A nice and complex locked-room mystery set in a mysterious mansion in the remote corners of Yorkshire Lodge.
Blackstone Fell is the third book in the Rachel Savernake series. I didn’t read the previous books and I don’t think it’s needed to have done so. I was surprised by the plot, its characters and the complexity of the different cases. I definitely felt some Agatha Christie vibes, especially in the end when all the suspects are gathered and Rachel unravels the mysteries. The book contains other elements of classic crime fiction, but I won’t give them away.
Rachel annoyed me in the beginning, I must admit, but I warmed up to her throughout the book. She loves mysteries and puzzles, and she’s a very rational character. In this story, she’s confronted with the occult and strong belief in spiritualism which adds a challenge to the resolution of the cases.
The writing is great and engaging, even though I could have done with less description of the mundane scenes.
Loved the “Cluefinder” at the end of the book, it was a great idea. This where the author identifies the pages on which clues appeared. I had my suspicions throughout the read but I only figured out who the villain was at the very end. Some of the clues I noticed, others completely passed me by.
A great read!
Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the advanced ARC!
Book Traveller 