The Legacy of Arniston House is the fourth fantasy mystery by T.L. Huchu. Released 12th Nov 2024 by Macmillan on their Tor imprint, it's 400 pages and is available in hardcover, audio, and ebook formats. Paperback due out in Aug 2025 from the same publisher. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links.

Oddly paced and twitchily frenetic in places, the whole series is nevertheless very well written and engaging. It follows on from the first books in the series and, as such, would be a challenge to read as a standalone. Main character Ropa can communicate with (and indeed compel) spirits. At this point, she's acquired a new employer and is banishing/compelling ghosts professionally in his service. All is not well, however, and she's soon up to her neck in another murder mystery, as prime suspect in the murder of her beloved gran.

It's marketed as a YA fantasy, but it's perfectly good for an all ages (YA+, not for little kids) read. It has a huge cast, and readers who haven't kept track of the previous books should be prepared to flip back and forth some. The author/publisher have provided a handy dramatis personae list at the front of the book with characters/titles and relationships, and also principal settings, institutions, and other necessary info which will help.

The world building is *stunning* and cohesive and wonderful. There is, however, quite a lot of reverse snobbery and making fun of traditional academia; Ropa is something of a Jack-the-Lad and seemingly has a malleable and very pragmatic moral code. It's LGBTQIA+ friendly, without being preachy, which is cool. The denouement and resolution are not finished in the book and end on a huge cliffhanger.

Four stars. Very well written and exciting, if distinctly odd. There are four books extant at the moment, with the fifth strongly implied, but no definite publishing info available atm. It would be an excellent choice for public library acquisition, home use, or as a long buddy read or book club series project.

