A cozy series for fans of Hallmark mysteries. I had never heard of the series "The Secret Staircase Mystery" by Gigi Pandian and even though I started on the 4th book ""The Library Game" I was quickly invested in the story and characters. Tempest Raj a magician turned invaluable employee of Secret Staircase Construction adds a touch of magic into homes with sliding bookcases and secret passageways. Tempest's latest task is turning a home into a specialty public library featuring only detective novels. The home is far from finished but the owner is hosting a literary escape room for the public. During the dress rehearsal the discovery of one of the actors dead body turns even more mysterious then their body goes missing. Can the Secret Staircase crew figure out how this locked room mystery could have taken place and who is behind this dangerous game? Gigi Pandian's writing style is captivating and flows, allowing the reader to be immersed in the mystery and characters. I would recommend this book to cozy mystery fans but also fans of classic detective books. Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the digital ARC, all opinions are my own!

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

I love locked room mysteries. As an introvert, full-time book reader who wants a library with a secret room of more books, a ladder, and a ghost, I also love the idea of “puzzle rooms”. This is a new library in town with the grand opening during the festival with each room a unique mystery puzzle. Its opening with a murder mystery party, so the whole novel’s theme is emphatically stated.

What I also liked was the use of a nosy neighbor “Karen” who appears to have a grudge and is spying on the house. I think its makes the novel more realistic.

Overall, I rate this novel 5 out of 5 stars.

If you haven’t started this cozy mystery series, it’s full of south Asian spice, Irish charm and American determination., just like it’s heroine. This installment is a satisfying next chapter in the series as questions are answered and a compelling mystery keeps her on her toes. I liked that things were a bit less convoluted in this one and the villain was close to hand but still diabolical.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my copies. These opinions are my own.

I had a difficult time getting through this one. Perhaps it is because I have not read previous books in the series. The story goes off on tangents about the character's past or drives into a backstory right in the middle of a narrative. I'd get back to the plot line and have no idea what was happening. It was very distracting.
The characters were actually fun, however. I enjoyed their rapport with each other and how they played off each other. I may go back and see how the first book in the series hits me and try again.

I really wasn’t sure where this series would go after solving the overarching mystery of what happened to Tempest’s mother. However, Pandian continued to make it work! It’s transitioned more toward a typical, cozy-style episodic framework and I think it works! The mystery was thoroughly interesting (as always) and well plotted. I’m loving the new relationships that are emerging in the series-romantic and not.

This was a fun read. I didn't get a chance to download but borrowed it from the library. I really enjoyed the different aspects of how it was written and the main characters. Highly recommend!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing this ARC for my voluntary and honest review!

The premise of this book had massive potential but the execution felt half baked with an anticlimactic ending. A murder mystery that didn’t have me flipping pages to get to the conclusion.

I adore Gigi Pandian and have enjoyed her Jaya Jones series. The Library Game is the fourth installment of the Secret Staircase Mystery Series. Tempest Raj works with her father and friends to add features to homes that allow for secret storage and staircases. Their latest project involves remodeling a home into a library. While preparing for the grand opening, they notice potential sabotage and find themselves involved in another murder mystery. This is a quick read that does not involve the characters making careless decisions. Looking forward to more from Gigi Pandian.

Fourth novel of Mystery Series

Some twist and at times exciting
entertaining
interesting
suspenseful
A great overall read

Thank you Netgalley

Let me start off by saying that I did not realize this was the 4th book in a series and I am not really a person who just reads a random book in the middle! That being said, it mostly works as a stand alone if you don't care to know what the past events they're referring to are. I did enjoy it though, murder, magic, libraries! A solid cozy mystery and I'm curious about the previous books so I will be adding those to my list.

Thank you NetGalley and Mintoar books for the ARC!

I love Tempest and her Scooby crew and the mischief they get themselves into. The magician/magic show elements always make these books so fun to read. You never know what’s coming next.

I really struggled with this book. I have not read any of the previous books by this author. This book references the previous books in this series A LOT and left me feeling a little lost. If you are a fan of escape rooms and murder mystery dinner theater you will enjoy this book, it just wasn't for me.

