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.

What a stunning historical mystery debut for KJ! Wait, what? Yes, Charles, who writes amazing historical romances (with mystery/suspense plot lines), has gifted us with such a great read. This is not a romance, Charles has been quite clear on that. There's kind of a love interest, but the mystery drives the narrative, not the love interest. Set from 1892 when our Seven Wonders meet at Oxford, through 1895, when Toby is murdered, until 1905, when our narrator, Jem, decides through circumstances, he must solve this murder. As he revisits those years, those friendships, he must peel back the layers, exposing the jealousy, toxicity, so many -isms among these friends and at Oxford. As always, Charles uses the search for the murderer to give us lushly fleshed out characters, sense of place. The resolution is thoughtful, satisfying, sad, a sense of hopefulness, a sense of potential with the friends with cheese toast, so perfect! Oh, and there's going to be another Charles mystery, please let it be more of our Jem!

Kj Charles is one of the rare authors who NEVER misses for me. I think KJC is a master of the craft, and this atmospheric, dark academia murder mystery was unsurprisingly another win! Her skillfully executed, silky, witty narrative was, as always, completely enthralling. And, greedy for every last word of it, my eyes stood no chance! I devoured this in one sitting, and ofc wanted 1000 pages more!

I thought of Babel a lot while reading this for obvious reasons. Not at all similar work, but just that the location is always a magical place that brings all Spires inspired narrative to the fore, especially when it’s as alluring and atmospheric as dark academia!

Flowing black robes flapping around joyous dynamic bodies of 18 year old hearts on fire, playful as puppies without a care in the world. Their time together blossomed under the rays of their halcyon youth, and my smile for these glimpses into Jem’s past could not be contained.

I LIVE FOR THIS VIBE…like Dead Poet’s Society/Maurice meets Sherlock Holmes! And YES, it was as magnificent to read as this mashup sounds!

The characterization was chef’s kiss! Jem, as his nic implied, was indeed a gem! I adored him right away. And I very much appreciated that his mettle was astutely woven into the observations of his cohorts, because with a lot of these stories, scholarship kids are always denigrated for getting an opportunity based on merit, which then gets overshadowed by the slurs and shaming made primary as fodder for emotive narrative!

Here, in 1892, Jem flourished as part of the collective of the Seven Wonders, and I just loved the way this dexterity of KJC’s enriched the entire cast of characters with unforgettable charisma, all indulged with the same fully realized brilliance, seen through Jem’s eyes.

There was a lot of grace in the way the characters all <I>spoke</I> on the things that mattered to them about the world they lived in, and how they watched-felt-related to each other felt developed through real connection, instead of fiction. This was marvelous work, thoroughly engaging and gripping in more ways than one!

I still think KJC has another level, an extra ounce of depth, another layer of complexity, a power story still untold, and one that I am dying to see! <b>Death in the Spires</b> shows that Charles has hydra-headed talent, and is poised on the doorstep of an empire of gay historicals with teeth and fire! I WANT THAT! And as a fan of all of THIS, that next gear is assured, and with it, KJC's sui generis legacy of unrepentant wit and extraordinary calibre which never fails to leave me wanting for more!

I am pretty sure I would read anything that KJ Charles writes, but I was very excited when I saw she was set to publish her first mystery novel. (Luckily, this still also has some romance in it too.)

Once I started Death in the Spires, I don't think I set it down until I was unfortunately forced to. The story draws you right in and emotionally invests you in the life of Jeremy "Jem" Kite, our main character, who can't outrun the rumors that he murdered his university friend ten years prior. Exhausted by not knowing what truly happened back then, Jem begins to reconnect with his old friends and returns to Oxford in an attempt to learn the truth. He's soon uncovering long-buried secrets, rekindling old relationships, and dodging multiple attempts on his life.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story, the setting in Oxford, and the diverse group of Oxford friends known as the 'Seven Wonders'. Can't recommend this one more and can't wait for literally whatever KJ Charles writes next!

Many thanks to Storm Publishing and NetGalley for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Set amongst the dreaming spires of Academia, we are introduced to the “ Seven Wonders”, they are, Nicky, Hugo, Prue, Ella, Toby, Jem and Aaron, all become best friends, until Toby is found dead. Despite Police investigations ,nothing is proved against the remaining friends, but someone killed Toby, and, due to events that happened beforehand, it stands to reason that one of them dealt the fatal blow.
Years later, all the remaining Wonders receive letters to that same effect. We catch up with their lives now, and learn how the death of Toby has impacted their choices in life. These impacts included discrimination against educated women, unplanned pregnancy, racism and homosexuality.
There are many clues in this murder mystery, it’s almost as if the Author decided who was the guilty party, and then spends an inordinate amount of effort into teasing the reader into proving their innocence, a marvellous red herring indeed. Your sympathy and frustrations swing about as the question becomes, why did the murder happen and who can be trusted?
This was such a fun detective story. True, there were some stereotypical characters, that could have come straight from a Jeeves and Wooster book, but there were some marvellously solid and dependable persons, with a few imperfections , who flew under the radar, and you would have been proud to have been their friend.
This is the first book I have read from this author, but I am anxious to catch up with those missed novels.
A five star read. My thanks to Netgalley and Storm publishing for my advanced digital copy, freely given in exchange for my honest feedback.
I will leave a review to Goodreads and Amazon UK upon publication.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I picked this up. Unlike KJC's other books this is a murder mystery with a romantic subplot.