A Cult Because They Wear Hoods

“A dangerous cult craves a dark power…” I looked ahead to figure out what “power” this is referring to. This novel is about magical power, including “ghostalking”, and “casting a spell”. This is explained later in this summary, so it’s not really omitted. I just experienced a moment of puzzlement that I solved before reading onwards. This is the “fourth instalment of the USA Today bestselling Edinburgh Nights series”, which has been published annually between 2021-4. This seems to be the last book in this series. Thus, most readers are likely to be a bit disoriented, if they start reading with this last volume. There is a list of characters in the opening pages that is thus required for newcomers. For example, it explains that the main hero in this volume, Ropa Moyo is a “teenage ghostalker… from… Edinburgh”, a dropout, who is “delivering messages on behalf of the city’s dearly departed. Her activities secured her an internship with the Society of Sceptical Enquires, after which she resigned to find employment with Lord Samarasinghe, England’s Sorcerer Royal.” These details are needed to understand the following lines in the blurb: “Ropa Moyo is a wannabe magician, can speak to the dead, and has officially given up being an intern.” Without the explanation, I was puzzled by just what kind of internship magicians might have.
“Leaving Scottish magic behind, she now works for the English Sorcerer Royal. But just as she adjusts to working for the English, an old enemy reveals a devastating secret about her Gran, and Ropa’s world falls apart.” This secret is not solved in the characters’ descriptions. Looking forward in the book, the secret might be about Ropa’s father, the academic. The following pages describe with a bit of detail how her parents laughed, that her father was smart, etc. The reason for these reflections is given as the character crying while recalling her “dead folks.” Though most of this is too general: “What did my father’s cologne smell like?” Instead of this empty phrase, some concrete details could have been inserted here. The mystery seems to be that she has no idea who her parents are…?
“Outraged, she rushes home, but finds her grandmother dead—murdered—with no killer in sight.” Oh, no, is this character weeping about her parents for page and pages and then starts weeping about her newly dead grandmother? The setup is that only her grandmother Melsie knows “the truth” (or any info about who she is, who her parents are, and just in general what’s going on), but dies before she can tell her? And then for the rest of the story this character is lost and confused in cluelessness. I did not find the scene where this girl finds her grandmother dead by searching for “Melsie” or “Gran”, but I did find a line half-into this book that notes that “police say Ropa Moyo murdered her grandmother…” Ah, that’s what the next line in the publisher’s summary is about: “What’s more, she’s the prime suspect.” Tor tricked me again. “In her quest to find the true murderer, Ropa becomes caught in the dark tendrils of a cult, hell-bent on resurrecting an ancient power.” Since all magicians would technically be in “cults”, this point also confused me. I looked ahead and found that this “cult” reveals itself late in this book by the simple trick that they are “scientific magicians” who look monk-like in “their hood”. And just because these guys look cultish, Ropa takes out a “dagger” and slashes one of their “front” tyres. This is a strange overreaction to something the character reports not understanding. She’s fantasizing about stealing the batteries to sell “on the black market”, but fails to do anything profitable, and just slashes all the tyres. A supporting character echoes: “Great thinking”, in case readers started to think this was irrational or idiotic.
“…Ropa must use her wits, her magic, and call in all favors to stop the ritual—and clear her name.” The tire-slashing must have been the “wits” part. What ritual? I pondered, and searched for this section. Chapter XX begins with a mention of smoke coming at the “start” of a “mad ritual”. These guys are again hooded, and the presence of a black hood seems to be the only explanation offered as to why these guys are the villains of this story, when Ropa seems to be the aggressor with her tire-slashing etc. Though they apparently have some other colors from the “flag of Scotland” on them. Ah, okay, in the third paragraph in this opening of Chapter XX, there’s an explanation that the ritual probably involves a sacrifice because Sophie is lying on the “great oaken table… bound”. Apparently, Ropa has ridden Sophie of a possessing spirit (for this cult) so they could sacrifice her in this ritual. While this makes some sense and is interesting, the story then digresses into echoing chatter, and generalizations.
It’s amazing how this writer has managed to make magic dull and repetitive. I read a lot of fantasy in my childhood, but mostly the German versions of dark fairytales and Russian dark comedy like The Master and Margarita. I looked up a sample of the latter novel to figure out if it reads differently in English. The story opens with vivid portraits of two men, focuses on their work as literary editors. Then, there is a humanist appeal as these guys attempt to find beer, or something else to drink and find that Soviet scarcity has deprived these pleasures. Though they are served apricot juice: though too warm for the summer day. The author manages to keep readers’ attention with such dramatic concerns until magic appears, when a “transparent man” is seen hovering “without touching the ground”. He goes through natural stages of denial, as the story gradually moves more and more into accepting that magic is real and showcasing amazing magic being done. The words in this Russian novel are denser than in the English translation. But even in the translation, attention is captured with a coherent story that drives the characters forward. But maybe if I read this novel for the first time now, in either language, I would not be as mesmerized by it as I was when I read it in my childhood. The volume of books I’ve read since on similar subjects have demystified fantasy. I read through most of Anne Rice’s novels back in high school and college. Recently, I tried getting into one of them, and it just seemed too empty. There were too many pages where nothing happened. Maybe I’ve gotten used to the speed of fantasy in films, where something is always happening rapidly. But Mikhail Bulgakov’s structure is still better than Rice’s… Though only one of them is a “classical” author, so it’s not a fair comparison. I’ll keep thinking about if younger readers would enjoy these pop novels that I’m reviewing significantly more than I can now. Perhaps wisdom makes it impossible to enjoy childish things?
—Pennsylvania Literary Journal, Fall 2024: https://anaphoraliterary.com/journals/plj/plj-excerpts/book-reviews-fall-2024

The Edinburgh Nights series is one of my favorite fantasy series, and this book is a doozy of a story.

Ropa Moyo has jumped employers and is working with the English magician Lord S. He has her ghost talking and sending spirits to the afterlife. But Ropa can't understand why it seems the EveryWhere is harder to access, and banishing spirits is suddenly much more difficult.

Plots that begin during the last book, at the Sorcerers Conference, come into play. A group of Sorcerers are planning some truly black magic, and Ropa is fighting to stop them, along with old friends. She's learning more about her own history as well.

There are some sad events in this book, and some really surprising defections. The book ends on a cliffhanger, leaving me wanting more. Ropa learns not to wait until too late to ask questions of your elders, which is a good lesson for all of us.

Thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy of this book.

I think Huchu got back their groove for this one. While I enjoyed Dunvegan Castle, this one really hit it out of the park with me. More layers are being pulled back on Ropa's history, all sorts of shenanigans going on, betrayals, dark secrets...all in all a great read!

Thank you NetGalley and Tor Publishing for this ARC. This is the fourth in a series that build on each previous book. The Legacy of Arniston House is definitely the darkest so far in the series. The main character, Ropa Moyo, is in trouble with almost everyone and has nearly no one to turn to for help. Although Ropa is a strong in her self preservation, she is pushed to her limits after being charged with a crime no one who knows her would ever believe she committed and finds her closest friend has turned to the dark side.

