The amazing thing about a K J Charles book is that even if you're not interested in the romance there's usually so much else going on that that doesn't really matter. In most other romances, the couple is the meal and everything else - plot and side characters especially - are the garnish. Not so with K J Charles. Everything is thoroughly cooked and prepared; everything is the meal.

Which was especially good for me here because - confession time! - I really was not vibing with Zeb and Gideon as a pairing. As characters they were both good, but as a couple, for me, they were only fine. I'm not really sure why. Probably I'm just not someone who likes an exes-getting-back-together thing. But like I said, that hardly mattered here because hot damn was everything else bonkers, compulsively readable. This is half send-up of the Gothic novel, and half (extremely) dysfunctional family dynamics, which I was especially pleased to see because that's another thing that Charles does really well from book to book. (Like...even in books of hers where I'm all about the couple I'm always jazzed when the pairing's families get brought in because she's just so damn good at the tensions and dynamics and love there.) I also really liked how though there were ghost sightings and flickering lights and a generally haunted atmosphere the characters basically went right away into figuring out how these things could logically be happening, because a) it was weirdly more fun that way and b) there was none of this ghosts-don't-exist-in-this-story-no-actually-they-do-no-actually yo-yoing nonsense. It's still creepy without pretending some of it could be supernatural! Even creepier than that would've been, actually.

I was also a huge fan of the reveal of Zeb's profession and the epilogue, which, after it got done with the grisly wrap-up, was pure delight. (I want to know more about Barnaby Black!) I could've done with a smidge more of that delight, actually. Like I was kind of hoping for a post-Lackaday House scene of Zeb and Gideon and Gideon's nieces. It wouldn't have been necessary, but after all the bleak Gothic darkness I wanted it.

With that said, I think this is definitely more a book for people who want bleak Gothic darkness. If you're that sort of reader, but not very much into romance, I would still wholeheartedly recommend this book. But if you're more the romance, cozy-mystery-at-strongest type, then no. For my part, I'm definitely glad I read this one, even if no character quite reached the heights of Joss Doomsday (but then, who ever could?). A dark, good time.

TL;DR:
"All of Us Murderers" locks you into a fog‑shrouded manor with a tangled inheritance plot, creeping horror, and a second‑chance romance that burns slow. It’s part Gothic drama, part murder mystery, and fully immersive. Zeb’s ADHD gives the story unexpected emotional depth. Keep reading for the full review.

Synopsis:
Zeb Wyckham arrives at his wealthy relative’s remote Lackaday House only to find a toxic family reunion in progress: his estranged brother, a sneering cousin, and his ex‑lover Gideon are all under one roof. Then the patriarch reveals his twisted game—the fortune goes to the man who marries his young ward. Zeb tries to escape, but fog and locked gates trap him inside. As paranoia and dread spiral, Zeb must confront his family’s cruel legacy and survive, and maybe reunite with Gideon, even as something unnatural stirs in the shadows.

Spillin’ the Book Tea:
All of Us Murderers is a chilling Gothic mystery with a heart‑tingling queer romance at its core. I had high hopes for this book, and it exceeded every one. You’ve got a locked‑in mystery set in a gothic location, but it’s Zeb’s voice that won me over. His undiagnosed ADHD, before the term even existed, adds layers to his choices and how he sees the world—and it’s handled with care. The writing balances dread, dark humor, and genuine emotion. Thank you to KJ Charles for delivering a story that’s both eerie and heartfelt. Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press for the early copy of this book and the opportunity to provide this candid review.

The Vibes It Brings:
🎩 Edwardian Gothic manor with fog and secrets
🗝 Locked‑room suspense and inheritance battles
❤️ LGBTQIA+ second‑chance romance with real tension
🧠 Neurodivergent viewpoint that feels lived‑in
👻 Subtle horror and atmospheric dread

Final Thoughts:
This book blends mystery, emotion, and atmosphere into something unforgettable. The setting chills you, the romance heals you, and Zeb’s perspective anchors you. It’s spooky, smart, and deeply satisfying. A Gothic thriller that stays with you long after the last page.

