Shawn
The premise is great — six crime writers stuck on a luxury train, one drops dead mid-panel, everyone’s got motive. Stevenson is clearly having fun with the meta-commentary and the fourth-wall nudges, and the Archie Bench / GHOST code payoffs are genuinely clever. But I found the mystery itself a bit too crowded. Too many threads, too many reveals, and by the time Harriet stepped forward I felt more relieved than surprised. The proposal disaster is the most entertaining stretch in the book. Worth it for fans of the first one, but I’d temper expectations going in.
The premise is great — six crime writers stuck on a luxury train, one drops dead mid-panel, everyone’s got motive. Stevenson is clearly having fun with the meta-commentary and the fourth-wall nudges, and the Archie Bench / GHOST code payoffs are genuinely clever. But I found the mystery itself a bit too crowded. Too many threads, too many reveals, and by the time Harriet stepped forward I felt more relieved than surprised. The proposal disaster is the most entertaining stretch in the book. Worth it for fans of the first one, but I’d temper expectations going in.
Really enjoyed this one. Darker and more psychologically honest than most fairy tale retellings, and the found family that assembles to take down the villain is genuinely great — especially Hester and Penelope. The I am not Falada moment is one of my favorite things I’ve read this year. Slight drag in the middle but worth pushing through.
Really enjoyed this one. Darker and more psychologically honest than most fairy tale retellings, and the found family that assembles to take down the villain is genuinely great — especially Hester and Penelope. The I am not Falada moment is one of my favorite things I’ve read this year. Slight drag in the middle but worth pushing through.