The dystopian Edinburgh created in this series is so interesting, mostly because it isn't too far fetched. The magic schools and the ghost talking doesn't even seem out of place for a city with so much history and mystery. But the real winning element of this series is its characters, including but not just the lead, Ropa. Ropa's family and friends and the other criminal element, and even the magical leadership, are all diverse, interesting, full of human flaws but also special talents. With each new story, I love to slip back into their world and run through the streets of Scotland at night with Ropa.

The ending of this book definitely left me craving for what comes next. I can't wait!

Aww Ropa, I saw it coming and I still felt the pain of your loss. This was a hard fought battle and Ropa once again held her own. I love that Ropa got to learn more about her family history in this story. The ending was great and I look forward to reading more of T.L.Huchu's work in the future.

I loved the first two books in this series, the last one I just thought was okay. I didn't feel like we got the same Ropa we had met before, the story was also more mystery than anything else, and she didn't get to use her ghost talker power as much as I would have hoped. However, now having read this newest installment I realize the last book was building the storyline and letting us meet new characters that would become important in this book.

The LEgacy of Arniston House has everything you could want, family, betrayals, death, and Ropa on the run while trying to figure out how to stop this thing that could wreck, well everything. The pacing was good, the action great, and the death was a really sad moment. This book feels like the penultimate book before the ending of a story arc and especially with the way this one ended I can't wait to see how it's all going to play out.

In this fourth installment of the Edinburgh Nights series, Ropa Moyo finds herself embroiled in a fight against a dark cult hell bent on restoring Scottish magic to its former glory. As Ropa begins her work with the English Sorcerer Royal, personal tragedy strikes when she finds her grandmother murdered in their home. What’s worse – Ropa is the prime suspect.

As Ropa hides from the law and evades the Scottish magicians who have gone rogue, she’ll need to use her street smarts, her ability to communicate with the dead, and the few truly loyal people in her life to avenge her grandmother and save Scotland.

I love this series! The author’s writing is smart and funny, and the character development is well done. It’s fun to watch Ropa grow as a person while still maintaining the best qualities about herself – loyalty, a strong sense of right and wrong, and an ability to persevere in the face of adversity. I love the way the author takes the reader through Scotland’s geography, history, and sprinkles in colloquialisms. I 100% recommend this series!

In The Legacy of Arniston House, the fourth book in T.L. Huchu’s Edinburgh Nights series, ghostalker Ropa Moyo is back, navigating even darker territory and grappling with a shocking revelation about her family. When she confronts her grandmother, tragedy strikes, and Ropa becomes the prime suspect in Gran's murder. Racing to clear her name, Ropa uncovers ties to an ancient cult with sinister plans: raising an undead army led by a dark lord to seize control of Scotland. As she battles through this occult conspiracy, Ropa relies on her magical skills and hard-earned experience to face her biggest challenge yet.

After four books with Ropa, her dramatic flair and clever resourcefulness are as familiar as they are entertaining, though her escapades are beginning to feel a bit worn. This installment had more drive than book three, but the plot’s rapid pace left little room to truly digest the twists and high-stakes moments. Still, Huchu keeps readers hooked with a heart-stopping cliffhanger, ensuring that, despite some fatigue with the series' repetitive elements, fans will be eager to see what lies ahead for Ropa in the next book.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC
3 of 5
Recommend the series for fans of modern urban fantasy.
I've been hooked on this series since the beginning.
I love: post-catastrophic near future in an alternate timeline where magic has always been a political power; female leads who kick ass; a mysterious library.
Not as fond of: stagnation of purpose (?) or overall plot development of the last two books; Ropa getting more childish as time progresses; probably understand the magic system less than I did after the first book.
I was happy to return to a more dynamic plot than the 'stuck-in-an-isolated-castle' of the last book, but I'm getting a bit lost as I don't see much character or story arc progress.
Loads more action in this one, and I'll certainly keep reading.

I have been a dedicated fan of this series since I was approved to read an ARC of the first book years ago. I’ve been amazed at Huchu’s creativity throughout this series. In addition to crafting a dystopian version of Edinburgh, Huchu also develops an awesome magic system, incredible characters who commonly have to walk a morally gray line, and a mystery in each book that consistently surprises me.

This book has a far more emotional Ropa, as she faces events that broke my heart and hers. Her Gran is so important to her in so many ways: she turns to her for assistance with magic, family support, and a sense of home that comes from having been raised so significantly by her Gran. But with Izwi away at boarding school for magicians, and their grandmother murdered, Ropa is the prime suspect, just as things are going well for her, everything gets jammed up.

