Like a few other readers, I went into this one expecting gothic themes, an eery scavenger hunt, and a ghost or two. But instead, it was a mishmash of too many things and ended up being a bit of a letdown. A couple of references definitely went over my head but even that aside, there were too many characters with not enough depth, too many directions it tried to go down (instead of just picking a lane) and too much lagging.

In a nutshell, Tuesday Mooney is a bit of a loner who works as a researcher for a charity. When she discovers that a local millionaire, Vincent Pryce, has died and left behind a treasure hunt that pays homage to his idol, Edgar Allen Poe, she and her semi-best friend Dex (plus her young neighbour and a bunch of other people) try and crack the puzzles that will lead them to the prize - Pryce's fortune.

Based on the description, there was so much potential for this one to be an unputdownable read, but unfortunately, it was lost on me. The clues felt overly complicated (again, I could have been missing some references, I'm not a huge Poe fan and I've never read <i>The Westing Game</i> that everyone says it is similar to) and the build-up was so slow. There were also some secondary and tertiary storylines that didn't really add anything to the main plot and instead just distracted us from the treasure hunt. Plus one big unanswered question (but no spoilers here).

I was really confused by Tuesday's character. At first, I thought she was a bit of an introverted outcast on the spectrum based on the descriptions of her. I'm still not sure why she only wore black. She's described as eccentric but as the story went on, I wasn't getting that vibe from her. As an MC, she was very two-dimensional and lacked depth in my opinion.

Overall, too long-winded, too many things happening, and not enough character exploration for me.

Tuesday Mooney keeps mostly to herself, working and occasionally begrudgingly socialising. But when one of Boston’s most eccentric billionaires, Vincent Pryce, dies at a fundraising event, leaving behind an epic treasure hunt across the city, puzzle-loving Tuesday cannot resist. Joined by a ragtag crew of misfits, Tuesday must summon the courage to face the ghosts of her past in order to solve the clues left by Pryce in the present.

I really enjoyed the characters and the quirky humour of this book. Thanks in particular to Dex, I found Tuesday Mooney Wore Black highly entertaining to read. However, the story itself could have been a lot better. The plot was a little bit simple and vague, and the whole thing was really held together by the characters and humour alone. The eccentricities of Tuesday and her cohort are both excellent and the *entire* point of the book, which I honestly didn’t hate, but any novel really ought be able to stand on the strength of the story, not just the quirks.

The paranormal element could also have been developed further. I spent most of the book unsure whether there truly was a ghostly presence in the story, or if it was simply a figment of Tuesday’s imagination. On the whole, I did enjoy reading Tuesday Mooney, but it lacked significant oomph.

Oh I love a puzzle! The more clues the better. I loved the concept of this book. Immensely engaging and fast paced. Highly recommend it.

Thank you for providing me with an advance review copy of this book. Enjoyed reading, would recommend....

3/5 Good

This is funny, quirky, heart warming story from Kate Raculla and one that took me by surprise in a good way.

It’s different , unique and it’s fun.

Lots to like about Tuesday Mooney..

Would Recommend

What an adventure book!
From the beginning, the plot pulls you in. The mystery and adventure the characters are almost dragged is simply marvelous. I as the reader was constantly thinking about the possible treasure. I also really like how many mysteries and crimes are solved within the book.
I like the characters and I like the relationship between the main characters. I like that they have drama and problems between them that they have to go through. And I really like Tuesday, she’s such an odd character and from the start she intrigued me. I loved learning about her insecurities and her softer side and everything else about her.
All in all, a brilliant adventure with marvelous characters

I just didn't click with this book to me the supernatural element was also very strange, and felt out of place but
Other readers may enjoy this book, i did think I might enjoy it in the very beginning, but it really lost steam towards the end.

This is one of those books that's best read for yourself because any review really won't do it justice. There's so much random juicy stuff in here - treasure hunting, puzzle solving, games and mystery, but with an underlying theme of grief and coming to terms with the tough times in life.

A unique book with a fascinating plot.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC without obligation.

Tuesday Mooney goes on an amazing adventure following clues set by a dead billionaire. A funny story with plot twists and great characters!

This book wasn’t like my usual style of reading.
I did enjoy this book but felt the pacing wasn’t right.

Ah, I do enjoy treasure-hunt narratives. The quest itself, the thrills and (sometimes) race against time - perfect for constructing a gripping, page-turning and enjoyable read.

TUESDAY MOONEY WORE BLACK is one of those novels. It's fun, engaging throughout, and peppered with interesting and well-used references.

Really looking forward to the author's next novel.

Well, this was... messy? I don't even know anymore... Tuesday Mooney Wore Black started from a great premise: billionaire treasure hunt with a quirky and mismatched groups of people? I was sold! Unfortunately, the more I read the less I enjoyed it, and by the time I got to the end I was speechless and not in a good way.

The idea for this was absolutely brilliant, and I loved the initial set up and mystery. As the story progressed, however, it started to get more and more complicated. I usually enjoy a good complex mystery, and even mixing up elements from various genres in one story, making it more original and avoiding the usual tropes. Here, though, it felt like the book was trying to do too many things at the same time, and didn't leave itself space to do any one of them fully.

Character development was also hit-and-miss for me. Tuesday and her neighbour Dorry were definitely my favourite characters and they both grow loads throughout the book, which I loved to see. The rest of the cast... meh. There were way too many characters, some of which really felt like little more than placeholders, so much so that I could hardly remember their names let alone why they were there in the first place. And even with the most important supporting characters, by the time we finally got to the ending they fell completely flat.

