Many thanks to NetGalley for this ARC! This was a very fun and quick read. There were a couple points that I thought felt almost too brief, but mostly I thought the characters and story line were fleshed out and dynamic. I would have liked to see more of the world building, but the nature of a murder mystery style fantasy story means the scene is set in one place. The threads of the murder pulled me along with no resistance, and the ending of the book makes me VERY eager to see what book 2 will bring! 10/10 would recommend to anyone who enjoys fantasy, murder mystery, and the hint of something bigger than you.

I Killed the King has elements of the game Clue but in a fantasy setting.

Basically, 6 characters are in the King’s bedroom when he dies unexpectedly. Obviously one of the six is the killer and of course they all have various motives as well.

I was quickly drawn into the story as the book has a very easy to read writing style (though third person present tense is almost always a struggle for me). The six suspects were different enough that I was able to keep them separate in my mind as well. I liked learning more about the crime as the story progressed and putting things together.

However, I didn’t feel too much for the characters, I think because the third person present tense kept me at arms length from them. I wasn’t always clear on their motivations either.

I found the ending to be somewhat confusing and infodumpy as well. There was twist upon twist upon twist (including the main one I did predict) and a fair amount of secret keeping from the reader (where a character knows something but doesn’t reveal it).

It would be a good read for fans of mysteries and thrillers. The fantasy setting provides an interesting backdrop to the story.

This was such a fun read!

The story follows six POVs, all of whom were present when the King was murdered in his chambers. The question is, who killed the King, and why?

I loved so much about this book! First and foremost, I loved the characters and their relationships with each other! There were old and new bonds that intertwined and weaved together, and it was compelling to see how they helped or hindered the murder investigation. Speaking of bonds, I loved all the queer representation we got in this book!

Something else I loved about this book is the mythology! I wasn't expecting that story and world to be so tied to a pantheon, so that was a fun surprise. I will say that I wanted a bit more clarity in regards to how the magic system works, as it's tied to the gods. But maybe that will be further explained in the sequel.

In terms of the big reveal about who killed the King, I predicted who the killer was pretty early on. But I still enjoyed reading along to see if I was right, and to find out why they killed him. I also liked all the little clues that were planted along the way.

I thought the path that the story took after the killer was revealed was interesting, as I wasn't expecting that. I thought I'd have to wait until the end to find out who killed the king, but I did not.

I would recommend this story to anyone who wants to read a fun fantasy murder mystery with twists and turns, and a nonlinear timeline!

Thank you so much to HarperCollins and NetGalley for allowing me to read this digital ARC!

Thank you Netgalley and Storytide for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“I Killed the King” is an inventive, fast-paced fantasy whodunnit that delivers far more than its clever title promises. Co-written by Rebecca Mix and Andrea Hannah, this book combines the tension of a locked-room mystery with layered character dynamics, subtle worldbuilding, and a dash of queer romance, all of which is set over the course of one intense night.

The setup is immediately gripping: six strangers—a prince, a princess, a personal guard, a wild beast tamer, a healer, and a mercenary—gather in secret as the King of Avendell attempts to secure peace through an urgent marriage alliance. But when the King is suddenly murdered in their midst and the room is sealed, it becomes clear that one of them is the killer. With each character harboring dangerous secrets, alliances shift, trust erodes, and the line between ally and suspect blurs.

Though billed as a fantasy, the magical elements remain light and serve to enrich the atmosphere rather than overshadow the central mystery. The true magic of the book lies in its construction: the story explores history, politics, and religion, which are all centered into the mystery’s core, making every revelation feel earned. The worldbuilding is deftly handled; there’s enough texture to the kingdoms and their fraught past, but the focus wisely remains on the characters and their intertwined fates.