The premise of this novel was initially intriguing to me. I typically enjoy Gothic novels, so I had my hopes high for this book. Unfortunately, the plot was not incredibly interesting for 80% of the book. Once some of the mystery was revealed, I was more interested. By that point, there were less than 50 pages left. I would’ve loved to see more development in the plot earlier on. I did like the romance between Zeb and Gideon, but it often felt like the book focused on the romance or the rest of the plot. Those two elements felt very disjointed to me. In order to market this as a part of the Gothic genre, I feel like the book needs more suspense in a chilling way. While I think the elements of ghosts and spiders and writings on the wall were interesting, it felt pretty obvious that those were tricks being played on the characters by Wynn and his staff. Overall, the book fell flat for me. The story has promise, but would need a few tweaks for me to read it again and recommend it.

I was very impressed with this book. I’d read some of KJ Charles’ work before, and while it was enjoyable, I didn’t think much of it. However, Charles shows a marked improvement in this novel, and a fantastic grasp of capturing a character’s fear and emotional suspense. It was intermingled with some truly touching romantic moments, and a well thought out portrayal of ADHD in an historical setting.
My only gripes were that the epilogue truly felt like an afterthought, and with such good romantic scenes in the book, I had hoped for something like that in the epilogue. Additionally, I felt that the character of Dash was brushed aside a bit too much, to the point that I kept forgetting who he was.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story - it has a satisfying combination of plot that the reader could figure out, and twists that kept you guessing.

Out October 7th, 2025
K.J. Charles delivers a deliciously dark Gothic mystery that’s equal parts murder, mayhem, and emotional reckoning. Set in the eerie confines of Lackaday House, the story follows Zeb Wyckham as he’s forced into a deadly inheritance scheme alongside his estranged brother, bitter ex-lover, and a cast of morally dubious relatives. The atmosphere is thick with gaslight and paranoia, and the stakes rise with every flicker of candlelight. Charles masterfully blends suspense with biting wit, crafting a locked-room mystery that feels both timeless and fresh.

What truly elevates this novel is the complex, slow-burn romance between Zeb and Gideon Grey. Their shared history adds emotional depth to the unfolding horror, and their reluctant alliance is as compelling as the mystery itself. With echoes of Crimson Peak and Knives Out, this book is a genre-bending triumph—smart, stylish, and satisfyingly sinister. If you love Gothic fiction with teeth and heart, All of Us Murderers is a must-read.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC!

KJ Charles knows the genre here, both the original gothic novels and the neo-gothic of the 70s, and brings in contemporary voice and preoccupations. Our hero, Zeb, is the genre-canny disbeliever, while acknowledging something extraordinarily shady is certainly going on. We also have a second-chance romance that comes from a solid and understandable place, and you want from the very beginning for them to get together. Gothic tropes are played with in such a way that they can be both creepy and funny, such as our first glimpse of the young ward. Zeb is also essentially faultless, having always done his best to rescue everyone even when they don't deserve it, even when it is at great risk, and even when they don't heed him.

The gothic cover art on this one drew me in immediately. I <i>love</i> a good old-fashioned "MC running from a menacing gothic mansion" cover, and had high hopes for some Mary Stewart vibes, but with a gay romance instead. While Charles is not as mysterious and intriguing as someone like Stewart, there is still much to enjoy in this fun romp.

This one hurts to write. I was so excited for All of Us Are Murderers—it’s from one of my favorite authors, and I fully expected to be hooked from the first chapter. But instead… I kept putting it down. And not in the "let me savor this" way. More in the "maybe if I ignore it long enough it'll finish itself?" kind of way.

I made it to 30% before admitting defeat (for now). The pacing felt glacial, the characters weren’t pulling me in, and I realized I just didn’t care what happened next. It was like being at a dinner party where the food looks amazing but every conversation is mind-numbingly dull.

