The ARC I received from NetGalley was 186 pages, but it felt much longer. I really wanted to like this book, but unfortunately, I struggled to connect with it.

Firstly, it seems as if it was written in another language and then translated by AI. While it was grammatically correct, the coherence was lacking at times.

Secondly, the characters appeared to take themselves very seriously. The plot felt like it was trying to emulate a classic Sherlockesque whodunit but didn't quite achieve that level of sophistication.

I believe that with the help of a skilled editor given free rein, this book could become an adequate three-star read. If one of my students (I am an English and literature teacher) submitted this to me, I would commend their effort but would grade it a D. Given that the author is an adult, I would have to give it an F. I am genuinely sorry to say this.