Death in the Spires
A completely gripping and addictive historical mystery
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- $0.99
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- $0.99
Publisher Description
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!
What readers are saying about Death in the Spires:
‘I completely adored this. Oh my god I can't even begin to explain how perfect I found this book. I can feel it sitting under my chest still.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I devoured this book in a few short hours, I was enthralled from beginning to end. This book reminded me of If We Were Villains, it read like a dark academia with a murder mystery twist.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘An absolutely thrilling ‘‘who done it’’ set in 19th century Oxford, I could not put this book down.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A gripping murder mystery that skilfully reveals the next pieces of the puzzle to the reader... I wholeheartedly recommend KJ Charles' new book to fans of murder mysteries, dark academia… It is so worth it!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘That was masterful! KJ Charles has written another 5-star book.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Well-written characters you care about, and a satisfying ending. Fabulous!’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘These characters got under my skin and will remain there for a long time. It's gripping, tense, and atmospheric, but also insightful and compassionate.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘I found this book deeply moving, completely engrossing and 5+ stars and a Recommended Read if you have the heart for it.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘This is near perfection from all angles – as a multi-layered mystery, as a reflection on class and power, and as a thriller with romantic elements. This is a book the description of ‘‘page-turner’’ was made for.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Had me spinning the whole time figuring out who did it, and the pay-out was high. What an excellent job.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘A book that grabs hold of you, holds on tight, and hauls you along, breathless at an ever-increasing speed until the end.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
‘Death in the Spires swept me off my feet and broke my heart, then put it back together again.’ Reader review, ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Customer Reviews
Death in the Spires
This book was riveting from the first pages. KJ Charles writes characters like no one else. These are real people with imperfections and worries and limitations that make them all the more heroic in their battles against themselves.
The plot was wondrously Christie-like. Each paragraph was a mystery to unwind, a search for meaning in every word or phrase. Jem was a gem for being entirely too human and too small, all the better for making big discoveries through bluff and blunder.
And the increased pressure not just to discover a murderer but to find the truth about the murder. That was amazing.
Well done.
Now I must wait for the next book, since I’ve all the ones before. C
Scintillating and compelling
An excellent and natural pivot for KJ, with emotional and satisfying results.
Engrossing Historical Mystery
Death in the Spires is an excellent historical mystery by KJ Charles. Charles notes in the front of the book as well as in other spaces that this is not a romance. There is a MM romantic subplot involving the main character, but the central driving force in this novel is the murder mystery.
And oh what a mystery it is. I do not like to give details about mysteries because I find the development of the story is part of the enjoyment. However, this book deals with issues of race, gender, sexuality, autonomy, wealth, entitlement, and class, all subjects that Charles is a master of exploring.
I really enjoyed Death in the Spires. It is an engaging and engrossing mystery with good characters, smart writing, and an excellent sense of place. I look forward to any future mysteries KJ Charles might write.
Thank you to Storm Publishing, NetGalley and the author for the advance reader copy. All opinions are solely my own.