Release Date: September 22nd, 2020
Genre(s): Fiction, Adult, Mystery
Publisher: Poisoned Pen Press
Pages: 368
Rating: 
Synopsis
Note: I received an e-ARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Mortmain Hall is the second book in a mystery series written by Martin Edwards. It follows amateur sleuth Rachel Savernake in the 1930’s, following a strange series of events, crime, and murder. In the wake of these events, several individuals, just barely within reach of being framed for these crimes, are brought together as a common denominator. Linking these events together, those involved are invited to a house party at Mortmain Hall. But things turn awry quickly when a body is found at the base of the cliffs, and Savernake and the others must get to the bottom of what really happened – and what brought them all together.
Review
Mortmain Hall is the second book in a mystery series (with a third book on the way). When requesting this ARC, it was not stated to be the second in a series; I only found this out after picking up the book. It is the kind of series that you can pick up mid-way, but from my experience reading it, I do think it would have made reading a bit easier had I started from the beginning.
This is the first time reading a true mystery book in a while, and this book helped me remember what I was missing. This story very delicately interweaves all of its clues within its large group of characters, and the outcome was ultimately pretty difficult for me to guess! And if you’re stuck after the reveal, a cluefinder is included at the end to help you re-trace your steps in reading.
However, the inclusion of so many characters in this story and their buildup definitely impacted the story progression for me. The book goes into detail of all of the characters, their separate incidents, and how they all end up at Mortmain Hall. And while this was all necessary buildup, the early half of the book did feel confusing at times. Additionally, the main death that’s included in the novel (and the journey to Mortmain Hall) doesn’t happen until the last third of the book, which definitely impacted my expectations. I think that some more intrigue could have been created by starting with the party at Mortmain Hall, dropping some hints about why they were there, and then going back in time to each individual’s perspective.
Regardless, Mortmain Hall has been a nice return to the mystery genre for me. I certainly enjoy a good mystery novel and I also love gothic settings, so if you do enjoy the same, you should consider picking this one up.
