Hokey Pokey is a very hard to review without spoilers book! It took me a while to get into the swing of it, as I honestly didn’t know what kind of book I was reading, or even what genre the book was, for the first half.

Hoke Pokey seems like a normal read, a bit quirky, until you turn the page and something utterly bizarre happens that completely throws you off.

However, this isn’t necessarily a complaint as once I realised I just need to go with the flow with it, I started thoroughly enjoying it!

A short but sweet review because I truly can’t talk much without giving it away, but if you like dark, creepy, and slightly disturbing reads, Hokey Pokey is for you.

I rated Hokey Pokey 3.5/5⭐️

Let's get this straight - this is not a cozy murder mystery, but a supernatural horror novel. Not for the faint of heart! There are ghosts, there are monsters. It is dark and disturbing and gory. I was glued for the first half, but then lost interest in the characters and the storyline at about the midway point. I was intrigued by the snowed-in 1920s hotel, the guests and staff, but when we returned to the protagonist's childhood (necessary as it was to visit) it didn't hold my attention and I just wanted to get back to current events at the hotel. However, I found the novel to be well-written and atmospheric and now I'm curious to read one of the author's favorites, The Psychology of Time Travel.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC in exchange for this honest review.

Honestly, I don't even know where to start with this one.

It was definitely not the book I was expecting to read when I requested this book. I expected a closed-room, Agatha Christie-like cosy crime book. This was not that. Far from it actually and I think the book would benefit from a change in publicity.

The writing became comfortable to me (a non-native speaker) after reading for a bit, but I definitely sometimes still got lost in the lengthy descriptions of places and people. The introduction of the book felt all together too long for me, as I almost gave up reading. In the end, the way the story is set up works really well, but while reading it made for a very confusing experience.

Again, I think this book would definitely benefit from a change in description. This book will definitely appeal to a lot of readers, but it was a miss for me.

I very much enjoyed this puzzle of a book. Right from the beginning there are signs that something isn’t quite what it seems in this story. The author set a strange, creepy and ominous atmosphere that had me questioning what was real and what was really happening. I found myself taking nothing at face value, instead highlighting and theorising about the text to an extent I normally don’t. I also appreciated the feminist undertones and the queer romance. This is definitely horror, but not the gory and scary variety (although there definitely is some of that too) rather it’s a psychological and intellectual type of horror. If you enjoy gothic horror stories with supernatural elements and puzzling mysteries you might enjoy this book too!

This book should’ve been brilliant. I’m still not sure why it wasn’t, but I just didn’t care one bit. Characters were listless and not interesting, the plot was feeble and after a very slow start the ending was thrust together very quickly with no real answers to many questions.

The synopsis for this reads as historical fiction and crime… but it’s actually supernatural / borderline horror which is quite misleading, as is the cover.

The writing style wasn’t for me either. Very short sentences that makes the flow choppy, but then towards the end there was very little description so it was hard to visualise it at all. Parts of this should have been horrific and they just fell flat - I’m quite squeamish but none of the violence or intended bloodlust left any impact whatsoever, which shows how lacking it was.

Some of it made no sense at all: one bite of human flesh and you’re suddenly a shape shifter? Seems unlikely to me - it felt very contrived.

I was so excited for this book and it sadly left me disappointed and irritated.

Well that was a roller coaster of a book. It started out as quite an ordinary sort of murder mystery and I was getting to the point of getting quite bored, wondering whether I was going to be ploughing through the last two thirds.

Then we fell off a cliff in Part 2 into somewhere extremely dark, dangerous and so much more engaging. I zipped through pretty much all of the rest of the book.

I understand we were scene setting in the first third and it was necessary but I wasn't engaged, which is partly why I knocked a star off. I was also a tiny bit disappointed in the end of the book which felt just a bit rushed.

Other than that I enjoyed the supernatural aspects and the character of Nora was very intriguing. I'd definitely recommend this book.

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

This wasn't what I was expecting from reading the blurb, I was anticipating a thriller/murder mystery but what I got was a supernatural horror book (think shape shifters/vampires), which is great as I love that genre! but maybe the description could be clearer. This book is bizzare in the best way, I thought it was utterly unique and I fell in love with the characters, the prose was beautiful and I 100% want to read more by this author! Thankyou so much to netgalley for the eARC

Overall, Hokey Pokey was an interesting read. An engaging read about an event in the life of a psychoanalyst, Nora. This is during a snowstorm and she is stuck in a hotel.

The writing is nice, with some lovely descriptions. The cover of this book is also good.