That said, I’m not ruling out coming back to it one day. Maybe I just picked it up at the wrong time. But for now? I’m shelving it, and honestly… I’m a little heartbroken about it.

I adore KJ Charles' books, and while this one is a departure from her usual style, I went in pretty sure I would love it as well. And I was proven right. The writing is, as always, delightful, with a sly wit and humor that really resonates with me.

Even though I don't usually read the gothic haunted mystery sort of books, I do occasionally, and this one was done really well. The mystery at the heart of the story kept me guessing as the horror and dread kept creeping in.

Zeb and Gideon are great characters and I was really rooting for them and their second chance romance. Both their falling out and their reconciliation are believable.

I also loved the ADHD/neurodivergent representation! Zeb is written really well and a lot of his challenges and struggles felt very familiar. He takes a lot of flak for it from his despicable relatives, but I love how Gideon accepts him and his many quirks and helps him find ways to make them work for him.

Absolutely fantastic and I cannot wait to listen to the audiobook version. KJ Charles remains at the top of my must-read / must-buy authors.

*Thanks to Poisoned Pen Press for providing an early copy for review.

I went in with Expectations and I was not let down.
This book was amazing. KJ Charles's classic mix of romance and thriller in a Victorian setting was so enthralling, well paced, and almost deliciously well written. I felt like I knew all the characters really well by the end, and the development between our main pairing kept me turning pages. If any of this sounds your cup of tea, please do give this one a go.

Zeb Wyckham is invited to a Gothic mansion and unexpectedly reunited with his estranged family. To make matters worse, his ex Gideon is also there and not too happy to see him. 

This book started off slow, but it takes off at around the quarter mark. In Agatha Christie fashion, the cast of characters find themselves embroiled in a plot full of hidden motives and subterfuge, with no escape from the walls of the estate. 

Zeb and Gideon undergo a parallel journey of healing and reckoning with their past relationship. This character work provides much-needed depth to both men, and you root for their success and survival as events spin out of control. There is some spice in this book that is tastefully included and brings additional dimensions to the characters. 

As the preface indicates, the main character Zeb has ADHD. This is sensitively and intricately woven into the plot and backstory. It does not shy away from discussing the different challenges ADHD brings to a person’s relationships: Zeb and Gideon work together to celebrate what makes each other special. 

Please note that characters deal with arachnophobia (and multiple mentions of spiders), homophobia (internalized and external), and violence (which one might expect from the sinister plot). 

I had fun reading this book, which combines an atmospheric setting and a mystery plot with a well-crafted MM romance. A good choice for spooky season, and for fans of a historical setting. 

Thanks to the author and NetGalley for providing an eARC.

A story filled with suspense. I found the book was a great read that kept me on my toes. The characters were amazing.

Zebedee Wyckham gets called to his uncle Wynn's grand estate, Lackaday House, for a visit. Although he usually stays far away from family his uncle was insistent he visit. To his surprise he finds his secret ex, Gideon Grey, there working for Zeb's uncle. Zeb's ex who he accidentally got fired from their last job together and absolutely hates him.

This story is a mix of gothic horror, mystery and romance. It was a little work keeping all the characters and their relation to Zeb straight in the story. There were a lot of old wounds that you walk into the middle of. But it's okay because the main focus of the story is mystery surrounding Wynn's strange, young house guest, what he's going to do with his fortune, who's trying to mess with everyone and Zeb and Gideon's relationship.

I really enjoyed Zeb and Gideon's relationship. They both undergo a lot of growth throughout the story and they are absolutely adorable together. There are a lot of unexpected twists to this story and some really awful people. I was biting my nails near the conclusion on how it was all going to end.

This was a spooky, fun read. Perfect to read in the fall.

Thank you NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Excellent queer gothic romance. Zeb Wyckham is invited to stay with a relative he's only met twice in his life. Broke and estranged from his immediarte family, he accepts. When he arrives at Lackaday Manor, however, he finds out that other members of his family were also on the guest list. To make matters worse, his ex is working at the manor. And there are ghosts.