Told through six points of view, the book takes a bold structural risk that pays off. Each perspective is distinct, and learning about the characters’ motivations and pasts gradually deepens the mystery rather than diluting it. Watching these near-strangers move from mutual suspicion to tentative camaraderie (and sometimes more) over the course of a single harrowing night was one of the book’s great pleasures. While some relationships form a bit quickly, the found-family dynamic that emerges is both believable and satisfying.

The pacing is brisk where the action starts almost immediately, and the story constantly shifts and evolves. Just when you think you understand the shape of the plot, new twists emerge, revealing layers of intrigue beyond the murder itself. The mystery is well-constructed, with clever mis-directions and red herrings that keep even seasoned genre readers guessing. The emotional stakes are heightened by a particularly poignant character death and a well-handled LGBTQ+ relationship that adds both depth and resonance to the story.

If there’s any downside, it’s that the ending leaves some threads tantalizingly open, suggesting there’s more to explore in this world. Fortunately, the possibility of a sequel seems likely and very welcome.

Overall, “I Killed the King” is an engaging and refreshingly unique blend of murder mystery and fantasy, perfect for fans of Clue-style intrigue, complex character relationships, and subtle worldbuilding. If you enjoy stories where secrets drive the plot and trust must be earned under pressure, this one is not to be missed.

This was not at all what I expected but not in a bad way. This isn’t really a mystery like it was described in the summary. I really liked the group of characters and how they all came together. I did feel like this was a bit too long but overall, it was enjoyable.

Thanks HarperCollins and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. A super quick read! The King of Avendell has brought together his kingdom with the kingdom of Istellia, who they’ve been at war with, but now that’s over. His son will marry their princess and the kingdoms will be joined. There’s an urgency as the king doesn’t have much time, he’s gathered the prince, his soon to be betrothed, his personal guard, a wild beast tamer, a new healer, and unbeknownst to the rest of them a mercenary. They met in secret and before they know what is happening the king is dead. They were locked in so it could only have been one of the six of them. Who did it? Each of them are hiding things that could be deadly indeed. But which would go so far to protect their secrets? An engaging mystery that kept me guessing! I enjoyed that this was a fantasy mystery, I don’t think we see too many of those! And of course there’s a side of queer love! Rebecca Mix and Andrea Hannah write a highly entertaining story that is definitely worth the read!

I picked up I Killed the King because the title and synopsis immediately caught my attention. A high-stakes whodunnit set in a fantasy world, where everyone is a suspect? Count me in. The premise promised mystery, tension, and a cast of characters all harboring secrets—and the book delivered.

While the story jumps into the action right away, it took me a little while to feel fully invested. But once I was, the book completely held my attention. Every time I thought I had figured things out, it turned out to be a red herring. I found myself, like the characters, second-guessing everything and everyone, trying to make sense of who was really behind it all. That uncertainty made the mystery compelling and the reading experience more interesting. 


Things I liked:

The characters were likeable and fleshed-out. Not everything was handed to the reader upfront, which I appreciated. We got to learn motivations and backstories organically, as the plot unfolded.

The central mystery was cleverly constructed, with just enough red herrings and misdirection to keep me guessing until near the end. As someone who can usually guess well before the end of a book, I appreciated this!

The antagonist, while powerful, was not omnipotent—an important distinction in fantasy. Their limitations made the conflict feel more grounded and more relatable. 


Things I didn't like as much:

(Minor spoiler ahead) — The death of one character in particular caught me off guard. I had started to grow attached to them, so I was surprised—and honestly a little sad—to see their story take that turn. Thankfully, the aftermath offered a bit of resolution and a sense that their presence wasn’t entirely gone, which helped soften the blow.  

The book features an LGBTQ+ relationship, which I actually appreciated. I understand that this relationship wasn’t the central focus of the story, but it still had significant narrative weight. The emotions involved—particularly one character’s love for another—had direct and far-reaching consequences.  Because of that, I do wish the marketing had highlighted the queer relationship a bit more. It’s always great to see LGBTQ+ representation, and it felt like something that shouldn’t have been hidden or left out for brevity's sake.  