[SPOILER]

Overall, I was really sad not to have liked this more, but there were too many inconsistencies for me to fully enjoy it. I definitely seem to be in the minority here though, so if the blurb intrigues you give it a go and see what you think!

Like a lot of readers this cover and synopsis intrigued me. Who wouldn’t love to read about a treasure hunt around the city of Boston, set up by a billionaire? I know that as a 30 something year old you’re never to old to take part in games and have fun, that is what this book was.

I loved the air of mystery surrounding the whole story. What was the point of the treasure hunt? What were the clues? Who was Vincent Pryce? Perhaps more importantly what was Nathaniel Arches story? All of these questions are answered and neatly tied up by the end but the adventure getting there was brilliant!

Tuesday Mooney was a delight. Yes she was a loner but she wasn’t as disconnected from the world as I first thought. She was stubborn, outspoken and highly observant which all served her well throughout the story. I think she was someone who was happy with her own company and didn’t feel the need to surround herself with huge numbers of people but she wasn’t shy as you’d expect her to be. She breamed with confidence and attitude which I loved! Dex was another great character. He was everything you would want in a best friend and I loved the relationship between him and Tuesday. Granted there was a moment towards the end of the book where I thought Tuesday could of done with a little more than an umbrella, as a helping hand, but overall the bond between these two characters was strong and their friendship true. My heart broke for Dorry. Ultimately she needed closure and when he true motives behind the game were revealed I wanted to wrap her up in my arms and give her the biggest hug I could summon.

The only thing I wanted extra from this book was a bit more of a treasure hunt. It started off very strong but I felt after the ‘invitation’ had been found it fell a bit flat before the funeral. The funeral itself was spectacular, the costumes were amazing and the ‘interview’ was intriguing. I don’t know how I would feel about their transport methods but the final showdown in the house was fantastic. As I mentioned previously I think a few of the people (other than Dorry) could of helped Tuesday out but it still made for a dramatic scene.

My favourite part was learning about the Arches story. This story within the story was a great addition and wow that family had some serious issues! If I was Tuesday I would probably distance myself from that brood and get on with my life. Their family was complicated but I enjoyed the connection to Vincent Pryce, it was well thought out.

Overall this was a fantastic read that I took pure enjoyment from and I believe one of the lessons behind the treasure hunt is something we could all learn from.

“A living isn’t something you make it’s something you do.”

If you like treasure hunts, then you will like this. Tuesday Mooney is a strange character, she likes to be alone and keeps herself to herself, however she ends up enrolled in a national treasure hunt after an eccentric millionaire drops dead at fund raising event she is attending.

Tuesday ends up working with Nathaniel Arches, who she cannot fathom and knows something is being hidden from her. His family have a long known feud with the dead millionaire which adds to the mystery surrounding the treasure hunt.

A enjoyable read about a girl that doesn’t quite fit into normal society.

This is the story of the 'walk into the room and everyone turns' Tuesday Mooney, who was always seen as different, from a young age there were rumours about her, and we get a sense that something huge happened. Now. in the modern day, there has been a death, and an extremely wealthy eccentric has prepared a treasure hunt that has groups forming to claim the bounty. 

I loved how Tuesday met and joined with the characters she did, some of whom had such sad back stories. I loved the creepiness and gothic air to so much of the book, and the betrayal and amazing friendship too. I swallowed this book down whenever I could get to it, and was gutted to reach the end. Creepy, gothic and yet feel good too! Thanks so much to HarperCollins and Netgalley for the book in return for an honest review.

Rating:4.5/5

Loved this book and couldn't wait to get to the end. Interesting story. Tuesday is a bit different from a lot of other heroines but she is funny and has an eclectic group of people around her. I enjoyed the treasure hunt and the way the story unfolded a riveting read.

Tantalisingly addictive read. From the first chapter you are taken on a ride of intrigue, secrets and puzzles that have you hooked to the final conclusion. Worthy read.

I really enjoyed this book and hope it's the start of a series!

Tuesday Mooney would definitely been on my friend radar at school and as an adult. Such a quirky character and I loved her interactions with Dex, Dorry and the Archeses. When an eccentric millionaire dies and leaves a puzzle behind to unlock his fortune Tuesday takes up the challenge. I loved all the gothic/horror nods in Tuesday Mooney especially Edgar Alan Poe!

This is a follow up book. I haven’t read that yet but wish I had. Loved this story and Tuesday is fab. A leading character you can really warm too. I’ll give it 4/5 and go and buy Tuesday Mooney wears Black!

2.5 Stars
This book definitely has a Ready Player One and Caraval feeling to it. Hold on, hold on!! I love Ready Player One and thoroughly enjoyed Caraval so let me explain. At the beginning of this book this eccentric billionaire who has a fascination with everything horror dies! He leaves behind this hunt that is open for everyone to participate in and the winner gets…. EVERYTHING!! See.. you get that Ready Player One and Caraval vibe. I’m not going to lie, I thoroughly enjoyed this aspect of the storyline, as I am a MASSIVE fan of not only all things horror myself, but of treasure hunts. It’s always nice to see everything click together, with one clue leading to the next clue, which is also a great way to move the storyline along. But that is where the comparison of those books comes to an end.

The storyline was good enough to keep me interested for its duration, but it’s not one that is going to stick with me. It was the storyline and how it progressed through that got me through the book. The characters were quite one dimensional and lacking for a book that is 425 pages long, which is surprising, and more time should have been spent of the development of those characters. I couldn’t really connect to any of them and there was a lot of generic character traits within this book, that still didn’t give me what I wanted as a reader.