The Undetectables are back at it again. Their newest mystery involves a cursed TV filming set, murdered bodies that look like people who are still living, magical sanctions against more investigating, and oh yes, Diana’s ex girlfriend.

This was just as fun as the first one! The girls are all unique, working together to investigate. They all have strengths and weaknesses that we see, and secrets they are keeping from each other. They also rely on the support system they have, making use of their connections within the police force but also people Diana and Cornelia know from their upbringings.

And the mystery kept me fully engaged all the way through. I loved feeling like I was solving the mystery at the same time as the girls. While the end was resolved enough for me, there’s also a bit of a cliffhanger discovery, opening the door wide enough for a new adventure!

I can’t wait to see where else this series goes!

Thank you to NetGalley and Titan Books for the opportunity to review this arc.

A witty, witchy fantasy murder mystery packed with ancient magic and fiendish puzzles. Mallory, Diana, Cornelia and Theodore are hired to solve a murder on a TV shoot by the victim herself.

What a wild ride this book was. There was definitely a lot going on, where I felt a little lost at times but when I came to terms with everything going on, I really enjoyed it.

I love so many of characters and was so glad to be back with them. It was so much fun learning more about them and getting to follow them on another adventure. I loved being able to see the returning characters progress and it was so much fun being in Diana's head and watch her unravel all of the pieces of the puzzle with her besties.

I was obsessed with the setting - a creepy, haunted manor that has a pilot episode being filmed in it? Say less, I'm sold. The descriptions were so stunning to read about and I couldn't get enough of them. It added to the atmosphere beautifully.

I love Courtney's writing and this book was no exception. I think it sets up for the next book in the series with how nicely everything was flowing, September 2025 cannot come sooner!

⚠️ CWs: cursing, murder, blood, chronic illness, derogatory language, grief, alcohol use, vomit, physical assault, confinement; mentions death, vomit, person with substance use disorder, animal death, drug use ⚠️

Thank you Titan Books and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book early, in exchange for an honest review.

I love this series! Took a minute for me to get into book 2 but the characters are wonderful, the case is gripping and the tone overall is super interesting. Huge recommendation!

This was a really good book two. Fun and addictive. Mwoild recommend to read the first book beforehand. Highly recommend

The Undead Complex is the second mystery featuring an ensemble cast of misfit paranormal detectives by Courtney Smyth. Released 1st Oct 2024 by Titan Books, it's 528 pages and is available in paperback and ebook formats. Audiobook due out from the same publisher in early 3rd quarter 2025. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links throughout.

This is a queer friendly paranormal investigative team with multiple representations including disabled, witchy, and breathing-challenged (i.e., a ghost). There's a bit of a scooby-doo vibe along with a very well fleshed-out magical system and interesting three dimensional characters.

Although the denouement and resolution are self-contained in this book, the plot follows on *heavily* from the backstory and setup in book 1, so readers who come into the series with this book will likely be somewhat lost for a while. A third book is due out late third quarter 2025.

Four stars. Serviceable plot, well written characters, plotting maybe a trifle slow (it's a hefty book), but overall recommended for fans of UF/fantasy/mystery/paranormal. Language and graphic content are roughly R-rated. It would be a good choice for public library acquisition, or for a short binge/buddy read.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel even if I didn't read the first novel in this series (had to buy it). Well plotted, fleshed out characters, fun and a gripping story
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This was wonderful! I loved the writing style, the characters, the world-building…everything about it was top-notch. I will definitely be recommending this book!

This is the second book in the Undetectables series about a team of magical investigators. I wish I'd read the first book before this one, as I got confused at times, and it took me a while to get into the story.

However, the intertwining of themes was refreshing. Disability and gay representation in a paranormal mystery was a good mix and worked well, and the book offered humour, compassion and intrigue, too.

Read the first in the series before this one.

Courtney Smythe has another hit on her hands with this one. Brilliant writing style, a captivating plot and characters who you will love, gate and want to protect all at the same time.

