion that one of them had to be the murderer, but no one wanted to admit it. Jem seemed an unlikely hero in the beginning, but he had nothing to lose at this point and pushed forward. This was a diverse group of friends, all of whom proved to be fascinating. Besides Jem and dead Toby (who was to inherit a title), we had Nicky (flamboyant, snarky and self-professed "queer"), Ella (Toby's sister), Aaron (a Black man and Ella's love), Hugo (gregarious and athletic) and Pru (low-income family like Jem). All were fascinating, but Nicky was the most interesting. Jem was yearning for Nicky, but Nicky loved another. It was astonishing to see the breakdown of the relationships between these closest of friends, and how all were dealing with the fallout of Toby's murder even 10 years later. When someone was attempting to quiet Jem, I could not figure out who it might be. The identity of the murderer is no great shock, nor do I think it was meant to be; it just added to the suspense of the story. Could these broken people reconcile as friends? Guess you need to read to find out! I LOVED this story! Thanks, KJ Charles; you always leave me wanting more at the end.

I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher and NetGalley. I received no compensation for my review, and all thoughts and opinions expressed are entirely my own.