Oxford was Jem's chance at a better life. When he was embraced by a group of friends he felt as though they were invincible, after all they were known as The Seven Wonders. Then Toby was killed and Jem's life fell apart. Ten years on a poison pen letter delivered to his boss prompts Jem to try and solve the mystery of Toby's murder.

The murder mystery was compelling, with plenty of clues that were obvious in retrospect. We see Jem confront his past as he reconnects with his group of friends to try and understand who killed Toby. As events unfold it becomes clear the more interesting question is not Who but Why.

I received an ARC from Netgalley, this hasn't influenced my review.

This was a wonderful historical mystery. Though this is not this author’s normal genre, she did an excellent job with this mystery. I didn’t know who was the culprit until the author revealed it to me. And that was not the end of the story. It was an incredible story, the characters were wonderful and the pace made it hard to stop reading. I hope KJ Charles continues to write mysteries also as she did a wonderful job with this one.

The book started off slowly but I felt was well written.
I was not aware it was gay fiction and as such when I reached the part of the story where this element kicked in I stopped reading. It's not my genre of reading.
Therefore did not finish but for fans of this genre I think it will be a hit.

Excellent historical murder mystery told during the event itself and ten years later. And because it's a KJ Charles book, it's queer AF and has TEETH. Definitely an emotional rollercoaster as I suspected very nearly everyone.

**Received an eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review **

A group of seven friends could never know that they would not be friends forever. At the time, they were living in the moment, and enjoying the happiness of being together. When one of the group is murdered, suspicion falls on the remaining friends, although there is no evidence to show that any of them are guilty.
With the friendship gone, and each having gone their own way, it seems that the past is done. But every now and then, someone sends letters, accusing the remaining of the group of being murderers. Finally, Jem has had enough, and he is determined to get to the truth.

Good read, albeit very slow at times. There were parts of the book that just failed to keep my attention. Still, decently done, and a cozy little mystery for a weekend read.

I received a copy of this title from the publisher; all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Death in the Spires is the first title I've read by KJ Charles and I was blown away. The book spends its time split between the current day of 1905 and 1892, when our main character Jem went to Oxford on a scholarship. On his first day, he met Toby and Nicky who came to his rescue when another boy was bullying him. Toby is collecting "interesting" people and Jem quickly finds himself part of their group that also includes Toby's twin Ella, her roommate Prudence, Aaron, and Hugo. The group become fast friends and Jem makes a place for himself at Oxford over the next few years. Right before finals during their last year, things go horribly wrong and one of their number is murdered. The other members of the group are suspects in the death, but no one is charged as the killer. The rumors and events of that night have haunted all the surviving members of the group to various extents and in various ways; in fact, they have lost contact with each other in an attempt to put everything behind them. Jem, his life having gone downhill in the intervening years, He decides that he needs to finally find out who killed his friend and why; after that, he hopes to be able to finally pull his life together.

The mystery portion of this book is extremely well done with tons of twists and turns that kept me guessing. The pacing of the book is excellent with just enough information revealed to keep you guessing including the use of the split timeline. There is a romance but it definitely isn't the focus of the story. I don't want to say anymore and risk spoiling the story, but I can confidently say that this book is well worth your time and I will definitely be looking for future mysteries from this author.

Its always the hardest to put into words why i liked the books i liked because there is just SO MUCH i want to say. So bear with me here.

Death in the Spires is a blend of dark academia, murder mystery and a complex web of relationships that take us from the Oxford says of the early 1890s to the reworking of the case in 1905 thru the lense of Jem Kite.
I loved Jem. A broken man, living thru his day with an constant emptiness in him since the moment he not only lost a friend but also every single thing he held dear at that time.
The way Charles developed all the different complicated dynamics within the group, the reasons for them being an unit and the impact of this one fatal night on their bond was truly sweeping.
Some relationships may not have been as developed as others but i didn't really see an issue with it given that in real life, you are never close the same way with one like you are with another.

The romance(s)....
She said that this is not a romance, and i get that it's not the main point, but the sheer force those romantic entanglements had on the story were just so intoxicating!
It played so well into the power dynamics (in some cases: imbalaces) among the group as a whole.

Satisfying end too! It can always make or break the entirety of the book but Death in the Spires delivered on that front.
It made the questions 'why even bother' and 'is it all worth it', and it's answers, make sense.

I hope you all will enjoy it as much as i did!


