A top-ranking secretive investigation company in secret tunnels under a dilapidated London bookshop and despite all the secretive secrecy, one of their employees has been murdered on the secret premises. An inside job, surely.
Giving it the air of international appeal, the character selection is tickboxy - a Senegalese Brit in charge, a brilliant Chinese mind, a Pakistani head of department. With an avalanche of characters alternatingly addressed by first names and surnames, the reader has to memorise twice as many names. Very improbable then that this vast secret army could all enter and leave undetected through a trapdoor in a book shop. No twitchy curtains in that neighbourhood for sure! Throughout, I could not shake off the Blytonesque whiff about it - expected to see Timmy the dog to come charging out of the tunnels.
Getting sillier by the page, stuck it out to 25% - DNF.

3 ½ stars really. When I first received this, I thought I had made a mistake and requested a YA adventure. Maybe the title and cover gives that impression. Found it a bit slow going at first but the plot did develop more rapidly later. Marion has a foot in both 'worlds', above and below ground and is having trouble combining the two, when one of her co-workers is found dead. An enjoyable adventure but not sure I would read another one. Thanks to Netgalley for the read.

Not my usual reading fare I have to admit but I thoroughly enjoyed it as it challenged my idea of thriller and mystery, it’s well written and flows well and I think the author has a lot more to give to the reading public and I look forward to reading them all

Sadly I really did not get on with this style of writing. As others have commented it would be good premise for a YA novel if written with a rather more familiar style. It took a while to get into and really needs to draw the reader in sooner and with more explanation . As it stands the mix of mystery, magic, murder and gadgets was not to my liking.

This is a lot of fun to read. A breakneck pace, and the world of the tunnels under London, inhabited by an unorthodox detective agency with an array of fantastical gadgets, is well written.

It's a quick, enjoyable read, and Marion herself is an engaging lead who will clearly go on to have further adventures - I just feel this might be more successful if marketed at a YA audience who are ready to move on from those wizard books. Having said that I enjoyed this as a light, fun undemanding read.

I’m quite frustrated by this book as I think that there is plenty of potential in both the premise and the author but can’t help feeling that this isn’t the final draft that either deserves.

Orphaned Marion Lane is living with Dolores, the kind of grandmother you would have happily fed to the wolf if he’d come knocking, in 1958 London. Her grandmother is keen to marry her off to any takers but Marion is rescued by Frank, an old friend of her mother, who secures a job for her at Miss Brickman’s secret agency, housed in the tunnels beneath London. Before she knows it, while still a first-year apprentice, Marion find herself helping to investigate the murder of Michelle White, another of Miss Brookmans employees. Can she help save Frank’s life and reputation before it’s too late?

Firstly, the time period. Although I understand why this is set in the 50s as it is central to the plot, the actual story sits really badly there in my opinion. There are elements of steam punk which would’ve worked well with the Victorian period or alternatively setting it in the present day could’ve had lots of interesting opportunities. I know that we are told that this is sat in the 50s but there is no 50s feel about it, either in dress, description or behaviour.

Additionally, despite the fact that we are told that there is a huge network of drop boxes through which the agency operates, as far as I can see that only ever seems to be one case that they are working on at a time in the whole of London. Is it me, or is that a bit weird? additionally, the gadgets seem quite strange and honestly, a bit lacklustre.

In terms of Marion herself, even after finishing the book, I just can’t picture her. Bill and Kenny are both described but I never really had an image of a most of the characters in my mind that held very well. I think that finding ways of creating images of the character for us to hold onto is needed.

I also thought that the villain was a bit meh, although the weapon was suitably dastardly, although parts of that was quite strange and not well thought through. I didn’t love the moving walls or the rip off of Rowling’s Marauder’s Map either.

BUT, if we are given more and better descriptions, the love triangle is developed and the period is never mentioned again, a next instalment could see this idea really move forward.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

This is not your standard murder mystery detective novel, which is what I was expecting. This is a lot more fun and extremely creative.

Set in London in 1958, there is an underground labyrinth of corridors beneath the city and this is the home of Miss Brickett's Secret Detective Agency. This agency is somewhat known as a myth or legend to the locals, however, all over the city, there are secret compartments hidden within walls where letters can be deposited from people who seeking the agency’s help.

Marion Lane, who is 23 years old is one of the new recruits to the agency. She has only been there for a few months when there is a murder within the agency. Marion is a sharp-witted and curious girl, so when she learns of her close colleague being apprehended for the murder, she takes it upon herself to solve the mystery and clear his name.

As mentioned, this is not the usual straightforward Agatha Christie type of murder mystery, this is something special as it is combined with highly imaginative and dangerous gadgets, not dissimilar to what you would find in a James Bond novel/film, along with creepy hidden tunnels with moving walls and plenty of hidden dark mysterious secrets. As Marion takes you on her journey of solving the mystery, you are submerged into a wild and surreal mystery tour!