It’s obvious that Ropa isn’t responsible for the death, but she’s forced to watch everything she values be taken from her. Ropa doesn’t expect to have very many allies in her corner anymore, even as she is building a connection to English magic. She’s used to tough times, though, and she knows how to make use of any advantages or opportunities that arise.

There’s been an overarching storyline that runs throughout the series, of something larger pulling the strings, and we inch closer to the solving the underlying mystery. But it’s written so wonderfully that I was simply unable to stop reading. More often, I try to piece together all the clues and figure things out on my own, but I’m consistently blindsided by the plot twists, which seem to be a specialty of Huchu’s.

Ropa is my favorite character in the story, but Priya is a close second. Priya has all the coolest and most helpful magical skills, and she embodies all the best characteristics of a best friend. She’s wheelchair-bound, but the wheelchair has some pretty awesome tricks up its sleeve as well, making her easily the most badass of side characters.

Overall, this is a strong addition to the series, and I found myself unable to put it down. I flew through this story, and if you haven’t started the series already, the next best time to do so is now. It’s easy to visualize this dystopian version of Edinburgh, and there’s just something about Ropa that I adore. She’s the kind of person who hasn’t ever had anything handed to her, yet she isn’t afraid of hard work and doing whatever she can to survive. The depth of emotion that this book brought out in Ropa was outstanding, and I really loved seeing Ropa growing emotionally. The story leaves off on a cliffhanger, and I know I’ll be biting my nails during the wait.

I am a huge fan of the Edinburgh Nights series and as a librarian often recommend it when conducting reader’s advisory. I was dying to read/ listen to this book and I was not disappointed. My favorite thing about this book is how it kept me on my toes. It took me places that I never would have expected. I absolutely love Ropa as a character and being given more of her family’s backstory was especially intriguing. The story begins with Ropa going to work for the English Sorcerer Royal and she finally feels like she is getting her life on track. Then everything falls apart…like a bomb implodes her life.

This book begins with Ropa starting her job with the English Sorcerer Royal. You cannot quite tell if the English Sorcerer Royal is up to no good or if he is merely a selfish Royal. Ropa sees this new position as the answer to all of her hardships and feels this is the change she needed to support her sister and her Gran. Unfortunately, just as her life begins to turn around, she is dealt a huge whammy that implodes her whole life. She loses so much, but still perseveres to take on the sinister cult, with only her wit, fledgling magic, and her small cohort of friends.

I personally loved this book. I received an ARC of the book and the audiobook. I loved both, but the audiobook is always the more enjoyable experience for me. The narrator is amazing and always brings the character of Ropa to life for me. I feel like Ropa herself is telling me the story. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys magical alternative worlds. I love to hear about places that I have visited in Scotland, it really brings the book to life for me. An amazing book that I would recommend to a variety of readers.

I didn’t really enjoy this book. But I believe that is my problem. I had read the synopsis, and I didn’t see that this was the fourth book in the series. I can attest that this is not one of those books that it doesn’t matter where you pick it up you can just enjoy the story on its own. If you are going to read this book, please invest in reading the three previous books. Reading it with no background information truly caused me to disengage not only from the story but from the characters. I enjoyed fleeting moments in the book, but they were far and few between. If I had read the other books this might have been a more enjoyable read. For that reason alone, I am going to give this book three stars. There is potential for this book, so I don’t want to underrate it and have it drop in stars due to me missing one important sentence when requesting this book to review. I also will not be publishing this on any sort of platform since I want the book to have reviews from others who have invested in the whole series.
Thank you to Tor Publishing Group and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

4 stars
——————

Man, I love this series so much and this may just be my favorite yet.

Instant action in this one. This plot picks up not long after the last book and drops the reader right into the action. I loved the past books, but something about this one really stood out. I mourned Ropa’s grandmother right alone with her, but the plot line her death brings was really intense and interesting. The connections between these different plot lines was so subtle at times that I missed them until the book comes together in the end. The very first act connects right to the ending. It was really well done. As always, the magic system is so interesting. The only thing I wish the author had done is address the events of the last book better to remind the reader what happened a little more. I could have used a little more explanation on the magic, too.

