Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. The Library Game is the fourth book in the Secret Staircase Myster series. It is also my introduction to the series. I was able to step into the book very comfortably. It was fairly easy to understand the relations between the characters and to dive into the story. The Library Game is a locked room type of mystery, which is always fun to try to solve before you reach the end of the book. Tempest is an interesting main character, as well as the secondary characters that gravitate around her. It was a very pleasant read and it makes me want to check out the previous books in the series.

THE LIBRARY GAME by Gigi Pandian
The Fourth Secret Staircase Mystery

Former stage magician Tempest Raj has gone through many challenges and changes recently, but she's content now, working with her dad in his Secret Stairway Construction business. One of their current projects is transforming Gray House into a library. Before they complete the project, it will become a stop on Hidden Creek's summer stroll where visitors will participate in an interactive murder mystery event. But when the disappearance of one of the actors turns into murder, it's more than one impossible crime that has Tempest and her friends perplexed. Someone is toying with them, but who is playing games? Will Tempest be able to solve the mystery and prove that the impossible is truly possible?

An invisible intruder, sabotage, and a missing actor will have you scratching your head as you try to solve the mystery of THE LIBRARY GAME. Is Lucas dead? Is Harold alive? Just who is pulling the strings? Just when you think you have the answer, you realize there are more questions. It's like trying to fight the Hydra!

I really like how Tempest, Ivy, Gideon, and Sanjay work together. True friends, they complement each other and also call one another out. I also appreciate how they use their combined talents and brain power to solve the mystery. My favorite character remains Ash, Tempest's grandfather. Aside from being a font of information and a truly kind person, I wish I lived near him so that I could enjoy some of his food, knowing he would send me cookies if I was having a bad day!

Confounding mysteries converge in THE LIBRARY GAME creating a puzzle reminiscent of the Golden Age of Detective Fiction. Grab something good to eat and flex your mental muscles to see if you can solve this tricky mystery!

Rating: 4/5
I received the eARC for my honest opinion.

This is book four, but I didn’t know that until I dived in but even knowing that I was still able to understand what was going on, the characters and the plot. I will be going back and reading the other three books, it was that great. In this book you will meet Tempest and her friends. Tempest is working for her family business “Secret Staircase Construction”, they’re transforming a home into a public library that celebrates history’s greatest fictional detectives. Her family’s business makes sliding bookshelves and secret libraries and they’re a huge hit.

A murder mystery is being hosted in the house, they even have an escape room but when doing a test run, a murder happens. Tempest and her friends start to investigate but when Tempest's friend Sanjay is the prime suspect, they all band together to figure out the truth and to prove him innocent. I found the plot to be cute and engaging. I liked the author's writing style a lot. The words just flowed, which allowed for the pace of the book to be perfect. The character development was great, I loved that the author had a diverse character. I think my favorite character was the nosy neighbor across the street and Tempest's grandfather. I loved the action, the drama and all the mystery that was built into this cozy mystery book. I didn’t mind the small amount of romance that was in the book, it was more like a small sub plot line.

I also received the audio to this book, and I really liked the narrator Soneela Nankani. She helped to bring the characters' feelings out and added a new layer to the tension of the murder mystery. I would recommend the book and/or the audio for anyone who loves murder mystery books.

I want to thank NetGalley, SMP and Macmillan audio for the opportunity to review this book.

I've really enjoyed the Secret Staircase Mystery series, because they are so fun to read. I mean, a construction company that literally builds hidden rooms in libraries? Sign me up. I've also really enjoyed that they are not-too-cozy. They're not bloody and gory and horror-y, but they also aren't quite Cabot Cove. This one veered a little too much toward Cabot Cove for my liking (or actually, toward Scooby-Doo), and the mystery wasn't quite as satisfying to solve. But! I still enjoyed reading it and following along with the mystery, and I will definitely continue to read these books.

Though the work is far from done, Gray House Library’s new owner is eager to host a murder mystery dinner and literary themed escape room. But when a rehearsal ends with an actor murdered and the body vanishes, Tempest is witness to a seemingly impossible crime.

This is a bit like playing the game Clue! There are lots of guesses, suspects and suggestions, especially with the magician’s equipment and the secret stairs. This just adds to the “whodunnit” element.

I enjoyed the secrecy and the hunt for what the devil is going on. However, there are a lot of characters and sometimes the hidden secret is a bit too easy to guess.

The narrator, Soneela Nankani, did a very good job. Tons of voices in this novel and there is a distinct voice for everyone.