I had a lot of fun reading this story as it took me out of reality, just wonderful escapism. I loved how the underground labyrinth was inspired by the underground tunnels in Valletta, Malta, which has now been added to my bucket list!

A charming yet action packed murder mystery with some fabulous characters and a hefty dose of intrigue.

I can certainly see why there are so many mentions of Harry Potter in the reviews for this novel. The concept of a secret institution, Professors at every corner and tunnels that change direction certainly suggests that T. A Willberg was inspired by the Harry Potter series. However the post-war setting and the amount of gadgets screams James Bond to me, albeit perhaps slightly dialled down.

The style of writing felt directed towards a YA audience in my opinion, particularly with the inclusion of monsters, young apprentices and booby - trapped corridors.
This isn't a criticism of the writing at all. The characters are so well rounded and I really admired that the main characters, although opposite genders and very close, seemed to have a rock-solid platonic friendship.

The shifts in time were also a very clever addition to the story of Marion Lane. As well as allowing us to get to know Marion, her family and her personal history better, the time lapses intensify the mysterious elements and lead the reader down so many suspect rabbit-holes that we feel as confused as our protagonist.

The pace of the writing definitely speeds up significantly towards the end of the novel but this feels deliberate rather than rushed. It really helps to place the reader in Marion's shoes during her dangerous predicament and keeps us wanting more.

A very intelligent YA murder mystery with lots to love. This could be the next Percy Jackson or Hunger Games.

Alchemy. Secret underground tunnels. A labrynth of secrets and intrigue. A set of very unique private investigators and a murder mystery set in the darkness underneath London's 1950' streets. This was truly like James Bond meets Sherlock Holmes meets Harry Potter.

This was such a delightful book. I was utterly captivated and drawn into this unique world underneath the ground. It has all the elements of a favourite novel.... Underground bunkers (always been obsessed with them, since working at one of the most famous but secret ones in England...) murder, detectives, alchemy and 'magic'. Some have likened this story to the Harry Potter books and I do see what they mean, although this story contains no real magic, but more the gadgetry of the James Bond series. Its also slightly more grown up, with adult protagonists and this 'Hogwarts' has a bar! The tricks and gadgets of this agency are akin to James Bond, and the murder mystery like a Sherlock Holmes book.

I was utterly immersed in the story from start to finish, and I enjoyed learning about the world of Mrs Bricketts Bookshop, the Inquirers and the lessons the apprentices learn. I also enjoyed the murder mystery and trying to work out who had killed the poor paper filer in the dark, underground, at midnight. I'm also happy this book has a female protagonist for once too! Can we also take a moment to admire that beautiful cover too!

I really hope there's some more of these released because I will be snatching them up for sure!

4 slowly ticking, wheels whirring, light orb emitting stars.

‘Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder’ is one of the most unusual and fun murder mysteries that I have come across in a long time. T.A. Willberg creates a fresh take on a well-known genre by adding in the elements of fantasy and hints of science-fiction into London of the 1850s. Marion Lane is living a typical life until she is recruited to work for the highly mysterious Miss Brickett’s Detective Agency, which operates in secrecy, in a vast series of labyrinth tunnels underground London.
Willberg ensures that the attention of the reader is grabbed from the opening pages when an unidentified lady in red (we will meet her again later), secretly posts a letter to this secret society, requesting their help. She is reaching out to Michelle White from the Detective Agency and sadly, her actions, lead to White’s rather gruesome murder and so kickstart a serious of rather unfortunate and nasty events, plunging Marion into a race to save her friends and the society (if not society at large) from danger.
The descriptions of the layout of Miss Brickett’s and the wonderous inventions are delightfully described and so colourful, that it is easy to imagine this new world and to enjoy this creation.
I do think that the storyline is possibly better suited to a YA audience than an adult audience but the book remains a fun and easy read.

From the blurb, I was expecting Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder to be an Agatha Christie style detective crime thriller set in the fifties. Although this is true to a certain extent, this book holds a delightful surprise!

I would describe the book as a mix between Sherlock Holmes, James Bond and Harry Potter. The setting is Mrs Brickett’s Investigations and Inquiries, an organisation deep in the bowels of underground London, where Marion Lane is working as an apprentice. The organisation is top secret, created to help those who post their requests into secret post-boxes and the headquarters is disguised as a bookshop. There are elements of traditional 007 Spy Gadgetry but the whole book also has a supernatural and fantasy element to it as we are introduced to magic maps and walls that constantly shift around to hide secrets. The world itself is really well plotted and we are introduced to elements in a way that doesn’t feel too heavy on the exposition.

It’s easy to forget in places that this book is set in the fifties – because of the magical elements it could almost be set at any time but there are certain remarks such as a woman wearing trousers causing outrage that bring us back to the setting nicely. Marion is a great main character; she is spunky and curious and has an interesting backstory that is slowly revealed as the book progresses. The other characters are well rounded, I would perhaps have liked to learn a little more about some of them but I imagine from the ending that this is the start of a series and so perhaps we will learn more in future books – I will certainly be keeping an eye out for them!

