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REVIEW: All Of Us Murderers by K.J. Charles
All Of Us Murderers – K.J. Charles
The lush Gothic drama of Crimson Peak meets the murderous intrigue of Knives Out with an LGBTQIA+ love story to die for from award-winning author KJ Charles.
WHO WILL SURVIVE LACKADAY HOUSE?
When Zeb Wyckham is summoned to a wealthy relative’s remote Gothic manor, he is horrified to find all the people he least wants to see in the world: his estranged brother, his sneering cousin, and his bitter ex-lover Gideon Grey. Things couldn’t possibly get worse.
Then the master of the house announces the true purpose of the gathering: he intends to leave the vast family fortune to whoever marries his young ward, setting off a violent scramble for her hand. Zeb wants no part of his greedy family―but when he tries to leave, the way is barred. The walls of Lackaday House are high, and the gates firmly locked. As the Dartmoor mists roll in, there’s no way out. And something unnatural may be watching them from the house’s shadowy depths…
Fear and paranoia ramping ever-higher, Zeb has nowhere to turn but to the man who once held his heart. As the gaslight flickers and terror takes hold, can two warring lovers reunite, uncover the murderous mysteries of Lackaday House―and live to tell the tale?
All of Us Murderers is K.J. Charles‘s take on books with covers of women with fabulous hair fleeing ominous gothic mansions. The story is set in Dartmoor during the Edwardian era.
The author established the forbidding atmosphere right at the opening scene. Zebedee Wyckham arrives at a tall iron gate of a creepy, isolated mansion, and immediately all his instincts tell him to run far away from there. The thing is, Zeb is not a believer in ghosts, so he’s more annoyed to learn that he’s summoned to Lackaday House along with his estranged brother, Bram, his wife, Elise, and a couple of other cousins he barely knew, Hawley and Colonel Dash.
Bram is 10 years Zeb’s senior, an art critic whose tastes run more classical and traditional. He’s arrogant, sanctimonious, and belittles Zeb every chance he gets. Elise is an aloof, icy beauty known to cuckold her husband with none other than their cousin, Hawley.
Hawley is an avant-garde artist and a callous womanizer. He frequently butt heads with Bram not only because of their different views on art but also because of Elise. Dash is a middle-aged soldier, a man of action who isn’t easily affected by the supernatural.
Wynn is the master of the Lackaday House, also a cousin, and is friends with Dash. He’s portrayed as a jovial host, but, like the rest of the Wyckhams, he has questionable relationships, suspicious activities, and dubious intentions. His ward is Jessamyn, the 18-year-old granddaughter of Wynn’s great, tragic love.
He proposed that whichever of the cousins wins her hand will inherit everything. This proposal not so much as stir the pot as set the whole kitchen on fire when tempers frayed, ghosts started appearing, and people lost their minds
Zeb is also shocked to discover that Wynn’s secretary is Gideon Grey. They had a spectacularly bad breakup, a.k.a. Zeb’s the reason why Gideon lost his job, and now desperately doesn’t want to lose his current post, so Gideon is sternly warning him not to mess it up for him again.
Lackaday House, with its sprawling grounds, dangerous moors, and replicas of famous landmarks, is the backdrop and a major character of this twisty-turny, and hella spine-tingling gothic tale. It’s curses, bad blood, and unspeakable acts up the wazoo, the sense of impending doom thick in the air! The creep-tastic vibes gave me goosebumps, the dark imagery was so potent, and the characters were so effectively loathsome that I dreaded their scenes
It was both exceptional writing and off-putting, making the middle part a slog because I really hated most of them. But I also can’t look away. I was that morbidly fascinated spectator, covering their eyes while peeking between fingers. I wanted to remove a star in my rating, and also commend the author.
The pace in the 3rd arc went considerably faster when pieces were starting to fall into place for Zeb. It was one tragedy after another, one horrid reveal after another, building up to an edge-of-your-seat run-for-your-life climax.
The ray of sunshine in this murk is the sweet rekindling of sparks between Gideon and Zeb. Zeb described Gideon as one of those serious people who could be intimidating. Gideon’s a bit older. He was Zeb’s supervisor in their previous job. He’s organized, controlled, and very capable, while Zeb is chaotic, exuberant, and a bit absent-minded. Zeb has undiagnosed ADHD since it’s the 1900s.
Gideon was really serious most of the time. After the initial antagonistic interactions, they cleared the air, reunited, and suddenly Gideon smiled, laughed, and came alive. Holy hell, he was a revelation! The chemistry was just magical! They’re one of my favorite couples from the author
Overall, All of Us Murderers is a convoluted revenge scheme, a messy family drama, and an endearing second-chance romance. The suspenseful storytelling combined with emotional depth, vivid characters, and a gothic atmosphere so immersive that it made all of us captivated readers.
