This book had an excellent premise and I was really excited to read it, but unfortunately something fell flat for me. I'm not sure whether it was the plot or writing, but I ended up getting bored for most of the book.

Thank you to Inkshares and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this arc

What an interesting concept this book revolved around. The story concerned an aristocrat who had died, and his will left to his children the possibility that if they were to find his murderer, the entire estate would be theirs. He left behind three children, but that was just the beginning. The mystery of who killed Sir Lawrence is the main one, but there are all sorts of trails off into different side plots. The characters were interesting and fun and well developed and the plot itself was original and very unique. I greatly enjoyed the time period as well, because it gave a great sense of ambiance to the story that something that took place in contemporary times or after the 1950s would not have been as fun I think. I would highly recommend this book to people who enjoy Agatha Christie, because in the same vein, this was a whodunit with some interesting twists.

This ebook was provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The write up about this book many me think it would be a old fashioned mystery, I struggle a little with the jump around, but all in all I glad stuck it out cause it was worth the read.

The book is so engaging and amazingly beautiful. This is not only a book i would want to go back to but i will take as a prime example of multi povs.

Unnatural Ends by Christopher Huang is a detective novel in "the Golden Era"-style. It had a bit of a slow start as the premise and the characters were established, but then it took me on a thrilling ride with many twists and turns. There are so many twists I couldn't count and it is for sure hard to put down when I got into it. The main mystery contains its own mysteries and there are so many layers.
I found the three siblings to be interesting, complex and likable in their own way. Sir Linwood on the other hand is not so lovely, I also could have bludgeoned him with a mace. Read to find out why.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC.

Wow, I really enjoyed this. The beginning of the book establishes that a man with three adopted children, who are now adults, was found murdered, and his will states that if one of those children can successfully determine his killer, they will inherit everything.

The book then goes on and determines the birth origins of the adopted children, revealing motives and hatred while introducing the reader to more characters. Additionally, the reader learns more about the three children and their personalities, and what traits they possess that their father admired or disliked.

An interesting read that explores relationships between siblings and how parental behaviors affect or do not affect children. The story had a few twists and unexpected moments that kept it compelling, all while moving at a nice pace.

In Spring 1921, the Linwood siblings reunite and return home for their adoptive father's funeral. They were expecting it to be awkward, from growing apart over the years, but they weren't expecting to learn their father was murdered. Or for their mother to have turned into an unhinged recluse, leaving her room only to randomly shoot at strangers. Moreover, they never anticipated Sir Linwood's will would include a clause dictating that whichever sibling discovered the murderer would be left the entire estate. Their journeys may have started on separate paths, but they ultimately intertwine as the siblings work together to solve this mystery. The secrets that come to light in their search to find a killer rock this family to the core. And as it turns out, nothing is quite as it seems.

This book was nothing like what I anticipated. It wasn't the murder mystery or thriller aspect the held my interest. If I am being honest, I knew where that was going from the beginning. Instead, I enjoyed that it was essentially one giant character study. The pages were filled with flashbacks to the Linwood siblings childhood, the years of conditioning of Lady Linwood, and the narcissistic outbursts of Sir Lawrence Linwood...it was truly fascinating. If you enjoy looking into the minds of others and trying to understand their actions, this book is for you.

As someone from a family keen on keeping secrets, it was nice to enjoy the messiness of another family for a change.

Unnatural Ends is a mystery set in the North Yorkshire moors in 1921 after the death of Sir Lawrence Linwood. It is only after his three adopted children, now adults, arrive home for the funeral that they learn the truth: Sir Lawrence was brutally murdered. I enjoyed the ambiance of this book which, for me, read like a Golden Age mystery novel with all of the attention to details of the people, their homes and their stations in life. In fact, initially I thought this might be a reissue of an older book but no, it definitely isn’t.

With the use of flashbacks to the childhood memories of Alan, Roger and Caroline, as well as some of their memories during and after the recent war, the author fills in the history of this family and reasons why someone might have wanted Sir Lawrence dead. There’s a mass of confusing leads and possibilities. I enjoyed the chase, following the various suspects and clues to a satisfying conclusion.