3.5 stars rounded up. I really want to love this series, but I only seem to be able to like it. The original tagline - be gay, solve crime, take naps - was so much fun and right up my alley. Unfortunately, the execution of the stories haven't totally worked for me. I like the characters and the world a lot. I think it's mostly the pacing that's a problem for me. Both books were too long for my liking. I thought they could've used some trimming, mostly in the middle.

That said, I did enjoy this one more than the first. The characters are endearing and I found the plot more interesting this time. I wouldn't say the third book in the series (I'm assuming there will be one based on the ending to this one) is on my must read list, but I am curious to see where the story's heading and will keep an eye out for it.

I read an ARC of this book from NetGalley. All comments are my own.

I have so much love for these characters and the world of Wrackton. Courtney Smyth has created the most wonderfully imaginative world and you really get the sense that you could ask any question about these characters and this universe and get a fully comprehensive answer - they know exactly how this society and culture works right down to the smallest detail.

That said, I didn't get pulled in to this sequel to The Undetectables quite so quickly - perhaps a little bit of middle of the story syndrome? The chapters where the characters were most actively investigating were the best - at the Mayor's office, at Oakpass Manor - but it was interspersed with chapters were the plot was moved forward more by our three magical investigators chatting things through, rather than by detective work, which pulled me back out of the story. In the first book I loved the idea of Mallory developing a form of magical forensics and missed seeing her develop in that field of study more in this sequel.

That said, it's still a brilliant series and I'll be first in line for the next instalment. Courtney Smyth has well and truly hooked me into this inclusive, diverse world of the Occult and Apparent, and I can't wait to find out what happens next.

I absolutely adored the first book in the series, and the sequel was no different.

The mystery was twisty, the characters are wonderful, and the supernatural elements are just right.

I continue to adore the LGBTQ+ and disability rep in the series. The way it’s done feels so natural and just a part of who the characters are - as it should be.

I would highly recommend The Undead Complex and can’t wait to read more in the series.

I was so looking forward to this! I really enjoyed 'The Undetectables', so more in that world, with the most bizarre detective agency ever? Yes, please!

And it was fun - but somehow not as much as the first episode. I think perhaps it's because I didn't engage with Diana as much as I had Mallory. Of course we'll have favourites in the trio, but her frustrating inclination to essentially charge on regardless of others was annoying to me. Also the ongoing theme of secrets kept pulling me out of the story. This group really has trust issues (still!).

Also the underlying mystery made the town seem somehow very different to how it appeared before. From the political side to the media, this had more of a 'Jilly Cooper' vibe, which wasn't a bad thing - just a bit unexpected and jarring at times.

Definitely a good book, and I look forward to the (inevitable?) third, just not as gripping as Part 1.

Courtney Smyth’s second Undetectables novel brings another delightful dose of cosy queer family vibes and horror-tinged detective story. Private Investigators The Undetectables - Mallory, Diana, Cornelia and Theodore - are hired to solve a murder on a TV shoot . But they are hired by the victim herself. Oh, and she’s also Diana’s ex-girlfriend. Once again, things are not quite as they seem in Smyth’s supernatural enclave of Wrackton. The second novel in the series is narrated by Diana Cheung-Merriweather, who is the group’s confident, smartarse fashionista and I had a lot of fun with her POV!

Clocking in at over 500 pages; it’s a slow moving novel, sometimes frustratingly so. I enjoyed being back in Wrackton, with our favourite Private Investigators, though I did find myself taking a little time to get back into the groove of magic systems, supernatural personalities, and plot intricacies. And intricacies abound! There is a LOT going on here. We have the central murder mystery, plus two will-they-won’t-they romance subplots, plus two disability subplots, plus a couple of what-am-I-doing-with-my-life subplots. It’s an awful lot to get your head around - at times I wondered if I should be taking notes on character’s personalities, motivations and romantic dalliances.

Once I got my head in the game, I had an enjoyable time with this one though - Smyth does a great job or conjuring the world of Wrackton and its idiosyncratic inhabitants, and I also enjoyed their continuing excellence representation of disability, this time with Diana, who has gone deaf in one ear. The Undead Complex is undoubtedly overlong though - for me, I think a tighter edit and a sharper focus would have made it a much more enjoyable read.