"The Library Game" is a fast paced and very twisty mystery that mostly works but falls well short of greatness or being truly memorable. The perky protagonist and her diverse crew of over achieving Scoobie mystery solvers go a long way to making this book interesting . However, in the end the book reads flat for the most part and the character development is artificial and stiff to the point that the book is nowhere near enough charming or clever to be truly engaging.


Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Library Game is the fourth novel in the Secret Staircase Mysteries by Gigi Pandian and, in this outing, the Secret StairCase Construction company has been hired to work on a house that is being converted into a library dedicated to mystery novels. To introduce the new library, Tempest Raj and the owner have hired some local actors to put on a mystery play. Things are going well until the body of one of the actors is found before the rehearsal and then disappears before the police arrive. The police think the man is playing a joke but Tempest is not so sure and now it is up to Tempest and friends to figure out what really happened.

This is a fun story with a likeable cast and an intriguing mystery with plenty of red herrings to keep the reader guessing. And, if that's not enough to pique your interest, there’s plenty of references to classic mysteries as well as a rabbit named Abracadabra. An entertaining read for anyone who enjoys cozy mysteries that are more puzzle than action.

I received an eARC of this book from Netgalley and St Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review

This is the first book I read by Gigi Pandian, I discovered it is the 4th volume of the saga "Secret Staircase Mystery".
The Library Game by Gigi Pandian starts with a premise that really sparks excitement: a library dedicated to the greatest fictional detectives, a renovation featuring secret passages, and a murder mystery dinner that turns into a real-life case. However, despite these intriguing elements, the book fails to live up to its promise.

The protagonist, Tempest Raj, is involved in the renovation of the Gray House Library, but both her story and the mystery that unfolds fail to captivate. While there are some interesting ideas, the plot moves in a too-predictable way, and the central mystery lacks the tension you'd expect from a thriller. The events, which should be gripping, end up feeling flat and unengaging.
The characters also fall short in bringing the story to life. Tempest, despite being the lead character, feels more like a background figure than a true driving force. Her reactions and decisions often don't feel believable, making it hard to emotionally invest in her journey. The team surrounding her lacks the charisma to lift the story, and they often seem more like supporting players than central figures.
In conclusion, The Library Game has a fascinating premise but fails to develop it satisfactorily. The mystery never really takes off, and the characters aren't compelling enough to carry the story. A missed opportunity for what could have been an engaging thriller.

Such a fun book! A locked room mystery that takes place in a library-themed escape room? The perfect cozy mystery!

loved this romance and finding love and remembering love before the one. love the friends and the chemistry between the couple was on fire and loved the banter.

Ex-Illusionist Tempest Raj and her crew of amateur sleuths are back, turning a home into a library focused exclusively on classic mystery novels. For the town's Summer Stroll, they have decided to put on a murder mystery show, but during one of their final rehearsals, one of the actors turns up dead...but how, and who did it? When the body disappears and re-appears days later, things get even more puzzling. Tempest and her friends have to solve the murder before the Summer Stroll so the library can open on time.

Everyone is a suspect, so they have to put all of their talents together to determine the how, why, and who of the murder. With people keeping secrets, and no answers in sight, it could be anyone. Is it the nosy neighbor who's trying to stop the library? Or Sanjay, who was filling in for the actor. Could it be Cameron, who inherited the house?

These books are so interesting. From the magic tricks and secret rooms, to the librarians who know all the mysteries, and the family who have useful connections, these are always a fun time. I couldn't figure out who the killer was any more than the Abracadabras could. Every Secret Staircase novel keeps you guessing until the end.

Thank you to @Minotaur_Books and @NetGalley for a digital copy for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.

All in all, I highly recommend this entire series! If you love a great cozy mystery with a close-knit group of family and friends, interesting characters and plots, and a slight romance, then definitely give these a read!

Take my review with a grain of salt, since I did not know going in that this is the fourth book in a series. I was very attracted to the premise: hidden staircases, escape rooms and a murder to solve. However, I never really became engaged with the story. The murder victim (unless he was developed in a previous book) came and went so quickly, it was hard to be invested in the crime. After the murder there was a lot of discussion and theories about what happened but there was very little action. The best part for me was the cute bunny Abracadabra. My advice would be to read the previous books first for the best experience.