At first glance the Regent Hotel seems like any other with a myriad of guests; however, something is not quite right and soon people start disappearing and then turn up murdered.

This was a 1930's story with some seriously supernatural twists. A gripping and twisted crime story that was full of creepy and twisted vibes; an original take on a crime novel.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the novel in exchange for an honest review.

"Hokey Pokey" by Kate Mascarenhas, is actually named after the absinthe-based Hokey Pokey cocktail served at the Regent Hotel in Birmingham where the story is set. The story follows the psychoanalyst and mimic Nora Čapek as she investigates the infidelities of opera singer Berenice Oxbow while dealing with the appearance of a mirror-using, flesh-eating monster, and other strange happenings. The writing is good and the main character is interesting, but the plot took too long to get going and wasn't captivating enough for me. Still, it's a solid story.

Kate Mascarenhas does it again. Previously a psychologist, her debut novel The Psychology of Time Travel was one of my favourite reads of 2018 and a story that has stayed with me ever since. When you consume as much fiction as I do in a year, a novel staying with you for more than five years is quite rare. And yet, it looks like we have a repeat event with this year’s book Hokey Pokey. It’s a little different to Mascarenhas’ previous two novels - a thriller with a touch of horror, for one; and set back in the late 1920s.
Set primarily in Birmingham, in and around the Regent Hotel, the author sets the scene well - you almost feel as though you’re in art deco era Great Britain. It’s this well-developed setting that keeps the reader engaged for the first few chapters of the book where the characters aren’t yet developed and the story is not clear-cut. After a little while, however, the story becomes clear and thereafter the novel is consuming and very difficult to put down. While the characters never become completely likable, they are intriguing enough that the reader can connect with them regardless. Overall, Hokey Pokey is a thrilling and engaging read, and yet another testament to the writing prowess of this author.
[Review to appear in Style magazine Toowoomba, May 2023 edition]

In 'Hokey Pokey' (I'd read anything because of that title, even if I weren't a flag-flying member of the Kate Mascarenhas fan club), we have the third hair-raisingly good installment of the Mascarenhas brand of Fantasy.

As per 'The Psychology of Time Travel' and 'The Thief on the Winged Horse', we get a crime mystery cloaked in Mascarenhas's sub-genre Low Fantasy/Urban Fantasy style, where uncanny or near-Sci-Fi elements affect a juiced version of what's essentially a locked-room mystery in her debut novel, and a long-play heist in her second.

In this novel, the author gives us multiple murders and disappearances to solve, but we also have clairvoyance, cannibalism, vampirism, portals, and shape-shifters. So, come prepared, if this is your first of her novels!

How did I feel approaching a new Kate Mascarenhas? Awed and enamoured; assured there would be magnetic characters and horrifyingly fine writing; also, unguarded, because I can always be sure I'll get a fair representation of non-heterosexual women with this author.

I found that, in this third novel, it's a different voice than the involved or nigh-flirtatious voice adopted in her previous two; in this novel, Mascarenhas's voice is detached; the novel reads lightly and quickly as reportage; it is subtly voyeuristic in the authorial remove from the action. This is exquisitely done, as it makes the guts of the book all the more eerie.

Yet! It is so, so, indulgent at that. Situated in early-twentieth-century Europe and Great Britain, the setting in the dreamy Regent Hotel, the food, the drinks (the delectable titular nettle-green cocktail), the dishy guests ('the Icon' opera superstar, Berenic Oxbow); it is all monstrously glamorous (or glamorously monstrous?!).

When we get to the action, and we're in the murder-mystery stage, 'Hokey Pokey' reads like some wonderfully twisted version of Roald Dahl for adults. There are moments of ravishing tension; scenes are rapturous, scenes are raw (there is a lot of blood). I might label it the anti-Paranormal Romance.

It's hard to review 'Hokey Pokey' without spoiling Mascarenhas's finely fashioned plot. Suffice it to say, 'Hokey Pokey' flutters and throbs with life. I had a physical response to this novel; much of it made me actually quiver. I felt, as I was reading, like a cup filled up to the brim, and just a little more, till the meniscus pushes at the air above it.

Phew! What a book!

My gratitude to Kate Mascarenhas and Head of Zeus for an eARC via NetGalley.

The book is very dense with subplot within subplot. Also, the supernatural twist came as a surprise, as it is advertised as a murder mystery.
I'm not sure the characters are likeable, but I guess to many people, they are.
If one is looking for a straightforward book, then this is not for you. However, if one is comfortable with something not fitting neatly into a genre and open to something a bit extra, then this is for you!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story! It's unique and unlike anything I've ever read...

