Tempest Raj is a former professional magician who was headlining in Vegas until her show was sabotaged, leading her to eventually return home and join the family business. The family business, of course, isn’t anything mundane like running a restaurant or bakery; it’s designing and building spaces that tell a story, frequently including hidden passages, sliding bookshelves, and secret stairways.

Their latest project is redesigning a former residence to be a library featuring thousands of classical mysteries. As part of a neighbor festival, the library is hosting an interactive play, one to introduce the public to the library and some of the unique features Tempest and company have built into it. The dress rehearsal starts off on the wrong foot: one of the actors in the play isn’t available so he’s asked Tempest’s magician pal Sanjay to step in. But when the lights go out and a gunshot rings out – all part of the play – the dead body of the original actor is found on the floor and Sanjay has vanished. Chaos ensues, and by the time the gang has claimed their phones (conveniently locked up in the kitchen so the play has the right ambiance) and the police have arrived, the body is gone – a real magic trick.

What a fun book! I’m a fan of Ms. Pandian’s other books and have read some of the others in this series. I love some of the side characters – Tempest’s grandparents are lovely. I think I’d join their company to be feed some of her grandfather’s meals, too (I loved how he took cookies to the police officer trailing a potential suspect). The addition of the magical elements is terrific, along with the affection and support Tempest has for and from her friends.

Highly recommended. I received a copy of this book through NetGalley.Com which I voluntarily reviewed.

The Library Game is the fourth in The Secret Staircase series, but the first I’ve read. It can easily be read as a standalone novel as references to prior situations and relationships that you might need to understand are subtly woven into this work. Despite some clunky dialogue, the characters in the core group of Tempest, her family, and her close friends were engaging and had unique personalities, hobbies, and talents. I struggled the most with my enjoyment of this cozy, locked room mystery because it lacks balance in exploring all possible suspects, to the point that the reveal provided more information about half of the key characters' backgrounds and personalities than at any other point in the book. I found the distinctive explanations of craftsmanship fascinating, though brief. I also thought the explanation of how the circumstances around the murder played out was clever. It was enjoyable, but not a favorite.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, Netgalley, and the author for early access to this cozy mystery.

The Secret Staircase construction company, with its roots in magical theater, brings a unique twist to a cozy mystery. Friends Tempest, Gideon, Sanjay and Ivy, work together on a mystery play/escape room game gone wrong. I enjoy the multi-generational family (Grandpa Ash’s food!- one recipe included) and I like the insights into building and staging tricks. Like a good magic show, misdirection, illusions and sleight of hand make this mystery a fun puzzle to follow and using classic mysteries to help find a killer are a fun bonus. This can easily stand on its own. Highly recommended.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for an eARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Gigi Pandian for providing me with a complimentary digital ARC for The Library Game coming out March 18, 2025. The honest opinions expressed in this review are my own.

I really love this series! I love mysteries and anything to do with libraries! I think there was a lot of progress made in the book. I enjoyed the cultural references to being Scottish and Indian. I think it brought an added layer to a really cozy and fun story. I would definitely read more books by this author!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys mysteries!

Tempest Raj couldn’t be happier that the family business, Secret Staircase Construction, is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Known for enchanting architectural features like sliding bookshelves and secret passageways, the company is now taking on a dream project: transforming a home into a public library that celebrates history's greatest fictional detectives.

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. Fueled by her grandfather’s Scottish and Indian meals, Tempest and the rest of the crew must figure out who is making beloved classic mystery plots come to life in a deadly game.

Multiple award winning author Gigi Pandian masterfully weaves wit and warmth in the Secret Staircase Mysteries. Readers will delight in the surprises Secret Staircase Construction uncovers behind the next locked door.

Initially, I struggled to connect with the characters in the book—their familiarity with one another suggested that this might not be the first book in the series, and I was correct. Nevertheless, I persevered and enjoyed this cozy mystery. I am uncertain if this book would have the same impact on those who have not read the previous two books, but if you appreciate nerdy literary references and cozy mysteries, I recommend giving this series a try.