Need a cute tale with a pretty good guessing game..THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Tempest Raj has been a fan of mystery novels since she was a kid. And while she trained as a stage magician and now works for her family’s construction company, Secret Staircase Construction, she is so happy that they’ve been hired to turn a house into the town’s newest library for the great mystery novels of the past.

Usually her family works on adding secret passageways and hidden staircases to homes, but this job is unique. Harold Gray started the project before his death, and he left it to his grand-nephew Cameron, a librarian and the only one to visit Harold and read to him when he was ill. Now Tempest and her family are making over the house, creating a beautiful library and a small apartment for Cameron in the top floor.

But before Gray House can open as a library, even before all the books get organized and shelved, they’ve decided to host a literary-themed escape room celebrating locked-room mysteries. Tempest’s friend Sanjay, also a stage magician, has agreed to help with the rehearsal, as one of the actors wasn’t able to make it. He even offered his trunk as a prop in the mini-drama. Tempest and her best friend Ivy wrote a short script with a murder, and after that, the audience will be locked in the room until they find the clues to find the killer.

But during the rehearsal, something goes terribly wrong. Sanjay had been standing in for Lucas, and with Sanjay dressed the way Lucas was going to for the role, they looked very similar. When the lights went out, there was supposed to be a shot from a cap gun, and the lights came back on and showed that Sanjay had been shot, pointing towards the first clue for the audience. But when the lights came back on in the rehearsal, it wasn’t Sanjay on the floor. It was Lucas. And Tempest thought he was really dead.

The rest of the cast ran to the kitchen for their phones, and while they were out of the room, Lucas disappeared. They still called the police, but they clearly thought that someone had been playing a joke on the cast. But when they gathered the next day to try to figure out what had happened, they get locked in the room with the clues. When they finally get out, Lucas is back. But this time he is definitely dead.

Mrs. Hudson, who lives across the street and has been vocal in her displeasure about the library opening at Gray House, has been watching the house. She can tell the police who was there and when. And during the time everyone was locked in the clue room, she insists no one came to or left from the house. How is it possible that someone came to the house, killed Lucas, and left without being seen or making any noise?

Tempest is used to reading locked-room mysteries and creating misdirection in her magic shows. But this is impossible crime after impossible crime in a locked-room with a closed-circle of people. Is it possible for her figure out this complicated mystery while keeping herself and her closest friends safe from this killer?

The Library Game is book 4 in Gigi Pandian’s popular Secret Staircase Mystery series. This one had a mystery that was particularly complicated, with layers of secrets and misdirection. There is a grandfather who keeps everyone fed with delicious meals and a rabbit named Abracadabra with exceptional skills at reading people. But with a long-term storyline getting resolved in the last book, Tempest has a newfound lightness to her soul, opening her up to interesting possibilities in her romantic life. I’m so ready for the next book in the series, to see what happens in her life.

I listened to The Library Game on audio, narrated to perfection by Soneela Nankani. She brings the perfect amount of intelligence and humor to the voice of Tempest. And her skill with accents brings the Indian and Scottish heritage of various family members and friends to life. I have listened to several of these books on audio, and Nankani does such a good job with the various characters that you can tell who is speaking from her cues with ease. I think the audio books are a lovely way to enjoy this series.

Egalleys for The Library Game were provided by Minotaur Books and an early copy of the audio book was provided by Macmillan Audio, both through NetGalley, with many thanks.

🍨Review: The Library Game

💌Rate: 5 Stars! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🌹Praise: What a fun read!!! This definitely needs to be a Netflix film! No joke! 🤗 I totally dig Tempest! The fact that her family owns a magic construction store really had my attention from the first few pages! (Seriously that is beyond cool!) I definitely had the movie Now You See Me on my mind when I read this whimsical magic treasure!

🧁 While Tempest and her team of friends are at a client's home trying to turn someone's home into a library they come across a mystery that Harry Houdini would be trying to figure out! The library being made will be dedicated to all known detective!! But from literature! (Yes please!) I would love to solve a mystery while I am working! LOL that would be so much fun!

🎆 Characters: All the characters really draw their own unique recipe with their personalities and decisions to this book! I had no idea this was the fourth book in the series and now I want to go back and read one two and three! Characters are the makeup for a book! Their design and style brings to life the body of the book! This book did not disappoint!

☕Extra/Tropes: This is a magical and delightful book dessert! Filled with twist and turns as of a dessert had hidden pieces of fruit between layers of bread and whipped cream!

🍪 Perfection
🍪Fun mystery
🍪Thought provoking
🍪 Friends

Tempest Raj and her team are at it again in this 4th installment of the Secret Staircase Mystery Series. A body is discovered in the library and now everyone is a suspect. It seems that Tempest can’t catch a break and now it is up to her and her team to try to solve this before one of their own gets framed for it!
This book is great for anyone who loves a good cozy mystery with a whodunit feel to it.
Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press. All opinions are my own.