Overall, I Killed the King was an engaging mystery with a layered plot that kept me guessing. The story isn’t overly simple or predictable, and the diverse characters—each with their own secrets and motivations—gradually come together and learn to trust one another. If you enjoy fantasy with a strong mystery thread, complex relationships, and characters whose choices drive the story, this one's worth checking out!

"I Killed the King" is a suspense novel that happens in a fantasy world. The suspense was well done as I kept turning the pages to see what happened next. People (including main characters) died one after another. It didn't really feel like a mystery, though, because each of the six viewpoint characters (prince, princess, king's guard, healer, beast tamer, assassin) knew information that the reader then knows which strongly hinted at who is behind the chaos. The king's killer confessed about halfway through, but the main characters still needed to stop the bad guy behind everything. At the end, they think they accomplished this, but the reader knows they didn't: they only made things worse. So not really a happy ending.

The fantasy world wasn't developed very far, mentioning things like unicorns and basilisks (which are snakes with deadly venom in this book), but most of it was just backdrop stuff to establish that there was magic (not much used in the story) and 13 gods (of which a few play a role). The characters weren't initially very developed either, though they became more realistic and less like simply roles by the end of the book. The prince spent most of the crisis thinking about how much he loved his male guard and looking to him to solve the crisis. The healer drank himself insensible, though he became more proactive after someone he loved was killed. The princess was starting to develop some independence and use her cleverness by the end, yet she also loved someone she shouldn't and ended up unhappy.

One character liked to cuss, so there was occasional use of bad language. There was no sex, though there certainly was enough longing and thwarted love. I was primarily expecting a mystery, and it's not, there is no real resolution by the end, and I didn't really care about the characters, so not really my kind of book.

4.5 out of 5 stars

“And six pairs of eyes stare in horror at the king lying dead at their feet.” ― I Killed the King

I devoured I Killed the King in nearly one sitting—it’s the kind of book that demands your full attention from the very first page. Billed as a locked-room mystery set in a fantasy world, it certainly lives up to its premise, even if it diverges from what I initially expected-- and, I do have to add, with great prose to boot.

The story opens with a bang—in this case, a murder. A peace treaty is moments away from being signed between two rival nations, and just as the ink is about to hit the page, the lights go out, and the king of Avendell is dead. What follows is a tense, one-night unraveling of secrets, lies, and loyalties, as six strangers—each with their own motivations, traumas, and secrets—are trapped in the castle, trying to determine who among them is the killer.

I loved the mystery at the heart of this novel. It’s twisty and smart, with revelations I truly didn’t see coming. There were several moments where I was sure I knew who the killer was, only to be proven wrong—again and again. That said, the book isn’t just about solving the murder. The authors layer in a compelling fantasy world with hints of political intrigue, gods, and a magic system that—while not deeply explained—is enough to enrich the plot without overwhelming it.

The six POVs were surprisingly well-executed. I usually struggle with that many perspectives, but each voice felt distinct, and I never felt lost. However, the transitions between chapters could be a bit jarring, especially early on. There’s a lot of backstory and exposition frontloaded in the beginning, and that did slow the pacing a bit for me. That said, once I got past the setup, I couldn’t put the book down.

One of my favorite parts of the novel was watching the characters shift from cautious strangers to a reluctant, almost-forced family. I became emotionally invested in each of them, and I found myself not just caring about who committed the murder, but also about how each character would survive the night—and what would come next for them. The dynamics were layered and believable, with moments of genuine tenderness and even humor woven through the high stakes. There’s even a bit of romance and a touch of comedy that hit surprisingly well for a murder mystery.

That said, the fantasy aspects felt a little undercooked. I loved the lore and the inclusion of gods and religious tensions, but the magic system (especially the role of the Basilik) was a bit confusing at times. I found myself wishing for more clarity—though it’s possible we’ll get that in the second book, since this is the first in a duology.

