The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle

Edinburgh Nights, Book 3

By: T. L. Huchu

Narrated by: Kimberly Mandindo

Length: 10 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's summary

Duels, magic, and plenty of ghosts await in The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle, the third book of T. L. Huchu's USA Today bestselling Edinburgh Nights series.

Everyone’s favorite fifteen-year-old ghostalker, Ropa, arrives at the worldwide Society of Skeptical Enquirers’ biennial conference just in time to be tied into a mystery—a locked room mystery, if an entire creepy haunted castle on lockdown counts. One of the magical attendees has stolen a valuable magical scroll.

Caught between Qozmos, the high wizard of Ethiopian magic; the larger-than-life Lord Sashvindu Samarasinghe; England’s Sorcerer Royal; and Scotland’s own Edmund MacLeod, it’s up to Ropa (and Jomo and Priya) to sort through the dangerous secret politics and alliances to figure out what really happened. But she has a special tool—the many ghosts tied to the ancient, powerful castle.

Edinburgh Nights series:

Library of the Dead

Our Lady of Mysterious Ailments

The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle

A Macmillan Audio production from Tor Books.

©2023 T. L. Huchu (P)2023 Macmillan Audio

Entertaining but Disappointing

This is a very well-written book that gives Ropa along with characters from the two previous novels an entertaining problem to solve -- the locked room mystery -- and includes class and social commentary without sacrificing plot or suspense. The story hurtles along and is entertaining, with surprises at multiple turns. Ropa's funny dry wit is fully in evidence and as with the other books, the world-building is rich and imaginative.

And that's about all that's good about it. It becomes obvious in the last third of the book that ONLY the locked room mystery is going to get addressed and indeed that's what happens -- the bare minimum in terms of conclusion. Everything else about Ropa and her situation is left hanging, with no answers. Additionally in the final pages all three novel's worth of character and world-building, the emotional investment readers have in Ropa's life and situation, are basically thrown in the fire.

I'm not sure what the author was thinking or trying to do - invert / subvert expectations by taking Ropa's story in an entirely -- and I mean ENTIRELY -- different direction? Show that the world is a dark and cynical place and you can't fight the system even if you are a hero? I have no idea. Ropa's story certainly can continue; the groundwork for that clearly has been laid here. However I'm not sure I really care anymore.

I know I don't read fantasy novels for this. I don't invest in characters and worlds over multiple books for this. If I wanted defeatist 'everything is horrible and nothing matters' nihlism I'd pick up a newspaper; I don't need or want it from the entertainment on which I'm spending money.

Love this series!

I found this series by accident and so glad I did. Ropa has now become one of my favorite characters ever.

I missed so much

I am seven hour into this and I remain confused. There are numerous indistinguishable characters that have added to that confusion. I really enjoyed the first two books. T.L. Huchu's writing easily transports me to the Isle of Skye. I am deeply impressed by the author. I am imagining the author intends this confusion in order to wrap things up as the end nears with a twist and a few surprises.

Imagine my surprise when I get to the end of the audiobook and realize there was a summary of people and places. I wish that would have been made available as a PDF. It would have illuminated so much.

Ultimately, I enjoyed the book though it took far too long to get to the point. So many tangents that seemed to dull my interest rather than excite my anticipation. I know there will be a book four but I think I'm done for awhile.

A Rollicking Adventure

The Mystery at Dunvegan Castle was one of my most anticipated books of the year and it lived up to expectations. I’m not a reader who needs to be shocked by the final twist in a mystery. What I want is to enjoy the ride all along the way and once again T L Huchu has given me that gift. I had such a good time! This is a bit of an unusual locked room mystery and there are a number of viable suspects. Our heroine is brave, fallible, and slightly less likely to leap without looking…slightly. Regardless, she is as sharp tongued and quick witted, and well voiced, by Kimberly Mandindo, as ever. I can’t wait for the next book.