The idea of the main character being a mythical being is made believable, and I loved how as a reader I kept thinking: "is this real? is she real?" which made for a very thrilling journey. Nora has had a strange childhood, and her belief that she's a 'hyring' that can mimic and eat people, while travelling through mirrors is something I was dying to see in action. I really liked how her past shaped her- she's always trying to be someone else, usually someone she meets, and tries to embody them mind and soul. Her ability to suspend herself as a whole person and think she's this cold, cunning monster really made me think whether she's a psychoanalyst or a patient, and her whole reason for being a mind doctor.

As always, I adored the writing- it was descriptive and engaging, and I loved the many different plot threads. I think the marketing for this book changes what this book is actually about. We spend more time in Nora's past and in flashbacks than at the hotel itself. I didn't mind this, and I found that this gave more depth to the story and Nora herself. The twist I honestly didn't see coming, although the clues were there. I enjoyed the raw and gory exploration into the human mind, and the selfishness of humans and monsters.

Berenice was another character that I grew to love. She's someone who doesn't want to be tied down, while Nora is the opposite. Both of them are linked by Leo, who humiliates and uses Nora, and despite this she doesn't think she needs revenge. She is infatuated with both of them and by the end thee outcomes off-page show exactly her thoughts. She embodies the monster being she has always believed herself to be, and I honestly just wanted her to be happy in her own skin.

Hokey Pokey is definitely a unique story, unlike anything I've ever read, and I'm so happy I had the opportunity to read it early! Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an e-arc!

I really enjoyed reading this book.

The plot was well paced and I found that it kept me interested the whole way through.

Thank you for letting me review it.

This was not the book I was expecting by the description I was given, so I was disappointed to be honest. There is nothing wrong with the book, but it isn’t really a mystery. You cannot fault the writing, which is very good although I found the characters somewhat one dimensional. I don’t normally read fantasy/supernatural books, so this was a little out of my comfort zone. Im sure that many readers will really enjoy it, but it wasn’t for me. I thought about giving up a few times, but kept going until the end. I think the book is missing its target audience by the misleading description.

I wanted to give this book more stars, as it's well written and a compelling novel, which immerses the reader into the mysterious comings and goings of a 1920s hotel. There are some great characterisations and descriptions. But it wasn't what I was expecting and I didn't like it- I thought it would be more historical fiction/murder mystery/psychological drama and it wasn't. So it took me a while to get into the story and a feel for where it was going, which I found disquieting. I think the problem is with the book's blurb, which I had to keep checking to make sure I had the right book. Thank you to NetGalley for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

First impressions - the cover drew me in it screams 1920’s drama. The blurb grabbed my attention as it’s exactly my favourite genre, a murder mystery whodunnit. I love 1920’s as it’s always portrayed as an exciting fast paced era full of intrigue, partying and a lot of shenanigans so I was excited to start this book.

Was my first impression accurate? Not entirely, here is why - yes it is a murder mystery set in a 1920’s posh hotel however I was not expecting a supernatural twist so when this element suddenly appeared I was a little disappointed as it is not really something I would read. I did however continue to read and I am glad I did as I did enjoy the storyline albeit a little weird. It had enough of the murder mystery element to keep me interested and I always wanted to read just a little more to see what happens next. It was quite dark with a few rather gruesome scenes scattered throughout, horror/supernatural meets drama.

All of the characters were quirky and gave their own interesting addition to the story, the lead character, Nora, was well portrayed and the writer gave us enough about her to get a feel for her displacement in life.

Overall I’d rate this as 4 out of 5 because the supernatural element appears to be concealed and it’s not my cup of tea, however it was an intriguing read and I did enjoy it.

I’m rarely negative about the books I choose to read but I’m puzzled by this book – or should I say, by the odd marketing of this book.
The cover design and publicity blurb lead you to expect a glamorous jazz age style murder mystery – but what you actually get is a very dark and gruesome supernatural fantasy horror story.
Now there are plenty of people who like the horror and fantasy genre, so I’ve no idea why the publicists went out of their way to attract readers who prefer an Agatha Christie style romp, because like me, those readers are really unlikely to enjoy this book.
If you like supernatural stuff then I’m sure you will like this, it’s just that unless it is better marketed at the target audience, you’re unlikely to realise that’s what it is.
With thanks to the publishers and NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

DNF at 40%

This book just really wasn’t for me - the blurb was inaccurate, the characters didn’t feel particularly well developed and I just really struggled to figure out what the protagonists motives were in this. There were so many different things going on and unfortunately I just wasn’t interested in any of it.