The ending was satisfying in some ways and frustrating in others. It wraps up the murder plot but leaves a lot of threads hanging, particularly when it comes to the world at large. I’m hoping that the sequel will delve deeper into both the worldbuilding and the characters’ personal arcs.

All in all, I Killed the King was an atmospheric, fast-paced read with clever twists, engaging characters, and a unique setting. If you're looking for a traditional murder mystery with a clean resolution, this might not be for you. But if you're into character-driven fantasy with high stakes, political drama, and the slow unspooling of secrets over one unforgettable night, I highly recommend giving it a shot, and I can’t wait for book two!

I really enjoyed the voice here. I would recommend for those who like mystery and a full cast of characters that or sort of a forced family rather than a found family.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the review copy.

I Killed the King follows the best murder mystery traditions while set in a unique fantasy world. Our six suspects - and view point characters - are each keeping secrets, sometimes deadly secrets, and the past is right around the corner.

Given that it is a murder mystery, a little gore is expected, but it's nothing that wouldn't be appropriate for a PG-13 audience. Anyone who enjoys investigations in a fantasy setting would likely enjoy this book.

Following the death of the king, tensions continue to mount as evidence is revealed. This is one of those books that will keep you up long after you were supposed to go to sleep, because you have to find out what happens next.

It's noted that this is the first book of a duology, and the ending leaves room for more to come as the events of this one night have repercussions on the world around them. I'm looking forward to more!

This wasn’t what I was expecting! The title makes it seem like a mystery, but really the mystery is resolved fairly early on and then it’s a fantasy plot that seems very separate from the first mystery part. Fantasy aspect was nothing crazy, but hard to follow at the same time. There were like 6 different POVs throughout the book which wasn’t as confusing as I thought it would be although it did cause me to keep putting down/picking up the book. Overall it just wasn’t for me.. if you like mystery & fantasy then maybe it’s for you!

Book comes out in September! I got an early copy provided by NetGalley🙌🏼

I love a novel with a good "whodunit" plot, so I was very excited to read "I Killed the King", especially since I'm used "whodunits" being in contemporary or historical settings & very rarely in fantasies. I like the characters a lot (some more than most) & I enjoy books with multiple POVs but I will say I do feel like the transition between POVs was fairly clunky & not cohesive at all. The beginning also dragged quite a bit despite it beginning with a bang (or should I say, a stab?). There was a lot of backstory & worldbuilding to wade through for all 6 of the characters & feel that might have contributed to that. Overall, I enjoyed IKTK & I look forward to reading more books by Mix & Hannah in the future.

This was amazing. I loved every moment of this novel. From the very start, I was hooked and I need to know who killed the king. There were a few instances where I though I knew but then I was proven wrong and the hunt was on again. I really love this and I cant wait to read more from this author.

This was fast paced with twists that I legitimately did not see coming. I was left a little unfulfilled by the ending and was wondering if it was a dangle for a sequel or not, something that felt unfair and frustrating. The magic system, especially the interactions around the Basilik, was a touch confusing for me. However I enjoyed all the characters. Felt like a fun romp

Fun fantasy story. The plot pace kept things moving. I would've like some more character development than we got. Characters feel a little one-note after the first story. I picked this up because of the "locked room mystery" element, and the early intrigue that really focused on the whodunnit was the best part of the novel. Once we meet who does the killing, the story sort of lost it for me. Knowing the whodunnit story arc won't be compelling book 2 forward, I'm not as inclined to pick up the second.

A locked room murder mystery with a magical twist.

A treaty is about to be signed between Avendell and Istellia, two countries that have been at war for ten years. Just as the treaty is about to be signed, the lights go out, and when they come back on, the Avendell King has been murdered. The strange group of people the Avendell King had summoned to his chambers must now work together to work out which of them is the killer without exposing their own secrets and agendas.

