Devi Nair
π§ Listened in audio π’ Narrated by Derek Jacobi & Joe Jameson β± Duration: 9 hours π Publishing date: January 6, 2026 π·οΈ Publisher: Harper Audio / William Morrow (Penguin) π ARC provided by NetGalley π Genre: Cozy Mystery
I requested this ARC purely on vibes. Specifically after a glowing review from a fellow blogger whose taste I usually trust. And while The Murder at World's End was undeniably interesting, it didn't quite earn my raves.
I was expecting classic detective energy: Sherlock and Watson, Poirot and Hastings, or even the latest Aubrey Merritt and Olivia Blunt created by Liza Tully. The tried-and-true formula of "brilliant mind + competent but clearly secondary assistant". Instead, what we get is a dynamic that constantly undercuts itself.
Miss Decima Stockingham is introduced as an eccentric and exceedingly brilliant octogenarian, but she comes off as erratic and unserious, sometimes even worse. She misses clues, accepts testimonies that are questionable, and when outperformed by side characters, claims she "knew it all along, and was about to suggest the same". It doesn't feel clever. It feels retroactively patched. That disconnect made it hard for me to trust the investigation, or her intellect, even when the narrative insists I should.
That said, the bones of the mystery are strong. The 1910 Cornwall backdrop, a sealed manor during Haley's Comet panic, a clever locked-room murder with an intriguing howdunit twist (I'm losing count on locked-room murders that I've read just this month! Seems to be my thing this Holiday season), and the motives rooted in family secrets kept me hooked.
The setting was dripping with gothic charm. Montgomery's concept of pairing an octogenarian amateur sleuth with a supposedly subservient manservant who quietly proves sharper and more grounded, is a fascinating counterbalance. That's fresh and charming in the cozy crime world. Their banter adds spark and the Edwardian atmosphere brings unique flavor. I'm genuinely intrigued for the next in the Stockingham & Pike series.
Would I recommend it? Solid, but not a standout... yet! There's potential. It might benefit in the long run to follow this series from the start. This might become a best-seller soon. Mark your calendars for January 6, 2026. I'm not obsessed yet, but I'm definitely curious, and curiosity counts!!!
End of the World, Locked Doors & Elderly Sleuths Do you prefer your detectives flawlessly brilliant, or gloriously chaotic? And how much luck is too much luck when it comes to solving a murder? Let's talk locked rooms, unreliable geniuses, and whether this duo would work for you or not.
Originally posted at www.viewsshewrites.com.
π§ Listened in audio π’ Narrated by Derek Jacobi & Joe Jameson β± Duration: 9 hours π Publishing date: January 6, 2026 π·οΈ Publisher: Harper Audio / William Morrow (Penguin) π ARC provided by NetGalley π Genre: Cozy Mystery
I requested this ARC purely on vibes. Specifically after a glowing review from a fellow blogger whose taste I usually trust. And while The Murder at World's End was undeniably interesting, it didn't quite earn my raves.
I was expecting classic detective energy: Sherlock and Watson, Poirot and Hastings, or even the latest Aubrey Merritt and Olivia Blunt created by Liza Tully. The tried-and-true formula of "brilliant mind + competent but clearly secondary assistant". Instead, what we get is a dynamic that constantly undercuts itself.
Miss Decima Stockingham is introduced as an eccentric and exceedingly brilliant octogenarian, but she comes off as erratic and unserious, sometimes even worse. She misses clues, accepts testimonies that are questionable, and when outperformed by side characters, claims she "knew it all along, and was about to suggest the same". It doesn't feel clever. It feels retroactively patched. That disconnect made it hard for me to trust the investigation, or her intellect, even when the narrative insists I should.
That said, the bones of the mystery are strong. The 1910 Cornwall backdrop, a sealed manor during Haley's Comet panic, a clever locked-room murder with an intriguing howdunit twist (I'm losing count on locked-room murders that I've read just this month! Seems to be my thing this Holiday season), and the motives rooted in family secrets kept me hooked.
The setting was dripping with gothic charm. Montgomery's concept of pairing an octogenarian amateur sleuth with a supposedly subservient manservant who quietly proves sharper and more grounded, is a fascinating counterbalance. That's fresh and charming in the cozy crime world. Their banter adds spark and the Edwardian atmosphere brings unique flavor. I'm genuinely intrigued for the next in the Stockingham & Pike series.
Would I recommend it? Solid, but not a standout... yet! There's potential. It might benefit in the long run to follow this series from the start. This might become a best-seller soon. Mark your calendars for January 6, 2026. I'm not obsessed yet, but I'm definitely curious, and curiosity counts!!!
End of the World, Locked Doors & Elderly Sleuths Do you prefer your detectives flawlessly brilliant, or gloriously chaotic? And how much luck is too much luck when it comes to solving a murder? Let's talk locked rooms, unreliable geniuses, and whether this duo would work for you or not.
Originally posted at www.viewsshewrites.com.