I love Ropa as a narrator and I love her narration of the plot. You get her raw emotions on the events as they happen and her commentary on them. She’s really well developed. I love watching her grow across the books. Even the side characters are really well handled and offer something to the plot. This one had an excessive amount of background characters, so it was hard to keep track of all of them. But the main cast was good.

I cannot recommend this series enough and this book is no exception.

This latest book keeps up the action and magic, and I loved diving back into Ropa’s world. She’s fearless and quick-witted, dealing with battles, facing her anxieties, and uncovering shocking family secrets. The world-building is incredible, and the Scottish slang adds so much personality to the story. That cliffhanger ending left me so ready for the next book! The narration for the audiobook was great, would highly recommend this one 👍🏻

The Legacy of Arniston House is the 4th installment in the "Edinburgh Nights" series by T.L. Huchu. Part academic fantasy, part thriller, and part murder mystery, this fast paced thrill ride will have you hooked from the very first chapter. I love how Huchu is able to keep the reader invested in these character as we discover more and more about their backstory.

I really enjoy how Huchu manages to blend the magical world into reality so well. The blend of the occult with modern day cult behavior makes it seem as though these things could happen in real life. Believing that these characters and the world they live in could be your neighbors and your neighborhood just makes the read so much fun.

Overall, the book is dark, moody, and has spooky vibes for days. It's a must read for fans of dark academia and suspenseful fantasy. I think its my favorite in the series so far and I can't wait to see what happens next.

Holy cliff hangers! This book stopped right in the middle of all the action. I cannot wait for the next title.

This was another great addition to this series. Salty, resourceful Ropa is again bungling her way through life making hasty decisions in the interest of earning money and is usually at least a little bit on the wrong side of the law. The diversity of the characters in this series doesn’t have that performative feel that so many books do nowadays and has an intensely Scottish dialect that is heavy on the slang that makes this series’s unique. The world building is very thorough and complex and I appreciated that it didn’t have the lecture-y feel the third book had.

You would not need to read the third book to understand this one, but definitely either the first or second or you would be lost.

Ropa Moya is back again, and our favorite self-taught girl genius from the slums is here to save the day!

Seriously, these books do not disappoint. We have tons of action, magic, political intrigue, philosophy, religion, history, it's all there.
Ropa is dealing with her anxiety and panic attacks through therapy, she has left Scottish magic for Brittish, but then she gets the shock of her life - her grandma is murdered, she is blamed, and while she is on the run she learns the truth about some of her families past.
This book ends on quite the cliffhanger, so I am already eagerly looking forward to book 5.
Thank you for the ARC!!

Sick and tired of the old boy's club that is Scottish Magic, Ropa Moyo now works for the Sorcerer Royal of England. While Ropa works with her new gaffer she comes to terms with the trauma of her past through therapy. When Ropa learns a secret about her family everything changes--and not for the better.
I absolutely adore the world T.L. Huchu has created in the Edinburgh Nights series. A world of magic, politics, bureaucracy, mystery, and the supernatural. Readers who love the clairvoyant side of Samantha Shannon's Bone Season series will love the Edinburgh Nights series and its plucky heroine.

The Legacy of Arniston House is the fourth book in TL Huchu’s Edinburgh Nights series. This takes place a little after book three, and we find our protagonist Ropa Moyo in employment with England’s Sorcerer Royal. For the moment, it seems that Ropa is well on her way to making a better life for her grandmother, her sister, and herself, with steady employment and good prospects. But that all changes when her grandmother is murdered and Ropa becomes the prime suspect. She has days to clear her name and bring her grandmother’s killer to justice. But it isn’t easy because there is almost no one that she can trust. And while this is going on, Scotland is in a precarious position, with violent protests erupting constantly and England’s eye turning its way. Plus, the separation between the worlds of the living and dead seems to be growing weak, and spirits wander the streets, untethered to the everyThere.

This is a fast-paced, action-packed installment of an enjoyable series. Ropa is a realistic teenage character: she’s rash and makes mistakes, but she’s also smart and savvy and able to, for the most part, get out of tight scrapes when she has to. The supporting characters are also multi-layered and well-rounded, providing strong conflict and tension throughout the story. I also love the world that this is set in: a near-future Scotland after near-total economic collapse where the spirit world and magic are real. This book develops that world further, exploring how the economy collapsed and who was responsible. The themes of the pursuit of power and money are strong throughout the narrative.

I highly recommend this series to lovers of urban fantasy, and am eagerly looking forward to the next installment.

Thank you to Tor and Netgalley for providing an advance reading copy.