When this book came out I was a bit behind on the series so I took the opportunity to binge books 2 and 3 and had a delightful time doing so. Book 4 might be the best yet. Such a puzzling locked room mystery featuring a beautiful mystery themed library and the joy of librarians!

I especially loved the setting of a murder mystery theatre performance dress rehearsal. Definitely a 5 star book and a really good series. I look forward to the next book in the series when it comes out.

Perfect for fans of secret rooms, librarians, magicians and Agatha Christie.

I enjoyed reading Tempest’s latest adventure as an amateur sleuth with its “gothic cozy” vibes. I like the way Tempest’s friends and family members each play a role in solving the mystery and I got a kick out of the parallels to the Scooby Gang. As usual, I enjoyed the mix of classic crime fiction and modern stage magic. I was also intrigued by the escape room angle. The mystery itself was complex and included lots of twists, turns, and misdirection.

Note: This is the fourth book in an ongoing series. However, most of the overarching plot lines were wrapped up in the previous book, so this one could definitely be read as a standalone.

𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑳𝑰𝑩𝑹𝑨𝑹𝒀 𝑮𝑨𝑴𝑬 𝒃𝒚 𝑮𝒊𝒈𝒊 𝑷𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒂𝒏 was graciously provided to me from @minotaur_books via @netgalley!

This is the 4th in the Secret Staircase Novels, and it was a perfect light mystery for me after some rather heavier themed books. I have loved sinking into this cozy series for several reasons. I am not an big cozy reader, but this series has intricate puzzles, clever twists, and I love the multicultural cast of characters that allow for a much broader experience of story. I also love all the food references with a fusion of Scottish and Indian flair (with recipes!). I also love the idea of a business in creating custom secret spaces, that are not creepy!

This mystery has once again created a locked room murder scenario inside an old home under construction to become a public library. A big nod to the importance of public libraries! Another nod to the locked room greats as there seem to be classic mystery plots involved in this murder.

I enjoyed this dive back into this fun mystery crew. I did feel it had a bit less of the deeper family connections that the others have had, but I still enjoyed the story. I love that my digital copy has the recipe for my eyeballs to follow!

For a cozy mystery that effortlessly gives a broader diversity of characters, flavor, and story, look no further!

4⭐

Tempest Raj and her gang of Scoobies are back investigating in The Library Game, the fourth Secret Staircase Mystery book.

Secret Staircase Construction has recently seen a bit of a boom in business, dividing their crew across construction sites. So while Darius and contractors are working across town, Tempest, Lily, and Gideon are working on converting Harold Gray's house into the Gray House Library of Classic Detective Fiction. An entire library dedicated to the works of classic detective mysteries (yes please!).
They are putting the final touches on the library's construction to be showcased in the town's summer stroll. For the event, Lily and Tempest have written a murder mystery room script focused on the library's specific collection.
One evening while the actors are rehearsing, they witness what can only be described as an impossible murder.
With one of the Scoobies at the center of the investigation nothing will stop Tempest from solving the mystery and ensuring the safety of her friends.

One of my favourite things with this series is the support system. In all the books Tempest takes the lead on the mystery but is surrounded by a loving group of friends and family who support her through the investigation. Her interactions with her grandparents are some of my favourite moments.
The mysteries are complex enough that you don't immediately know the answer and you enjoy going along with the sleuthing.
The cherry on top is always the recipe at the back of the book, which are always a nice treat (I still make the scones from the back of book 2).

This is a wonderful series for anyone looking for a cozy mystery series.
While each book has a discrete mystery, the books and characters are deeply intertwined and I would recommend starting with book 1.

Thank you to Gigi Pandian, St Martin's Press | Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Disclaimer: I received an advance copy for free and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily.

If you, like me, grew up devouring Nancy Drew books, The Library Game will bring your mind back to those times. No flashlight under the sheets needed. Just a belief in the possibility of ghosts and a love of locked room murder mysteries.

A builder of hidden rooms, Tempest Raj, is planning a mystery game. During the rehearsal, an actor is found dead. Later, the body has vanished and a ghostly voice is heard crying for help. Since the play’s cast includes well known magicians, the police are not convinced that a crime was committed. Is the actor dead? Or is it a magic trick gone fatally wrong? Tempest must find the answer even if it kills her.

I had great fun reading this book even though some serious suspension of belief was necessary. Fans of The Prestige and other magic-based mysteries along with fans of classic locked room mysteries will be especially enamored of The Library Game. 5 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley and Minotaur Books for providing me with an advanced review copy.