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Secret of Life
Artist: Lord Huron
Album: Vide Noir
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REVIEW: Death In The Spires by K.J. Charles
Death In The Spires – K.J. Charles
The newspapers called us the Seven Wonders. We were a group of friends, that’s all, and then Toby died. Was killed. Murdered.
1905. A decade after the grisly murder of Oxford student Toby Feynsham, the case remains hauntingly unsolved. For Jeremy Kite, the crime not only stole his best friend, it destroyed his whole life. When an anonymous letter lands on his desk, accusing him of having killed Toby, Jem becomes obsessed with finally uncovering the truth.
Jem begins to track down the people who were there the night Toby died – a close circle of friends once known as the ‘Seven Wonders’ for their charm and talent – only to find them as tormented and broken as himself. All of them knew and loved Toby at Oxford. Could one of them really be his killer?
As Jem grows closer to uncovering what happened that night, his pursuer grows bolder, making increasingly terrifying attempts to silence him for good. Will exposing Toby’s killer put to rest the shadows that have darkened Jem’s life for so long? Or will the gruesome truth only put him in more danger?
Some secrets are better left buried…
From the bestselling, acclaimed author of The Magpie Lord and The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen comes a chilling historical mystery with a sting in the tail. You won’t be able to put this gripping story down!
Death In the Spires is foremost a murder mystery. While there are some queer romantic elements, it is one man’s quest to solve the decade-old murder of his friend, an incident that destroyed his life.
The story is set in Oxford at the turn of the century and in Jeremy Kite’s POV. Jeremy, a mathematics major, is there on a scholarship. He’s painfully conscious of his club foot and provincial accent, especially when surrounded by sons of lords and maharajahs.
On his first day, he was adopted into a group that became known as the Feynsham set.
Toby Feynsham – a marquis’s son and fearless leader of the group. He has the audacity of someone who doesn’t worry about the consequences.
Nicky Rook – Toby’s best friend since childhood. Nicky is blunt and sarcastic. He’s also known to be in love with Toby. Later became Jem’s lover.
Hugo Morley-Adam – a rich man’s son and a celebrated athlete. He and Nicky were fencing rivals. Hugo is a likable fellow and has political ambitions
Ella – Toby’s twin sister and the more cerebral of the two. A statuesque woman, Ella is a chemistry major. She and Aaron started dating later on
Pru – Ella’s friend and a mathematics major. Pru is petite, more introverted and, like Jem, came from a working class background
Aaron – an African man majoring in medicine. Aaron is also into athletics and frequently runs with Hugo. They also discovered he cannot act when the group auditioned for a Shakespearean play.The group made waves around the campus and even starred in Cymbeline, a hit among the students. At their peak, the Feynsham set was glorious. Then Toby was found dead, everyone was suspect.
Ten years later, Jem received a letter accusing him of the murder, so he decided to investigate.
I love Jem! He’s smol, he’s tired, he’s jobless and almost broke, and his leg hurts, but our boy’s not leaving any stones unturned. He’s a man who wants to start living his life and he can only do that if he puts spectres of the past to rest once and for all.
The plot alternates between flashbacks to university days and the present day. Jem was forced to swallow bitter truths, reopen old wounds, and reveal secret crimes during his investigation.
The complicated relationships of different personalities, their spectacularly vitriolic fallout, and their begrudging reunion interweave with the author’s go-to themes of class difference, excesses of privilege, the importance of consent, and the right to bodily autonomy.
Jem also reunites with Nicky. The romance here is very HFN. I didn’t like it but we were warned this is not romance-centric.
I love the dark academia vibe! K.J. Charles always has a way of making her settings immersive. Gaslit streets, pea soup fog, imposing ancient buildings, and shadowy figures stalking Jem popped up like movie scenes in my mind.
The mystery was twisty-turny, suspenseful, and very effectively made me thoroughly invested in finding the truth. I thought I had a handle on it, knowing the author’s style, but she still pulled off some unexpected reveals.
And, of course, the writing. Apart from the nuanced characters and plot twists, the author’s sharp wit, humor, and overall word wizardry make reading a breeze while also being a masterclass in writing.
Overall, Death In The Spires is a vision of youth through rose-colored glasses and jaundiced eyes. Brilliantly written, wonderfully atmospheric and as gripping and addictive as promised!
Rating:
4 Stars – minor quibbles but I loved it to bitsSoundtrack: Shake It Out
Artist: Florence + The Machine
Album: Ceremonials
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DEATH IN THE SPIRES: Kindle I Audiobook
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