[Thank you NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the free Arc in exchange for an honest review]

This is historic mystery and the brilliant whodunnit. The writing is flawless and characters are mysterious. The book has been narrated in dual timelines.

Toby was murdered on the night of the final year at oxford and the case remained unsolved. No one knows who did it but it certainly upended Jeremy’s life. The author takes us back to 1905. The perspectives of present and past were interesting. Now ten years later, Jeremy is trying to find the person behind Toby’s murder. Jeremy and Toby were best friends. They were a group of friends called Seven Wonders. One day Jem receives an anonymous letter accusing him of killing Toby and due to that he has lost his job too. There are secrets, truth and slow burn mystery. The more he is getting close to the killer, the more his odyssey is becoming perilous. You can expect many more things other than solving a murder mystery. Jeremy is clever and loved how the truth was unveiled. It’s a brilliant whodunnit with academia vibe and the kind of book that keeps you guessing till the end.

Many Thanks to the Author and Publisher.

This was a great read overall. I found the book slightly slow until Jem returned to Nicky in Oxford, but even so the writing style, descriptions of the period and characters were so well written it really transported the reader back to the time. The settings were brilliantly written and I kept switching my mind to who the guilty party was every time Jem re-met a character. Jem's character, was particularly well written. Death in the Spire' was a great read that I highly recommend. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for giving me access to an early copy of this book.

Death in the Spires by K.J. Spires is an intriquing and compelling read, it was hard for me to put down once I started reading. The story begins in 1905 with Jeremy (Jem) Kite's employer receives a letter stating 3 things: that Jeremy was a murderer, that he killed Toby Feynsham, and for the employer to ask him why. Unfortunately this resulted in Jem losing his position.
He and Toby were college friends, two members of a group of friends on campus known as the Seven Wonders. They were an eclectic and diverse group at the prestigious St. Anselm in London; they met in 1892 during their first year, and appeared to be living charmed lives until Toby's death three years later.
Toby was the apparent leader of the group and basically chose the members. The group was comprised of Toby, Jem, a scholarship student; Ella, Toby's twin and a brilliant chemistry student; Prudence, Ella's roommate and an extremely bright if somewhat dull student, Aaron, a black student majoring in medicine;
Hugo Marly Adams, from a very wealthy family, destined to be a politician and Nicky Rook, Toby's best friend sarcastic and seemingly self-absorbed, yet an honors student. Each member had their own secrets.
Jem decides to discover the actual murderer with the hope that the letters will stop and perhaps finally he could put that period of his life behind him. Oh what a can of worms he opened, and each member of the group tried to discourage him, and/or thwart his efforts. I will not share anymore of the story, however I encourage you to read Murder in the Spires and discover the shocking outcome.
Thank you to NetGalley, Storm Publishing and the author for the opportunity to read and review an ARC in exchange change for my completely voluntary and honest review. 4 stars

Death in the Spires is an excellent historical mystery by KJ Charles. Charles notes in the front of the book as well as in other spaces that this is not a romance. There is a MM romantic subplot involving the main character, but the central driving force in this novel is the murder mystery.

And oh what a mystery it is. I do not like to give details about mysteries because I find the development of the story is part of the enjoyment. However, this book deals with issues of race, gender, sexuality, autonomy, wealth, entitlement, and class, all subjects that Charles is a master of exploring.

I really enjoyed Death in the Spires. It is an engaging and engrossing mystery with good characters, smart writing, and an excellent sense of place. I look forward to any future mysteries KJ Charles might write.

Thank you to Storm Publishing, NetGalley and the author for the advance reader copy. All opinions are solely my own.

I had the amazing opportunity to read this as an ARC thanks to K.J. Charles, Netgalley and the publishers. This was my first K.J. Charles book and I can tell you it won't be my last! This book was not what I was expecting, but in ALL of the BEST possible ways.
It starts in 1905 when our main character Jem decides that after 10 years of uneasiness and stagnation, it is up to him to solve the murder of one of his best college friends. Jem returns to Oxford, England where he was once part of a friend group known as the 'Seven Wonders.' These friends attracted attention and shone in an almost Gatsby like fashion on campus until the night Toby was murdered. No one was ever convicted and it took away the shine from everyone.
Now that he is back in Oxford, turning over the stones in a long gone murder investigation, it becomes obvious someone is not happy with this. As he contacts his old friends and starts to doubt his whole college experience, more things are brought to light and more things go wrong.
This book took me through the fog and history, keeping me guessing right until the very end. As with all friend groups, everyone has secrets, but some are darker than others. The aspects of dark academia are a perfect touch and just helped add more mystery to what could have possibly happened leading up to and on that night.
Overall I loved this book. The mystery kept me turning the pages, the character development and evolution done through uncovering old secrets peaked my interest the whole way. And as someone who does read a fair share of mysteries, I did not see the ending coming or piece the whole puzzle out until the end.