Gothic romance novels are germane to the plot. Zeb is a bit more self-aware than Catherine Moreland. I was even tempted to read William Beckford's <i>Vathek,<.i> until I read a plot summary. Maybe I'l finally read Otranto instead.

Okay, WOW. KJ Charles truly never disappoints! An unlikely rekindling of a love affair, a bizarre murder plot, and hateful relatives all abound in this early 20th century ghost story. I particularly loved the ADHD rep and our heart of gold narrator, Zeb.

rep: gay MC, gay LI

spice: a couple vivid sex scenes

tw: murder, mentioned pedophilia, mentioned botched abortion, mentioned rape, attempted murder

I read the NetGalley eARC, this is my honest review:

Okay.

I had intended to take my time with this one. And it's not a short novel. Four days later, I read the last line, and the author's note (don't miss that, friends), and maybe when I read it again I can take my time. Maybe. Man, that last bit was hair-raising!

In other words, pre-order this right now, you're welcome.

This was such a fun book! I didn’t know what to expect going in but the vibes were excellent. The manor was spooky and gothic, Zeb was such a fun character, and the family drama was drama-ing. It was a good time!

Love and Death are the themes KJ Charles, a master of historical intrigue, is famous for. This book revolves around a Gothic settings and mysterious figures, with a healthy splash of male-male romance. I received a free copy of this book as an ARC reader, but I WILL be purchasing it on release in October.

I admit to being a voracious fan of Charles's series, and getting a book in a new setting is always a pleasure. The story dives straight in with Zeb Wyckham's arrival at a cousin's forbidding and remote mansion. Locked in with all the worst people you've ever heard of, Zeb is soon pressured into all the uncomfortable conversations he's been avoiding, and a load of danger he never knew existed.

Despite knowing Charles's works, I expected more of a Northanger Abby type of faux gothic mystery. That is not what this book is. More like the Mysteries of Udolpho, there is real danger and intrigue in this story, along with a (at first) dubious romance rekindling. As with all of Charles's books, I eventually found myself rooting for the good guys and looking forward to the nasty end of the bad guys (and keeping my fingers crossed for a spicy scene).

One thing I really appreciate about Charles is her approach toward evildoers. Every character has a reason for how they behave., or misbehave Some people might call this ambiguity toward eveil, but I have to believe in a character's motives before I can be caught up in the plot. And yes, madness, as well as love and greed, can be motive.

All said and done, I really enjoyed this book. It has one absolutely fatal flaw for me, and that is what felt like an abrupt ending. Without giving anything away, I always look for a status of characters at the end of the story. This book, unlike all other Charles books I can think of, did not satisfy that deeply seated, and admittedly personal, need. Not to say the book isn't resolved at the end. I just wanted my big sigh of relief, but I'm still holding my breath.

(Other Charles fans will know there are sometimes follow-up short stories on her website. I'm hoping there is either another book in this universe or such a short story to give me my last chapter milk and cookies moment.)

I was fully expecting to rate this book 5 stars, but with what feels like a big gap at the end, I have to honestly lower the rating. That said, if I find upon another reading this isn't as fatal a flaw as I feel, I will be revisiting my rating.

Pros: Woah! A KJ Charles novel in a Gothic setting (and does anyone else LOVE the classic Nancy Drew feel of the cover?)
Cons: Ends too soon, like all Charles books, but this time it feels abrupt

KJ Charles' ALL OF US MURDERERS was 100% my cup of tea. Sinister locked room mystery, charming second chance queer romance, increasingly perilous and chaotic goings-on, major Knives Out vibes - Oh I had so much fun!

And can we talk about that gorgeous, vintage Gothic homage cover?

I'm grateful to have received an advance reader copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was expecting to love this story, because I’m a huge fan of both gothic mysteries and KJ Charles, and I wasn’t disappointed. I lit through it in a single sitting, and then had to go back and read it again to catch all the details I flew past on the first read-through.