This book is one big misdirection.... in the best way. I love how I never know what's going on and it is such a complicated web to unweave and find the killer. Especially because real illusions are involved and it's hard to tell what's true from what is assumed. I don't want to give any spoilers, but I loved that this book centered around a classic mystery library. There is even a locked room mystery with clues relating to Agatha Christie books, who I love and of course made me smile so much. I also love that Tempest isn't keeping secrets from her family anymore and her grandfather even helps the sleuthing. I was shocked by the ending! And I am rooting for the potential of romance in the future.

The Library Game by Gigi Pandian ⭐⭐⭐ 1/2

St. Martin's Press | Minotaur Books
Pub Date: 3-18-25

Thank you @netgalley, @minotaur_books, and @gigipandian for the opportunity to read this eARC.

A group of friends, family, and a rabbit named Abracadabra come together to solve a locked-room murder mystery. Among the characters, Tempest, her grandparents, and Mrs. Hudson were particular favorites of mine.

As someone who typically follows the rule of reading a series in order, I usually avoid jumping into a book mid-series. However, when I saw this one on NetGalley, I couldn’t resist making an exception. I’m happy to say I wasn’t disappointed! Now, I’m excited to start from the beginning so I can dive into Tempest’s backstory.

"Tempest knew exactly what her friend was thinking. Ivy Youngblood had been her best friend since childhood, when they’d bonded over their shared love of mysteries. Ivy was the most well-read person she knew, and Ivy firmly believed that the solution to any real-life mystery could be found in the pages of a classic mystery novel or short story."

I received an ARC of this book. I enjoyed this captivating cozy mystery. I haven't read the previous books in the series yet. I liked the friends working together to solve the mystery. I've always enjoyed the concept of secret staircases. A good read!

Can't miss cozy / locked room mystery!

Another enjoyable story from Gigi Pandian. The character development continues apace, building on her previous books and the mystery was compelling and I guessed wrong a dozen times, which makes it more interesting! Her other series are just as entertaining and educating and eagerly await her next release!

I loved this story and right up to the end I was on the edge of my seat! This was my kind of book with nonstop action. There was so much going on and I loved every second of it. If you like a cozy mystery, this one is for you.
I need to go back and read the first three books in this series. Many thanks to the author, Minotaur Books and NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC of this book!

I really enjoyed it!! Hopefully there will be an audio version I can check out!

Tempest and her friends/family are like old friend to me by now since I’ve read this series from the beginning. I’ve enjoyed the character developments and relationships growing. Poor Sanjay, he’s such a hoot normally but he was a worried man this time since he was a suspect. The showdown was tense and I really loved what someone did to the perp! The outcome was a satisfying one, and as all the friends were taking another friend to the airport, I can only wonder what the next book might bring!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book provided by Minotaur Books via NetGalley and my opinions are my own.

What a fun cozy read. I really enjoyed this game and book. I was able to get lost in the pages and escape reality while reading.

I'm new to books by this author. While this was not the first in the series, I was easily able to pick up the backstory and enjoy the mystery in this one. I found the main characters likable and fun. The mystery had a good number of suspects and a few reasonable motives. It had enough twists to keep me interested and trying to figure out who was responsible. The ending was satisfactory. I definitely would read more by this author. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This bookish cozy centers on a group of friends who variously work as librarians, magicians, and magical-library-builders (an actual job in a town containing at least two mystery libraries!) and are thrust into mystery-solving when an acquaintance is murdered while rehearsing a mystery play. This was a fun read - I enjoyed the premise, the characters, and the many bookish (and baked-good-centered) scenes.

However, I think I would have enjoyed it all a lot more if I'd read earlier titles in the series. While this is technically a standalone, there were frequent references to the events of (presumably) earlier books, without enough background to allow latecomers to the series to understand. I also didn't entirely buy the ending, which felt arbitrary. Maybe it would have made more sense with a better understanding of the characters / series / world.

3.5 stars, rounded up.

Being the third book in the series, it was a little difficult to follow at some points, but Gigi Pandian did a wonderful job of providing just enough backstory to ensure the reader is ring completely lost in the story!

If you love to read locked room mysteries with disappearing bodies, illusionists, and libraries, then look no further than Gigi Pandian’s fourth novel in the Secret Staircase Mystery series. The Library Game features Tempest Raj and a cast of friends, family, and others. Tempest has left Las Vegas and is working for her father, Darius Mendez and his Secret Staircase Construction crew. The latest job is to renovate a home into the Gray House Library of Classic Detective Fiction. Sliding bookshelves, secret passageways, escape rooms, and much more are all available to customers.

