Oh my god, where to begin? This was a mystery and a romance and a Gothic nightmare all rolled into one and I read it in a day because I couldn’t put it down.

If there’s one thing KJ Charles knows how to do, it’s write about good people who happen to come from extremely hideous families and this is no exception. Imagine you get an invite from an estranged relative and it turns out he’s brought you to a house filled with your non-estranged but completely horrible family, a stranger he wants you to marry, and your ex. That’s where this book starts, and it only gets more deranged from there. I fear saying anything more might spoil it so you’ll have to trust me.

Set in Edwardian times, the story follows our main character, Zeb, as he arrives at a remote mansion at the invitation of his uncle, only to discover that other guests are present, such as his estranged (and terrible) brother, his artist (and terrible) cousin, and his former lover, who isn’t terrible but hates Zeb after the mess of their break-up. After their host makes a surprise announcement about the vast family inheritance, Zeb has to navigate increasingly difficult relations with his family, a tense relationship with his ex, unfriendly staff, an impressionable young woman, a family curse, ghosts and dark family secrets, while they’re all isolated in this gothic mansion surrounded by misty moors. It’s, in other words, a veritable feast of gothicness and if you’re into that, as I am, you’ll love every minute.

I’ve read everything KJ Charles has written, and this is a new favourite. Her pacing is phenomenal as always. I finished this early in the morning because I couldn’t, and didn’t, put it down. It flows magnificently. Zeb’s narration is witty and engaging. There is humour to balance out the bleak moments but also some descriptions of seemingly supernatural incidents that had me shivering with dread (and loving it). The story is brimming with a gothic atmosphere, with the eerie and the inexplicable and the slow descent into madness. The side character cast is another KJC strength, and it shows here in full form: every secondary character is sharp and vivid, distinct from each other, as vibrant as real people. And, boy, they’re all horrible. KJC has written her share of appalling relatives, but this lot takes the cake. Be prepared for absolutely atrocious familial relations.

In the midst of dread and uncertainty, the relationship between Zeb and his ex, Gideon, is the balm we need. There’s palpable longing and raw desire between them, and once they work through their past issues, they’re sweet and lovely, providing some much needed solace.

This is primarily a mystery novel and the mystery of what was happening in the house was well-constructed and kept me absorbed throughout. Without being too spoilery (I hope), I’ll say that I love that it was Zeb’s kindness and empathy that made a difference.

One of my disappointments these days is that I find a lot of the novels published recently are utterly bland and without teeth. Even if not described as ‘cozy’, coziness has seeped into them. Which is why this novel thrilled me: besides the joy in revelling in a gothic story, this is a real and unflinching look at some appalling people and how they abused their immense privilege. It gives the (delightfully eerie and suspenseful) story real substance.

Many, many thanks to the publisher for providing the ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

I got this ARC courtesy of the Author's Discord and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was absolutely excited to read this book and it did not disappoint! This gothic house murder mystery is a true romp of a read. There was never a dull moment and the plot moved along at an excellent pace. I finished the book in 2 days ( it would surely have been one sitting if the realities of Life did not intrude).

Zeb, the main character, is invited to his rich relation's gothic house together with some of his least favourite people in the world ( whom he just happens to be related to and an antagonistic ex-lover). Little does he know that it is going to turn into a winner-takes-all competition to inherit all the wealth and fortune of said rich relation. Shenanigans ensue and what a wild ride KJ Charles takes us on.

Zeb is such a gentle and sweet person. He continues to believe the best of those around him, despite so much evidence to the contrary. And while this may come across as naïve, it truly reflects what a generous heart he has and I was rooting for him the whole way. He is a truly likeable and fascinating POV character.

The romance in the book is also very satisfying. With believable miscommunications at the start, there is great communication thereafter which helps build the relationship. Opposites attract, with Zeb being open, chaotic, trusting and Gideon being more closed, organised and cautious. The two of them truly complement one another and it was a joy to watch them make accommodations for each other and grow closer as a result.

The villains of this book are truly horrific ( and yet so very human) and you will love to hate them. Some of them truly made my skin crawl. I could not wait to get to the end of the book to see what comeuppance they got ( which was most gratifying).

The end was satisfying, though I do wish the epilogue had more details on Zeb and Gideon. Would happily read another book from Zeb's POV. Looking forward to a re-read soon! If you are looking for a gothic murder mystery with a dash of romance, this book is for you.

An absolutely brilliant Gothic romantic thriller that pays homage to both The Fall of the House of Usher and the more recent Gothic romance ouvre of Victoria Holt/Norah Lofts/Mary Stewart - and reminded me of just how much I used to love those books. I devoured this within less than 12 hours because I struggled to STOP reading even when I should, and I very much loved the ending. This is now one of my favorite-ever KJ Charles books, which is saying a lot!

A tongue-in-cheek love letter to the best worst genre.