Huang provides historical notes at the end of the book, placing the fictional Linwood Hall and the village of Linwood Hollow in the real countryside mentioned within the novel in discussing train travel, etc. Many of the bones of the story are historical, if not the Linwoods themselves.

Recommended for those who enjoy historical mysteries and historical fiction.

A copy of this book was provided by Inkshares through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

This is the first book I have read of Christopher Huang and I am very pleased to say that I have enjoyed reading it. The style is very similar to that of the Golden Age of detective novels of which I am a great reader of. Throughout the book there are cameo’s of the characters and their activities and thought processes of the murder and characters. The murder victim is Sir Lawrence Linwood who is a dominant and controlling bully to his three children and wife. Throughout their formative years and into adulthood they compete with each other and are punished for signs of weakness.. At the reading of Sir Lawrence’s will they are challenged to find his murderer with victor being awarded being made Sir Lawrence’s successor to his estate. Be warned of some very interesting surprises during the reading of this book. I am sure you will enjoy reading this book as much as I did. In fact I am off to purchase a copy of Christopher Huang’s first book.

A HUGE thanks to Netgalley and the author for the ARC

Unnatural ends is definitely a book that is quite different from my tastes and I can see why.

There were a lot of flaws in this book, one of them being the narration falling apart after the first few chapters.

Also the fact that the character's ethnicity is a part of a mystery doesn't really sit right with me.

The story had a really good premise for a murder mystery. But it felt like that a lot of loose ends weren't tied up properly and this book could have definitely survived a few more rounds of editing.

But nonetheless an okay book.

An old fashioned murder mystery with a very traditional British country house setting. Despite it’s “cluedo-like” setting, in terms of both time and place, it’s very well-written and compelling and is both a whodunnit and a why-dunnit. That said, I did not love the characters and was not blown away by it.

With thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an opportunity to read and review an advance copy.

Thank you to Inkshares for this early Netgalley copy of Uncommon Ends by Christopher Huang.

The year is 1921. Sir Lawrence Linwood, patriarch and master of Linwood Hall, is found brutally murdered in his study. His three grown adoptive children, Alan, Roger, and Caroline, are left to grapple with the shocking task contained in his will: solve the murder, and the spoils of their inheritance will go to the victor alone. This atmospheric, twisty, and family-centric “murder mystery” is perfect for fans of Downton Abbey and HBO’s Succession.

Told both through flashbacks and the present day, this smart “whodunnit” follows the enigmatic and multi-dimensional Linwood children as they seek not only to solve their father’s murder, but also to uncover the truths of their mysterious origins. Whenever I thought I had an idea of where the mystery might be headed, I was always surprised with this novel’s next turn. And yet, nothing ever felt forced or illogical. In a day and age where nonsensical, shock-value thrillers fill the shelves of bookstores and inundate our feeds, it was refreshing to read something that felt so sophisticated at its heart. And, as always, a story with family at its core will never not appeal to me.

The characters here, particularly the Linwood siblings, were quite enjoyable: modest, responsible Alan; impulsive, charming Roger; clever, impenetrable Caroline. I loved that the chapters alternated between their “perspectives.” It allowed for a dissemination of information that perfectly befits this type of story.

It’s hard to believe that this is the author’s sophomore novel, as the quality of the writing and the story itself are of the caliber I’d expect from a more widely published author. The prose is expert and puts the reader right into the action as the vivid setting paints itself around them. This was, quite frankly, the best ARC I’ve read to date. I highly recommend this book, especially for fans of period mysteries like “The Alienist” or “Murder on the Orient Express.”

CW: talk of suicide; mild descriptions of violence; mild gore; death; etc.

☆ ☆ ☆ ☆ - GREAT

Alan, Roger and Caroline come back to Linwood Hall for the funeral of Lord Linwood their father who had adopted them all. The will is read and promises all the estate to the one who solves the murder of their father. All three begin to look into their own backgrounds to find out where they have actually come from. Caroline looks oriental, Roger looks like his mother came from Nepal and Alan is English. They all find out that they were actually the biological children of Lord Linwood.
The search is now ongoing for their birth mothers. Lord Linwood had an interest in eugenics; that becomes crucial to the events that take place. The role of Lord Linwood’s wife becomes apparent as she knows a number of secrets that she will not tell.
Sharing what they all have discovered brings the three siblings as close as they were as children. Alan and Roger come up with a scheme to lure their father out of hiding as .they realised that he wasn’t dead at all.
This is a complex story with some very violent events taking place. It raises questions of blood ties and family loyalties. Well constructed and hard to put down this is an excellent read.

