I read this courtesy NetGalley and Minotaur Books. In Gigi Pandian’s latest Secret Staircase mystery, the reader is treated to a murder mystery in which the body vanishes, during a renovation in a library dedicated to detective fiction. The library itself is a character, in which the viewpoint character, Tempest Raj, has to figure out whodunnit, whydunnit, and howdunnit. Entertaining, with tips of the hat to those detectives of yore, this book will please mystery devotees.
#TheLibraryGame #NetGalley

Wow, "The Library Games" really knows how to keep you on your toes! If you're a fan of movies like "Murder on the Nile" or "Knives Out," you’re in for a treat. This book has all the twists and turns that will leave you guessing until the very end.

Meet Tempest Raj, our savvy contractor who’s working on this super mysterious library in a small town. She and her friends come up with a fun idea to set up a library-themed escape room for the local celebration in the soon-to-be library of mystery novels. Then things start to go sideways during the rehearsals, and that’s when the real excitement kicks in.

I found myself glued to the pages, unable to put the book down. I was just dying to find out who the murderer was and how everything was connected. The questions keep piling up, and the mystery just gets better and better. Honestly, I loved every moment of it!

The characters are great too—Tempest is relatable and driven, and her interactions with her crew and the quirky townsfolk add just the right amount of humor and tension to the mix. It’s one of those books that keeps your brain buzzing with possibilities and surprises.

If you're looking for a fun, fast-paced mystery that will have you guessing right to the end, "The Library Games" is definitely worth picking up. I had such a blast reading it—I couldn't wait to uncover all the secrets hidden within!

Thank you Minotaur Books for allowing me to read and review this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I'm a sucker for a cozy mystery set in a library trope. It felt like I had made it through all of the books that checked those boxes so I was so excited when I saw this book show up in my feed! It didn't disappoint. I highly recommend this book!

In this latest installment of The Secret Staircase Mysteries, we are treated to a locked room mystery. This classic genre presents our detective with an impossible problem to solve – a perfect crime committed under mysterious circumstances. In this case, Tempest Raj, former stage magician and current designer of magical home renovations, must use her knowledge of stage craft and magic tricks to get to the bottom of two crimes. How did an invisible intruder break into a library, and who murdered an actor in an amateur theatric production designed to promote Secret Staircase’s newest project.
Tempest and her crew find the answers using their special knowledge (and Grandpa Ash’s magic rolodex) all while dealing with twists, turns, and misdirection. This is a very enjoyable take on the classic golden-age mysteries, and I believe it is the best book in this series. After reading this, I took Ivy’s advice and read some mysteries by John Dickson Carr in order to experience his version of the locked room mystery. I think this updated version holds its own with the classics.
It is not necessary to ready the other books to enjoy this one, but the interaction between the characters will probably make more sense to you if you have the background provided by reading them in order.
I was provided with an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The idea of the Secret Staircase Construction Company is fun. They add hidden staircases or rooms, interesting bookshelves, etc to construction projects. I had not heard of this series prior to receiving this book, but was able to jump right in and get to know the quirky characters. This was a locked room mystery that kept me guessing. I received an ARC and am voluntarily reviewing. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher. I will look for more from this author.

In The Library Game, Tempest Raj and Secret Staircase Construction are renovating a classic detective fiction library that just got its first real-life mystery. This is real good and you should read this book.

I loved it! That was a lot of secrets! I'm glad I couldn't figure it out because it was very fun to reach the ending. I can't wait for next time when I can join them for one of Ash's lunches and another glimpse at something secret at the Folly!

Oh I like the book! I like the company that adds hidden nooks and crannies or stairs with secrets. What fun!! The job is to make a detective library from a vintage home. The books are everywhere. It is almost time for the village stroll so Tempest and friends are using the home to present a short play and an escape room. Most of the players are magicians and librarians. What should be fun turns into a mystery. We learn the backstory of the characters. And the food her grandpa cooks makes me drool. The ending is a total surprise. This was an excellent story.

The latest installment in They Secret Staircase series, will please current fans and attract new ones. Turning an old home into a mystery library with hidden rooms and staircases and bookshelves cannot be passed for a mystery reader. Add character development, a murder mystery game that turns deadly, and break-ins that look like its done by invisible culprits, and you have a winner.

The Library Game is the 4th book in the Secret Staircase series. I was unaware of this series, yet I was pleased that it was possible to jump right in. It’s an entertaining locked-room mystery with Tempest and her quirky family and friends. Secret Staircase Construction is renovating and converting a home into a library, and putting on a play with local actors. When one of the actors is found dead, the group of friends and magicians set out to solve the mystery. It’s a quick fun read, however I would assume that reading the first three books would help to better appreciate the characters. With thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

The Library Game is the 4th installment in the Secret Staircase series.
Tempest works with her family creating things like secret doors and hidden spaces, but trouble seems to follow them. Tempest uses her knowledge of illusions from her previous career as a stage magician to solve crimes faster than the police.
This was a fun page turner that included magic, libraries, ghosts, and an escape room. What more could you want?
I enjoyed this mystery.

Thanks to Netgalley and St. Martin Press for an early copy for review.

What a wonderful tale with Tempest and her friends investigating a murder and it’s what they uncover that drives this well-written book that I could not put down with a solid mystery that leaves nothing to chance. The execution is superb, the dialogue engaging, the narrative is visually descriptive with a diverse and dynamic cast of characters, and the suspect pool and the red herrings all tie-in to present a strong story that one can’t escape from until the last page has been read and the perpetrator exposed. The pacing and suspenseful nature is on par with how well this story is being told. Overall, a terrific read that leaves you waiting for the next adventures with Tempest and her friends.