This series is like a love letter to classic crime, locked room mysteries, and book lovers. Pick this up if you like these elements in a mystery:
- Cleverly plotted
- Scooby gang vibes
- Modern take on crime classic genre
- Impossible crime

Tempest is a former magician, and now works at her family’s business - Secret Staircase Construction - to bring magic into client’s homes with hidden features and whimsical touches. In this fourth outing, Tempest and the gang (the Abracadabras) are working to turn a private home into a public library for classic mysteries. Until they discover an impossible mystery that threatens to close down the library before it ever opens.

Secret Staircase books are just a delight to read. The Abracadabras are all great characters with ups and downs and fun banter, and this outing really focuses on this group of friends. We do get some time with Tempest’s grandfather as well - be warned that you will probably get hungry reading about all the culinary delights he prepares for friends and family. And suspects!

Ms. Pandian expertly plots these impossible mysteries to a satisfying conclusion. The reader is never left wondering how the impossible is possible, and it is a fun read to the finish line. While this is the fourth in the series, you can absolutely start here. The first three books did have an overarching mystery - this fourth book continues character development, but the mystery is a standalone.

I took notes in my ebook as I went along, trying to piece the mystery together. Don't miss this impossible crime read, perfect for all mystery lovers!

This is a fun cozy mystery that takes place in a great house that is being petitioned to be made into a library. It sort of feels like an Escape room theme. I thought the characters were fun, they house was a tad bit spooky...just enough to be considered cozy spooky. The ending was a bit of a surprise but not shocking.

Overall good read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Gigi Pandian and St Martins press for my e-arc version.

Tempest Raj and her “Scooby Team” have another murder mystery on their hands. Or do they? Tempest for her father, the owner of Secret Staircase Construction, and their latest renovation soon becomes much more.

Tempest is thrilled about the growth of her family business, especially with their unique renovations. She’s particularly excited about their newest job: transforming a home into a library. But this is no ordinary library; it’s to become a library dedicated to the work of renowned fictional detectives from over the decades.

As they work on the renovation, Tempest and her friends are looking forward to a murder mystery game is scheduled at the home. Everything goes awry when the game unfolds.

This book by Gigi Pandian is a delightful read, and the narration by Soneela Nankani enhances the storytelling experience. As a jigsaw puzzle enthusiast, I was particularly impressed by how the story was developed and progressed. Listening to this book in one sitting was sheer joy.

Many thanks to Minotaur Books and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

Secret Staircase Construction’s newest job in a specialized, mystery themed library is threatened when an actor for the opening event disappears and then is found dead. And one of Tempest’s friends is either the prime victim or the intended target. So it’s up to Tempest to investigate before the worst can happen.

Oops! I didn’t realize that this is fourth in a series, when I requested it, but it stood on its own really well. And I did like it a lot! Tempest having such a great support system and relationships with her family, friends, and her community were all so delightful to read. You miss out on some character backstory, if you jump in here, but all the characters were so unique that it was easy to keep them straight. The use of the construction company and how it sets up Tempest’s knowledge that comes in useful, as well as the specialties of her friends all contributing made the solve of the mystery very satisfying. And the location of a mystery themed library!

And there were so many twists & turns that kept me guessing! There were red herrings aplenty, and every time I thought I had it pegged, something changed my mind.

I’m definitely going to want to seek out the rest of this series now!

Thank you to both NetGalley and St Martin’s Press for this arc!

Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I loved this book and read it in one day. I loved the storyline and all the characters. I thought they had great growth. I would definitely recommend this book.

The Library Game by Gigi Pandian is a cozy and fun locked room mystery. This is the 4th novel in the Secret Staircase Mystery Series.

What happens when a literary themed Murder mystery/escape room goes wrong!?! Tempest and their group of friends soon find out in this novel set in the Locked Room Library.

This novel reminds me of a cross between Nancy Drew (the lastest TV adaption) and Scooby-Doo, as it's a group of friends trying to solve a crime. I have not read the other novels in this series, but it reads well as a standalone.

I loved seeing Tempest and her group again. I am impressed with the number of ways Pandian can come up with to create a locked room mystery. I enjoyed finding out the secrets that some people were keeping. The resolution felt sufficiently weighty with the good and the bad.
The number of reveals about how it was done got a little annoying. Tempest would figure out one piece and go to confirm. Then she would come back and figure out another piece and go confirm. Then there was another piece she figured out. It got to be a little much. I know Tempest is the main character, so she is going to have most of the revelations. When there were so many revelations, it felt a little forced.
Overall this was a good addition to the Secret Staircase mysteries, but the reveals were not my favorite.