The book immediately informs the reader of what it's going to be like from the very first pages, with Zeb thinking of the heroine of a gothic novel he's read, who foolishly steps into a haunted, tightly-shuttered estate, while he is himself in the process of stepping into a haunted, tightly-shuttered estate. It then proceeds from there, taking all the trappings of the gothic very seriously, while juggling merrily with them, which only reinforces the uncertainty and mystery at the heart of the story.

And, make no mistake, this is *not* a parody: it is still very much a gothic, and it has all the usual elements: a grand, crumbling, eerie house in remote parts (it's in Dartmoor, for god's sake), weeping young ladies in nightgowns, toxic family dynamics and associated weirdly convoluted family trees, maybe-ghosts-maybe-not... but it's all looked at and thought through in KJ Charles's usual grounded style of narrative, where the dramatic happenings fit seamlessly into the realities of people's lives and circumstances, rather than stretching the life circumstances to fit the gothic.

I loved Zeb as a protagonist, whose stubborn, eye-rolling refusal to entertain supernatural explanations for things is very much counterbalanced by his somewhat chaotic, distractable nature. Being a trait I share with Zeb, I was really impressed with the adhd rep, too. It's neither presented as some kind of "superpower" (eyeroll), nor as a deficiency that causes only suffering, but shown as something that causes him more than just superficial problems, but that can be accommodated, if the people around him are willing.

I honestly don't want to say too much about the specifics of the plot or the romance, except to say they're as masterfully crafted as usual with KJ Charles. I think the more you find out of them by yourself, the more you'll enjoy the book.

I'm honestly amazed it took me more than one sitting to read this, and that I remembered that such things as "work" and "sleep" exist. I would caution you, though, if you decide to pick up this book, you might not be so lucky...

I got the ARC of this book via the author's discord and NetGalley and did a happy dance.

I'm biased toward anything this author writes, but not every book is perfect.

This book? Absolutely delightful, very nearly perfect.

I downloaded it yesterday after work and finished it today (I had to go to sleep and to work today). It really is that great of a read. Just whooshhhhh.

So you can read the blurb and other reviews and don't need me to tell you this is a classic Gothic novel, but gay (and with sex on the page, unlike the classic gothics). It's also a love story to ADHD and to kindness.

Believe me, I felt Zeb's inability to focus on his day job, especially because I wanted to read this book.

Tropes/themes: lovers reunited, revenge, bad family vs found family, opposites attract, naive POV, neurodivergence

(Thanks to NetGalley for access to an advance copy of All Of Us Murderers in exchange for an honest review)

While the adage that you should never judge a book by its cover is generally good advice, in the case of “All Of Us Murderers” the cover art is an excellent guide to the contents of the book: a gloriously over the top piece of escapism created as a love letter to the genre.

This is an unrepentantly gothic confection, and it was, as anticipated, a wittily tropetastic delight rife with nefarious villains, misty moors, blood-drenched ruins, cursed fortunes, wide-eyed nubile heiresses and mysterious ghostly figures, ALL of which our hero (a precious ADHD cinnamon roll, and - provided one doesn’t find The Love That Dare Not Speak Its Name to be a source of wickedness - very much the white sheep of his unpleasant family) is desperately trying to avoid, bless him.

Zebedee Wyckham is the impoverished grandson of a successful gothic novelist, and having found himself once again between jobs he has unwisely accepted an invitation to pay a visit to a wealthy uncle whom he hasn’t seen in decades - only to find himself trapped in the most ghastly houseparty since…well, since the LAST hilariously ghastly (and murderous) house party to grace the pages of a KJ Charles novel.

Finding that the lover whom he inadvertently ruined a year ago is now working as his uncle’s secretary comes as a mortifying shock, but this is the least of the unwelcome surprises that his uncle’s faux-gothic home has in store.

Zeb may be the innocent Cinderella figure amongst the variously unpleasant scions of the Wyckham family, but he’s no fool: having grown up on the works of Mrs Radcliffe, Horace Walpole and his own respected ancestor, Zeb can spot a gothic novel cliche at fifty paces and he has absolutely no intention of ending up sacrificed on a pagan altar, walled up in a cellar, drowned in a well or otherwise disposed of: think “Scream”, but make it gay and a period piece.

He is, in short, the polar opposite of Austen’s Catherine Morland: far from imagining spectral figures and dark secrets where none exist, Zeb is a pragmatic soul with a kind (if battered) heart who wasn’t born yesterday & has no interest in rushing headlong into danger if it can possibly be avoided.

Can Zeb escape the unwelcome attentions of the various spectral figures, blackmailers, marriageable heiresses and spider-filled rooms that await him at Lackaday House, and persuade his bitter ex to forgive him for past offences?

(Of course he can! This isn’t LitFic! You know that the starcrossed lovers will escape the villains’ clutches in the nick of time, foil their iniquitous plans, and finally achieve their happily ever after - but it’s still *thoroughly* enjoyable watching KJ Charles get them there.)