Non-spoiler thoughts in no particular order:

It’s a bit of a pastiche or sendup of gothic novels. Elements that might otherwise seem over the top - such as an isolated mansion riddled with secret passages - are explained here by the fact that the mansion is less than 100 years old and built by a Gothic novelist. The perspective character, Zeb, is genre savvy because he's read that writer’s oeuvre.

Zeb - despite a few severe bouts of the creeps - never thinks for a moment that there's any supernatural threat. At first that disappointed me - I agreed with Zeb that there was unlikely to be any supernatural goings-on, and I thought I’d be more enjoyably spooked if there were. Then, as the real threat becomes clear, the scare factor ramps up and I ended up feeling like a ghost would be a bit of a relief.

This isn’t one of KJC’s “Heyer-but-gayer” books (the time period is off by about 80 years) but the marry-my-ward-get-my-fortune setup seemed like a nod to Heyer’s classic romantic comedy Cotillion.

I really appreciated the ADHD representation - Zeb may be the character who most represents my experience with the condition. Some characters in past KJC novels have seemed somewhat ADHD-coded to me, but Zeb is explicit, intentional representation. The author’s note references ADHD as it was understood around the turn of the 20th century and thanks ADHD readers.

Slightly more spoiler-y thoughts (stop reading here to avoid spoilers entirely!)

I knew that slavery would be a plot element, and I had some qualms about that going in. More than almost any other fiction author, I trust KJC's politics, and her skillfulness with weaving them into her work. But "the generational moral injury of the Atlantic slave trade" is a particularly thorny topic for a white British author to address. I'd be interested in Black readers' thoughts, but I personally thought it was about as well-handled as it could have been. The throughline was subtle - the wealth acquired through violence, kidnapping, torture, and forced labor was itself corruptive. The love of that money prevented the family who inherited it from confronting their past, and turned them into the kind of people whose misdeeds... come back to haunt them.

I really appreciate the extent to which I can expect a happy ending from KJC - even outside the romance genre. I trust that the love interests will end up alive and together (or together-ish), and that the worst of the evildoers will get their comeuppance. (If a character EVER threatens to out someone, it's a guaranteed death sentence, which I very much enjoy.) This book was no exception!

On my first read-through I found the ending very abrupt - we go from peril to The End in a matter of paragraphs. I would have appreciated a bit more of a denouement. The epilogue very satisfying and laugh-out-loud funny, but it would have been nice to have a scene with Zeb and Gideon as they recover and move forward with their lives. But on a second read, I appreciated the poetry of having the story come full-circle, beginning and ending outside Lackaday House’s 12-foot gates.

Favorite quotes:
“He was eating his soup with the expression of someone who wasn’t listening and might not have been there at all.”
“I have a man’s natural urges!” “You have a man’s thick head, is what you have.”

My thanks to Netgalley, Poisoned Pen Press and K.J. Charles for the eARC in exchange for a review of this book.

I'll start by saying this is the first book by K.J. Charles that I have tried to read. I will also be honest that the comparisons to Crimson Peak and Knives Out both had me hooked on trying this book out. I'm happy to report that I LOVED this book. Zebedee Wyckham is wonderful and along with his partner, Gideon Grey, they were sweetness personified and the mystery was intriguing and I'm so glad I saw this cover and thought WAIT, what is this beauty?

First of all, YES, those comparisons definitely work to describe this book. This book reminded me of several other works, movies and books, but I worry about spoiling too much of what comes about in this story, so I won't mention any other titles just yet. I think it's safe to say that if you are a fan of the mystery genre and gothic romances, this is the perfect book to try. It fits right in and yet stands apart thanks to the sweetest, most earnest lead I've had the pleasure to meet in recent memory.