I really wanted to like this book. One of Us is Lying meets Knives Out is a hellava way to describe the book; it’s what drew me to it, but after reading feels disingenuous because I Killed the King doesn’t read like either of them in my opinion. They’re all locked room mysteries, sure, but I’d say that’s about all they have in common.

The dynamics between the characters in the novel is well done. The characters start out rather bland and unremarkable, but as the story unfolds, each chapter alternating between perspectives, we really get a feel for who they are. There’s also a nice rise and fall with the characters. They don’t leave the book the same way they entered, and I appreciate how much the characters grow and change even over the course of only one night.

Overall, I felt the plot was solid. The book starts out slow, but does ramp up as it progresses. I found myself enjoying it the more I read, but those first few chapters could be pretty killer for a teen that struggles with reading when they’re not interested; they just felt remarkably slow.

I think the biggest weakness to this book is that the authors are almost trying to do too much. There’s a lot of worldbuilding but without necessary context. Even at the end of the book, I’m not super certain on how the magic system works. I see that this is meant to be the first in a duology, but I think this would have been better split into two books itself to help flush out the world a little bit more. It doesn’t help that when you think you have a handle on the behind-the-scenes magic, a new piece of information is revealed that shifts that perception.

And, frankly, there’s a lot of backstory that’s definitely necessary but was placed in a way that pulls the reader out of the present story. Figuring out who killed the king. If you’re looking for a more cut and dry locked room mystery, this is definitely not the book. The focus is half on the current events and half on the events of the past that led the characters to where they are at the start of the book.

Overall, this isn’t a bad book, but if you’re looking to scratch an itch that One of Us is Lying has left in you, this one probably isn’t going to do it. On the other hand, if you really just want to see five strangers working together to keep one another safe and make it through the night, than this could be the right one! It all depends on what you’re looking for.

I had SO much fun reading I KILLED THE KING. It was incredibly fast paced and easy to follow along with. This was an incredibly unique story.

The only feeling I had going into this book was good faith. I didn't enjoy Hannah's works, but I've loved everything I've read of Mix's. I was curious how the combined effort of these specific two author would turn out, especially with the fact there's six POVs in the book.

Turns out, this inspired Clue fantasy mystery worked out pretty well.

Despite all of the story taking place in the castle, the worldbuilding was so detailed and thought out; it's definitely my favorite element of the book. It helps that there's a link between this book and Mix's middle grade duology (If you know, you know), but the core of the mystery revolves entirely around the world's history and religion in order to solve it. I personally found it very clever, seamlessly weaving together worldbuilding and the mystery without making the necessary exposition paragraphs feel too dumpy. The fantasy elements aren't high, only enough for you to know and understand what's going on, which I thought was the right amount, given how heavy the story leans toward mystery.

The characters are pretty charming, too. The progression between near strangers sussing each other out from murder to them forging a found-family-like connection (As the story was taking place over a single night) was done as well as it could have. Some relationships were rushed, but the dynamics formed were still entertaining and well thought out. There were also Weekend at Bernie's scenarios that provided some lights of comedy in the midst of a serious murder mystery.

All in all, this was a pretty good read. The end left a few lingering concerns for the world and the characters, and since I'm seriously hoping for more substantial ties to Mix's middle grade, I will definitely be reading the next book!

I absolutely devoured this book! It was very well done and I hope it's going to be a duology because there is still so much to know and understand about this world and it's characters. I think the murder mystery mixed with the fantasy was great, and the lore surrounding the gods and magic in the world was sooooooo cool. Mix and Hannah did an amazing job creating characters that I was able to truly care about and connect to in such a short amount of time, there wasn't a single POV that I wasn't on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen to them and how the plot was going to develop with each. I loved that each character was integral to the plot, and the relationships that formed between all of them felt natural and real, and I loved every bit of romance and friendship that we got.

I am a sucker for a great fantasy and this was such a pleasure to read, it was tense, exciting and dramatic in all the best ways and I was hooked from the start. This was so fun and I loved every second!!

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for providing me with an eARC!