Even though the story kept my intrigue, it jumped not only between characters too many times but also timelines.

Not a fan of this one - I found the story too long in the telling, which meant I took much longer to get through this one than I did Huang's previous book.

The blurb and the beginning of this novel suggest it´s going to be another classic detective story in Agatha Christie's style. There´s a body, a respectable family with secrets, and no suspects. As the story unfolds we come to realize, it´s not just about traditional "who did it", but about family dynamics. Every character has its own story to tell and things to hide. And it´s completely understandable taking into account that this is not a typical family, although to everyone around seems to be just that.

I really like this book. The storytelling is good, the characters are not easy, and they are hard as rocks, yet we observe them cracking slowly, but constantly. The writing is brilliant! The way the author uses the description of surroundings and the weather to enhance the story is just fantastic. Just like in older novels, which I love!

I am giving 4 stars because the one thing that is off in this book is incorporating the past to push the story forward using suddenly uncovered memories. For example when the plot slows down and the characters seem to be stuck in a cul de sac suddenly someone has this long-forgotten memory that goes as far back as to one was only 3 years old. Very convenient for the author but not convincing to the readers.

Set in the 1920s, Unnatural Ends is an intricately crafted murder mystery written in the Golden Age tradition. Canadian author Christopher Huang is obviously a fan of this type of mystery and this time period. His language and attention to history and setting were perfect and there are lots of Golden Age tropes to enjoy. I swear Miss Marple has a cameo which made me wonder if there were other cameos I missed. ⁠
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Siblings Alan, Roger and Caroline return home to Linwood Hall in the North Yorkshire moors for their father's funeral. Their stern taskmaster of a father has been brutally murdered and they discover a clause in his will that the house and fortune will be inherited by the child who solves his murder. ⁠
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I enjoyed this mystery a lot. I really wish it was tighter, which could result from it being told from multiple viewpoints. I think most books should be edited more, so it could just be me. I solved the mystery but was happy to continue and enjoyed the ending.

A great read by this author. I definitely recommend checking this one out!
Thank you NetGalley for providing a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Oof. I had high hopes for Unnatural Ends, so it saddens me to leave such a negative review.

Christopher Huang’s most recent novel is an Agatha-Cristie-esque murder mystery. When Sir Lawrence Linwood dies, his adopted children are called home for the funeral. Upon reading his will, they discover that whoever solves the case will inherit the estate.

Let me start by saying Huang has great potential as an author. Each character had a distinct voice, with period-appropriate dialogue matching their personalities. And although this read more like a YA novel, I found the writing brilliant and purposeful.

Now on to my overall thoughts…
The pace was erratic, to say the least. The first half was so slow that I debated picking it back up. While both plot and pace improved, we were somehow led to an extremely abrupt ending??? Speaking of plot - lovers of murder mysteries will, unfortunately, find this story predictable.

The last element I would like to touch on is the book’s repetitive nature, specifically when it comes to Sir Linwood’s tendency for psychological abuse. While it’s an important aspect of the book, the children spend SO MUCH time reflecting on their father’s toxic personality and violent behavior that it became unbearable.

This book wasn't at all what I expected, and I think perhaps I made a wrong assumption based on the cover (red with mace) and the authors surname. I will never learn my lesson!! Never assume and my apologies for applying a stereotype;
This was such an intriguing book! Set in the early 1920's Alan, Roger and Caroline Linwood are the adopted adult children of Sir Lawrence Linwood. They return home on learning that their father has passed away and are shocked to learn that he has been murdered. Then due to the reading of their father's will they could be pitted against each other to ensure that they inherit, or they could choose to be allies and share the reward.
Inspector Mowbray, who is investigating the murder is not sure what to make of these three very different people who appear to have a strange reaction to their father's death.
There were a lot of elements to this story which builds and builds to a shocking revelation that exposes a truly monstrous being.
Thank you Inkshares and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this digital ARC.