Overall, Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder is a great supernatural detective thriller and I can’t wait to read the next adventure! Thank you to NetGalley & Orion Publishing Group - Trapeze for the chance to read the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars.
This wasn't quite what I was expecting if I'm honest. However, I still enjoyed it. A good detective story with a sense of wonder mixed into the suspense.
Some aspects that seem more at home in a fantasy book, rather than a realistic espionage/murder mystery book though.

The premise is great and I loved the era but it read really young to me? I actually ended up dnfing as I just couldn’t get in to it. It feels around the same age range as Harry Potter and Percy Jackson which unfortunately is way to young for me now . Sorry for the dnf but thanks for the arc

I think this book is more suited to a younger readership than it's targeted at. It's not YA or children's but it reads as if it is - that's not a criticism but I was just surprised to find this in the adult fiction section. It's a bit of a mix between harry potter and the best comparison The Rivers of London series. Ok this latter is for adults but it's more 'grown up'
it was a fun read and I was fascinated by the underground world below London. You don't really get a sense that London is above it - it's a underground city that could be anywhere to be honest. The underground world, the I'm caverns and secret hideaways - 'I'm going to wonder what is going on underneath the city next time I am there.

Fun and young. Sci-fi meets fantasy. Takes your imagination on quite the journey.

I just couldn't get into this even though I tried several times. 1950s heroine lives with Grannie whose one idea is to find her a husband as that's what nice girls do. Marion has other ideas and, although apparently working for a bookshop, is really an apprentice for a detective agency. So far so good. However, said detective agency is underground with a life of its own and with notes for new cases being posted down drainpipes and the like from above. "Above" could have been almost any time and there's little context for it. The characters were rather shallow and the underground setting and gadgets felt as if it was aping Harry Potter on a bad day I'm afraid. I'm wondering if it was aimed at younger readers who could be drawn into the grim fantasy world; this much older reader certainly wasn't. Thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so clever and well written. I was engrossed from the first chapter. I love a good Agatha Christie-esque read! Thank you for the ARC!

Delightful Romp....
A secret detective agency, underground tunnels, escape rooms and fantastical gadgets. It is here that Marion Lane is undergoing her first apprenticeship but is she prepared for the murderous adventures that follow? A delightful romp which will appeal to a wide variety of readers. Great fun.

A mystery story set in 1950s London. Marion Lane, an orphan who lives with her grandmother, is an apprentice at Miss Brickett's bookshop, which is really an undercover and underground (literally) detective agency. When an employee of the agency is murdered, Marion finds herself caught up in the investigation.
The idea of secret detective agency residing in underground caverns and tunnels is interesting. This story takes place almost entirely underground so there was hardly any interaction with above ground London. As such there was no sense of time or place so London never came across as real and the historical setting of the 1950s certainly was lacking. In some respects, Marion felt more like a Victorian heroine and the cover of the book certainly implies this.
The characters are all adults but this book had the feel.of a young adult book to me and at times it felt a bit like a poor Harry Potter style book.
The characters lacked depth and I felt it difficult to build a bond with them. Marion's female friends were particularly difficult to distinguish.
At first I found the storyline confusing but once it resolved itself, it became fairly obvious where the plot was going. There weren't any surprises or twists to the plot.
Overall, I found this a quick, fairly light and entertaining read. As the first in a series it has the potential to improve as the idea of the underground detective agency gives plenty of scope for the imagination.

What incredibly good fun this book is.
To be honest it has the feel of a plucky victorian heroine,battling against evil relatives... but it's set in the 50's

Full of interesting characters,a book shop that is a disguise for a detective agency,and some rather sinister goings on.

I very much hope its the first in a series ,because I feel I could become good friends with Marion and Bill.

Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder takes us to London but not as we know it. Underneath London is a secret network of tunnels that have mysterious origins but have now been commandeered for use of private detectives. Marion Lane is recruited to the agency by her late mothers friend Frank and she begins her new life underground.
The world Willberg builds is an interesting one. I liked that there was a tension between the world above and the world below and the detectives both old and new struggled to find a balance between the two. The plot itself was also engaging but it was very insular, it immersed us completely in the world underground and I would have preferred to see more of how the agency functioned in the world above while keeping itself secret. I understand why the writer did this as it gives a thorough insight into the world of the Agency and how it operates. Post London however is ripe for spy stories especially with the American connection being brought in.
Marion and her friends are all very well portrayed I their own right they each have their own well rounded personalise and foibles and there’s a good few unlikable ones too.
On the whole I liked this story I just felt it could have been fleshed out a bit more but if it’s a series then it’s got space to do so later and I would be interested to see where Willberg takes it.