Cameron Gray, the new owner of the house, wants to host a murder mystery dinner and literary themed escape room prior to the library opening. When a dress rehearsal ends with a dead actor whose body somehow disappears, the attendees find classic mystery plots coming to life. What happened to the body? Why was there a murder? Who could have done it with so many witnesses there?

Tempest is a former stage performer who specialized in creating mystifying illusions. Now she does this through architectural misdirection. She can normally process large amounts of data in a short amount of time, but this murder isn’t going to be easily solved. She’s loyal to her friends and her family. Ivy Youngblood and Gideon Torres work on the construction crew and are Tempest’s best friends. Sanjay Rai is a friend and illusionist who is helping with the dinner play. He’s hardworking, talented, and loyal. The interpersonal dynamics between the characters added complexity and depth to the story.

The plot was solid with some twists, exciting scenes, and a puzzling mystery. This cozy mystery is descriptive enough to allow readers to be transported to Gray House without adversely affecting the pacing. With plenty of intriguing characters, delicious food, and a rabbit that gives emotional support cuddles, this story was a pleasure to read. My one quibble is that it was a little too easy to discern the antagonist, but there is a twist that helped me relish the solution to the mystery. Additionally, I enjoyed all the literary references to classic detective fiction.

Overall, this was an entertaining novel with interesting characters, some suspense, a bit of romance, a lot of misdirection, and a riveting mystery. It kept me fully engaged. While this is the fourth book in the series, it worked as a standalone for me. However, I think reading the books in order would provide more background and show how the characters have grown over time. I’m looking forward to doing that.

St. Martin’s Press – Minotaur Books and Gigi Pandian provided a complimentary digital ARC of this novel via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own. Publication date is currently set for March 18, 2025. This review was originally posted at Mystery and Suspense Magazine.

This was a really fun read! It was the perfect cozy mystery to curl up on the couch with and follow along with the characters. I loved the idea of turning a home into a library that celebrates mysteries and mystery authors (I wish I had one of those near me!!)

If you love libraries and mysteries I think you will enjoy Tempest and her friends trying to solve the case. Ash (Tempest’s grandfather) was an absolute delight and I loved all the food descriptions!

✨What To Expect:
🏡Small Town
🔍Cozy Mystery
🔐Locked Room Mystery
🔪Murder Mystery Dinner
📚Literary Themed Escape Room

If you're a fan of cozy mysteries with a dash of intrigue and a sprinkle of charm, The Library Game is the perfect book for you! Gigi Pandian’s latest installment in the Secret Staircase Mysteries series is an absolute delight—full of clever twists, endearing characters, and a unique setting that will have you turning pages faster than a detective solving their latest case.
Tempest Raj and her company, Secret Staircase Construction, are tasked with renovating Gray House Library into a haven for mystery lovers, complete with sliding bookshelves and secret passageways. What starts as a dream project soon turns into a real-life mystery when an actor is murdered during a rehearsal for a murder mystery dinner, and the body mysteriously disappears.
Pandian masterfully combines wit, warmth, and suspense, creating a delightful read that has all the elements of a great mystery: a quirky protagonist, a fascinating setting, and a crime that seems impossible to solve. The added layers of Tempest’s heritage and her delicious family meals bring a delightful touch of culture and depth to the story.
If you enjoy books with cleverly designed puzzles, a touch of humor, and a love for classic detective fiction, this book will have you hooked from the very first chapter.

Enjoyed this fourth installment of the Secret Staircase Mysteries series. All of the regular characters are back and solving a seemingly impossible locked room mystery.

Although I did figure out the culprit, I didn't know the means and motive, so I was interested to keep reading to figure it out. There are a large number of characters and I think the book will be much more enjoyable if you read the series in order so you know who's who and all of their connections. That said, the mystery itself stands alone so it's intriguing in its own right.

This novel has a murder, a disappearing and reappearing body, and no apparent way for the murder to take place and the body to be moved.

I listened to this book partially as an audiobook, and the narrator Soneela Nankani has been the same throughout the series, so she knows these characters as well as the reader at this point and does a great job with the voices and inflections.

If you're looking for a great series focusing on books, mysteries, and secrets, then definitely give this one a try.