Cover Image: Death in Castle Dark

Death in Castle Dark

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Member Reviews

When actress Nora Blake takes a job in a castle, as part of a mystery dinner troupe, she doesn't expect to find herself wrapped up in a real murder investigation.
I was really excited to read this book, I enjoy a good gothic style mystery, and this author is one of my favorites.
The secondary characters are a great fit, they add excitement to this first in a new series.
I think this new series is going to appeal to a lot of readers, as it is a terrific blend of cozy & gothic writing styles.

I'm looking forward to reading the next book!
Thank you for selecting me to read an advanced digital copy of Death in Castle Dark.
#DeathinCastleDark #NetGalley

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Death in Castle Dark is the first book in Veronica Bonds' Dinner and a Murder Mystery series. I was excited to read this book because it is a new series for author Julia Buckley under a pen name. It is a great not to the gothic mystery. Set in the midwest, this story takes place in a gothic castle that has been turned into a dinner theater. It is a great setting that adds to the overall enjoyment of the story. Nora, our main character, has relocated from Chicago to take an acting position with the dinner theater troupe. As she starts to settle into her new life, Nora stumbles across the body of a co-worker during a performance. There is a good group of diverse secondary characters, including members of the acting troupe, the owner of the dinner theater company, and Nora's family. Some romances developed among the cast, but it does not detract from or overpower the story.

The mystery is well done. As I mentioned it is a nod to the gothic mystery. There are some creepy incidents and the dark halls of the castle add to the gothic ambiance. The author gives her readers plenty of twists and turns as Nora tries to help the police with clues to uncover the killer's identity. There is a nice reveal and I did not guess the culprit.

I am looking forward to more books in this series to see where the author takes her characters.

I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the publisher, Berkley, through NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

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Plot: It was so good! It took multiple twists, and I really liked how the mystery played out. PLUS, I didn't figure out the culprit in this one until the main character did, which is so rare for me, so this book gets extra bonus points for that! I won't share anymore for fear of spoiling it for people. I also really liked the romance in it!

Characters: I really liked all the characters! Nora was a fantastic main character, and I like how she went about solving the mystery. It felt very natural, and not at all forced. And Nora and Dash's romance was fun! I liked the castle staff, but won't say anything more about them for fear of spoiling certain plot points!

The Cover: I like it!

Overall: I really loved this book! From the mystery to the characters, everything was really well written. I also loved the ending! Overall, a five star read that I highly recommend to cozy mystery fans! I eagerly anticipate more books!

I received an e-ARC of this book from the publisher.

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Nora Blake has landed an acting gig in an old mansion where guests come to witness murder most foul and then try to solve the crime. It’s a chance for Nora to gain some acting experience while staying at a gorgeous old manor house for free. What could possibly go wrong? At Castle Dark’s second show, the actor portraying the victim takes the role a little too seriously and winds up dead. Nora will have to use her budding detective skills to ferret out the killer. This is an enjoyable cozy for those who don’t want to much mayhem with their murder

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