All of Us Murderers follows Zeb Wyckham, a young man recently let go from his job, who has finally decided to accept his cousin's invitation to come to Lackaday House for a visit. Zeb usually avoids his family but after his cousin insisted on Zeb coming to stay for a couple of weeks, Zeb thought it would be okay to go. When he does arrive, Zeb is horrified to find his estranged brother, sister-in-law, a couple of cousins and his ex-boyfriend are all in attendance. Turns out Cousin Wynn has invited everyone to the house for a reason: Wynn has decided to change the terms of who is set to be his heir. He wants to leave his fortune to whoever marries his ward, Jessamine, who is staying in Lackaday House. They all try their best to get her to agree to marrying them, except for Zeb, who wants nothing to do with the Wyckham family money. But as time passes, strange things start happening in Lackaday House. There are phantom footsteps in the halls, strange messages left on the walls, and what appears to be the ghosts of an old monastery scaring the staff and the guests. Zeb has to find a way to avoid the scheming machinations of his family and figure out how to resolve the issues that led to his break-up with a man he still cares for, all while trying to find a way to leave the property. Because the Wyckham family has a lot of skeletons in their closets and with all of them together in one house, tensions between family members is the least of Zeb's worries.

Zeb, my dear sweet Zeb, how I loved you. Honestly, Zeb is an absolute sweetheart, a young man living with ADHD in a time where it was not understood, who has been cast aside by his family and sneered at for so long, the fact that he's being forced to be in their proximity for so long made me want threaten all of them with bodily harm. I also wanted to take Gideon by the ear and give him a good shake because really, how could he believe that Zeb wanted anything to do with the fortune after repeatedly stating that he would have nothing to do with the marriage scheme? Come on, give Zeb some credit, the man is goodness and honesty and genuine compassion all mixed together. All the details given about the way his mind worked, the methods he used to keep himself focused, were all so detailed, that Zeb felt like people I know and I wanted him to get out of that house and go back home and be happy. And fine, after Gideon finally got his head on straight, I could see why Zeb cared for him and their scenes together were so sweet they nearly made my teeth ache. I sighed wistfully and smiled so much with their scenes, it was probably a ridiculous thing to witness.

As for the rest of the family, oh good grief, they were horrible. I wanted to bash brother Bram in the head, I wanted to hit cousin Hawley with a crow bar, and I wasn't sure what cousin Dash's deal was, but the fact that he was in the house too made me wary of what could be hiding behind his reasonable, affable front. Elise was the typical scheming wife, able to control her husband and be cruel at the drop of a hat. Don't get me started on Jessamine and Wynn, who were just questionable enough to keep me guessing about what side they were really on. The writing made the house feel like a separate character, filled with horrible paintings and owned by despicable people, that I felt the tension of being in that space keeping my shoulders hunched as I tried to figure out who the villains were and waited for those deserving to get what was coming to them. If I had to make one quibble, it would be that I feel like one character out of the ensemble seemed to get away with what they wanted and I really hoped that the epilogue would have turned around and given them a grisly end. I also feel like there are still a few loose threads with the character, like were they truly who they claimed they were or just someone roped in to the plot that decided to take advantage of the situation? If it was in the book, I must have missed it because I'm still trying to figure it out. Guess I'll just have to read this all over again and take some notes so I can see everything I might have missed the first time I raced through this book.

The true mystery of the book was a surprise. I enjoyed the tidbits about the original owner of the house being a writer who wrote stories about horrible villains and the heinous things they did. I was not expecting the way it all came together in the end but I will say I loved the motivations behind it. If I was in that position, I would not have taken the path that was revealed BUT I can understand the urge to do what happened in this book. In the end, this is a book about the horrible things people can do and what they decide to do about their pasts and how it affects everyone around them. I enjoyed every reveal and now I'm working out which K.J. Charles book to start next. Thankfully, there is quite a bit to choose from so I'll be a happy reader hoarding new books and adding them to my towering TBR stacks. It's a wonderful feeling to have when you finish a book you really loved, the fact that there is already more to find without waiting years for a new release.

Rating on my scale: 10 Stars for Zeb and Gideon and that plot. I hope the rest of Charles's books are just as good as this one. This one is going to have a place of honor on my favorites shelf, which let's be honest, is starting to get a little cramped, but hey, who cares? Having too many favorite books is a good thing, if you want my honest opinion.