"The Undead Complex" by Courtney Smyth is a super fun witchy mystery that I couldn't put down. I loved the first book, "The Undetectables," where three young witches and a ghost formed a chaotic detective agency. This sequel brings back Mallory, Cornelia, Diana, and Theodore as they solve a murder on a TV set, with the twist that the victim, Diana's ex Taylor, is surprisingly still alive. The main case is satisfying, and Taylor is a great addition to the cast. The book also touches on themes of disability, which I appreciated.

The found-family dynamic within the Undetectables team continues to shine, making the stakes feel personal and engaging. While the plot can sometimes lean into chaotic territory, the novel's overall charm, wit, and supernatural flair more than make up for it. I highly recommend "The Undead Complex" for its delightful blend of supernatural crime-solving and cozy, puzzle-filled fun. I'm definitely looking forward to the next installment in this series.

While I enjoy the characters and the setting (and throughly enjoyed the first book), this one didn’t quite hit the mark. I found myself skipping ahead just to get to the end and to figure out what was going on. Because frankly I was BORED.

The Undead Complex is a super fun witchy mystery story. The moment I read the description of the first books, I knew I had to have it and when I saw that I could request an ARC of the second book, I jumped at the chance. Super excited I was able to get it and I'm definitely looking forward to reading Courtney's other books! Fun series, awesome premise.

Faes Off

I really enjoyed The Undetectables, the first book in this series by Courtney Smyth. In that, three young witches and a ghost investigated an occult serial killer and formed their own rather chaotic detective agency in the process. It had good representation all round, which you might expect from the tagline “Be gay. Solve crimes. Take naps.”, but it also focused on one character’s chronic pain in a way I’d not seen before, as well as the general mental health of the characters.

In this sequel, Mallory, Cornelia, Diana, and Theodore are back, and trying to solve a murder on the set of a local TV show. The twist is that the victim is Diana’s ex, Taylor, and the twistier twist is that the person who hires them is also the surprisingly-still-alive Taylor.

Alongside this main case, they are still investigating Theodore’s own murder and other plot threads from the first book, while navigating their own rather messy relationships. If I had one criticism, it’s that we don’t get the resolution to all of these things in this book, and it’s clearly being set up for a future instalment. Which is not bad in itself, but perhaps something to be aware of going in. I don’t know if it is intended as a trilogy, or just an ongoing series, but each book has the feel of a season of a TV show.

Still, the main case alone is satisfying enough, and Taylor is a good addition to the cast, alongside a familiar face from the first book who is, shall we say, quite different here. Other themes of disability including hearing loss are also touched on, which I appreciated. There are elements of horror here that may be a bit much for some, but while the murders are gruesome, Smyth does not linger too much on the details.

Definitely recommended!

Thanks to Titan Books for the review copy.

Another well-thought-out mystery from Courtney Smyth. This was fun and explored more of the lives of the other members of the Undetectables whilst still keeping us looped in with Mallory and Theodore. There are several plotlines to follow in this novel but it avoids being too convoluted and there are plenty of fun moments to keep it lighthearted. I'm intrigued as to how the Theodore storyline will develop, it seems theres plenty more mystery to come!

A quirky, witchy mystery that brings together magic and murder, The Undead Complex delivers a delightful blend of supernatural crime-solving and cozy, puzzle-filled fun. In this second installment of the Undetectables series, Diana and her team are hired to solve the murder of Diana's ex, Taylor—by Taylor herself. The twisty plot, set against the backdrop of a TV set, quickly escalates, filled with dark humor, ancient magic, and a race to uncover the truth before time runs out.

Smyth excels at combining sharp wit and a Scooby-Doo-esque camaraderie between the characters, all while pulling readers deeper into a world brimming with occult puzzles and personal stakes. Diana’s internal struggle about her path in life adds depth to the humor, while Theodore’s unraveling adds a dark, emotional tension. The found-family dynamic within the Undetectables team continues to shine, making the stakes feel personal and engaging.

Though the plot can sometimes lean into chaotic territory, and not every clue feels as tight as it could be, the novel's overall charm, wit, and supernatural flair more than make up for it. Fans of cozy supernatural mysteries and character-driven stories will find this installment both entertaining and heartwarming.