This novel had a lot of heart, and a sleuth with a background I have not yet seen as a stage magician. I love books about books, so I went into this pretty excited. I was so excited, I didn’t realize this was a series. This was not the ideal start for a new reader, and I think I missed out of some of the heart without the context of building relationships and images of the characters through three books prior to this one.

Tempest and Ivy are friends and they’re hired to renovate a house into a community library with a tiny house style apartment upstairs. I enjoyed that element and would have liked to see more of them designing. However in this book they are nearing completion of the project and are hosting an escape room in the library as part of a community event - during a rehearsal things go wrong.

There’s friendship, multiple cultural backgrounds, and lots of people who love books within the novel. I enjoyed the mystery a lot, and have added the author to to search for at the library so I can get the lost out of these characters. If you like classic mystery novels, and books about books, this is one to try.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a free, electronic ARC of this novel received in exchange for an honest review.
Expected publication date: March 18, 2025
Tempest Raj is happily working in her family’s successful business, Secret Staircase Construction, building hidden rooms and staircases in the community. The owner of a recent project, Gray House Library, is eager to use his building to put on a theatre show and a literary-themed escape room and Tempest and her friends are thrilled to participate. But then the lead actor’s body is found a few days before curtain and Tempest finds herself embroiled in a completely different mystery than she expected.
Gigi Pandian’s fourth Secret Staircase Mystery novel, “The Library Game” is a literary-focused locked-room mystery. Dead bodies, escape rooms and all things book-related create a page-turning adventure for every book lover.
I was not familiar with this author or any of her previous works, although there are plenty. She is the author of two other mystery series, “An Accidental Alchemist” and “Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt Mystery”, as well, of course, as the three other novels in this series, which I also haven’t read. Due to jumping in at novel number four, I was unfamiliar with Tempest or her friends and I did not know the background stories or character development, which always makes a novel slightly less entertaining. It took me awhile to get invested in the plot due to this, but I was able to remain engaged and made it through to the end.
Tempest is a feisty protagonist, half Indian and half Scottish, with her love of books in close competition to the love of her grandfather’s creative baked goods. Tempest and her friends, along with Tempest’s bunny, Abracadabra, are an eccentric, creative and entertaining collection of mystery fighters and, although I did not know their backstories, all of them were likable (Abra most of all).
There were a few plot lines in the story that seemed to be thrown in simply to try and add more suspicion and intrigue, but they were small and did not pull my attention away from the main plot. When the ending was revealed, I can honestly say I was not at all surprised, but I was still left satisfied.
I am a fan of novels that take place in bookstores or libraries and will never turn down the chance to read a literary-themed story. As far as Pandian’s “Game” goes, I think I would’ve liked to have read her series from the beginning, as I may have felt more attachment to the characters and I would’ve been more familiar with Pandian’s writing style. Overall, “Game” is a cute and cozy mystery which will appeal to those book lovers looking for a simple page-turner.

I just finished a new mystery book.The Library Game by Gigi Pandian was a fun time. I really enjoyed it.

Book four in the series. While predictably is an issue with this series the story keeps you engaged with the book. The story moved slowly for me but I wanted to see it through to the end. Don’t let not reading others in the series stand in your way. The plot and characters are easy to figure out. This is the cozy mystery version just like a Hallmark movie. Enjoyable enough.
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Thank you to the publisher, Net Galley, and the author for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Another fabulous story by Pandian.
She weaves wonderfully complex stories/mysteries that capture your imagination and interest.
I am delighted whenever I hear that she has published another book.

Through NetGalley, I received a free copy of THE LIBRARY GAME (Book 4 of the Secret Staircase mystery series) by Gigi Pandian in exchange for an honest review. Tempest Raj works with her family as part of the Secret Staircase Construction company. However, it’s her extra-curricular activities that get her into trouble this time. A fan of classic mysteries left behind an endowment to turn his home into a library dedicated to classic mysteries and to allow his nephew to run the library. Tempest is participating in the murder mystery dinner and literary escape room event planned to kick off the library’s grand opening. During a rehearsal, one of the actors is murdered, and the body disappears before the police arrive. With everyone having been altogether at all times, it’s a locked-room murder. Can Tempest and her friends figure out whodunit before the kick off event is closed down?

I liked the book and the characters. However, since I haven’t read the prior books in the series, I felt like I missed out on some of the connections and history that would have enriched my reading. I recommend that you begin your reading with the first book in the series and progress in order.

I think I would have liked this book more if I had read the earlier books in the series. I like a good mystery and the concept intrigued me but I like more character development and I didn't get that with this being the 4th book in the series. I was curious about who committed the murder and hid the body but I didn't have an investment in any of the characters.

The renovations being made in the Gray House Library and subsequent murder definitely had the vibe of old time mysteries, which I assume was the point given the library only deals with classic mystery books.

I would have liked more from the locked room mystery but overall the mystery was handled well and the ending a surprise.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I really wanted to like this book but I didn't. The characters felt two dimensional. It felt like a Nancy Drew book written for adults but it still felt too young adult. I have nothing against young adult and have read one recent series that I thought was well written and loved it. This was marketed as adult though. I thought that all of the back and forth about the description of the secret passages got way too confusing. The secret passages felt like a gimmick to sell the book. I don't remember the characters once using a secret passage in this book all they did was talk about them. I know some people will love this book but it wasn't for me.