Murder at Spindle Manor

The Lamplight Murder Mysteries, Book 1

De: Morgan Stang

Narrado por: Shiromi Arserio

Mysteries abound in Spindle Manor.

For Huntress Isabeau Agarwal, the countryside inn is the last stop in a deadly hunt. Armed with a gaslamp and guns, she tracks an insidious beast that wears the skin of its victims, mimicking them perfectly. Ten guests reside within Spindle Manor tonight, and the creature could be any one of them. Confined by a torrential thunderstorm and running out of time, Isabeau has until morning to discover the liar, or none of them—including her—will make it out alive.

But her inhuman quarry isn't the only threat residing in Spindle Manor.

Gunshots.

A slammed door.

A dead body.

Someone has been killed, and a hunt turns into a murder investigation. Now with two mysteries at her feet and more piling up, Isabeau must navigate a night filled with lies and deception. In a world of seances and specters, mesmers and monsters, the unexpected is hiding around every corner, and every move may be her last.

©2022 Morgan Stang (P)2025 Podium Audio

Well Performed, Well Written

This book I bet was written in a way I suspect was easy for the voice actors to work with, with vivid descriptions, lots of 19th century plot points that fit well into the setting. Book has a lot of fun, small details like the 13th chapter and the gestures of Penny.

Story is one of those easily grasping yet easily unique, i.e Agatha Christie meets lovely old fashioned body horror, and as such, fits together well.

Great

I never suspected I needed a humorous gaslamp fantasy horror murder mystery in my life, but here we are. Murder at Spindle Manor was a delight. I devoured it in two sittings and started the sequel immediately after finishing it. What made it so immersive? I’ll try to answer this question.

Huntress Isabeau Agarwal lives to slay monsters. She serves Nobles (inhuman giants with dope powers) and in some ways is above the law. Her mission is simple - track down Doppelvyrm, a shape-shifting creature able to pose as a human, before it gets to the city of Lamplight. She ends up in a spooky haunted mansion, where someone is murdered, which makes her life more complicated. More work, two cases to solve.

Outside the mansion, there’s a tumultuous thunderstorm. Inside the mansion, all hell breaks loose. The story weaves together elements of comedy, horror, fantasy, and murder mystery, and it works on every level. Everyone gathered there could have a motive for murder. Being trapped between a murderer and a skin-wearing monster isn’t exactly fun. Especially since Isabeau has until morning to unveil the true identity of the creature, or no one, including herself, will make it out alive. Why? That’s a spoiler.

I loved how well-crafted and well-timed comedic interludes balanced darker moments and broke the tension when needed. The sense of danger and suspense never goes away, and horror elements, while chilling, never cross into poor taste. The story kept me on the edge of my seat, offering both humorous relief and a hopeful tone amid its darker moments.

The narrative may seem pretty straightforward, but both mysteries (who killed? Where’s the monster?) turn surprisingly complex, and I doubt anyone will guess the truth early on. The characters are vibrant and multi-dimensional, each with their own secrets and motives. And if you crave excitement, you’ll get lots of it, complete with seances, specters, mesmers, and monsters.

The review is already long, but I need to say a few words about the characters. Isabeau Agarwal is a great protagonist. She’s focused and excellent with guns and logic. Turns out she’s also good at solving murders and dealing with ghosts. She gives the impression of someone stern and cold, but when you get to know her, you realize she’s beautiful on the inside. Her sidekick, Evie, is incredibly fun. And then, there’s Penny: a young woman who recently passed away and was revived through the fusion of mesmer and medium magic, now existing as a “living doll person.” She cannot speak as her mouth is perpetually sewn shut - if it were ever unsealed, her soul would leave her body, and she’d die for good this time. You’ll come to love her.

Murder at Spindle Manor will keep you guessing until the very last page. I loved the book and highly recommend it to others.

No Mystery About It, Spindle Manor Is The Best

This is an incredible book. It scratches all the itches for a snappy, twisty murder mystery set in a compelling steampunk gaslamp world. The characters come to life effortlessly and the banter is witty and wonderful. Everything about this story is placed intentionally, well crafted and intelligently brought together by the end. I cannot recommend this title, this series, and the author Morgan Stang highly enough. The sequel comes to Audible in a month’s time, and I absolutely cannot wait. Do yourself a favor: get this book.