This was an odd bit enjoyable read, and I liked it more than most reviewers seemed to. I loved the concept behind it and enjoyed the interactions between the author and her characters as she attempts to solve a real life mystery.

Interestingly the one thing that other reviewers seemed to like was the one thing that I didn’t: The humor. I found the “banter” kind of irritating and not especially funny. But the story was good and I disagree that it was bloated or overlong.

For anyone worrying about the Horror classification, I don’t think the book should truly be classed as such. It’s more of a Mystery, and though there are few gross parts, it’s not truly scary at all.

I enjoyed this in audiobook format. The narrator does a nice job and the story lends well to the format.

This book was longer than I wanted but was a very odd but funny read. I did get good gothic vibes from it, but it was not particularly creepy. Writing and character building was excellent.

I will say that this book doesn’t really work as an audiobook. The author plays a lot with a writer’s characters intruding in her thoughts and that part is fun but in an audiobook it became impossible to figure out what was actually happening and what was in her head. I got so confused. I liked the voice and found this fun but overall was confused and not enjoying it.

Thanks to Saga Egmont Audio and Netgalley for the audiobook ARC.

The biggest thing that I didn't like about this book is that it tries too hard to be too many things. It feels like the 6 episodes in season 3 of Arrested Development - they knew they had been cancelled, so they threw in everything and the kitchen sink. If you know, you know.

The main premise of the protagonists' literary characters always being part of the story, though only in her head, is the main thing that goes too far. It honestly became quite distracting and confused the plot, rather than helping to clarify it. I like the idea, but the dosage was too high.

Overall, I feel like this could go through a few more rounds of editing and be a great novel. Just a bit muddled as is.

Three stars from me means that I believe the author has achieved their aims and it's a good book, but that I personally did not fall in love with it.

In this case, I found the main character extremely irritating, the humour just wasn't to my taste, and I particularly did not like the fun that I suppose was meant to be poked at the class system but, to me, came across as making fun of the working classes.

I'm really sorry, but this one just wasn't for me after all.

I found this book to be a bit of a challenge to get a grasp on. There were so many characters and murders (solved, then solved again?) real or part of the characters writings? It all became a bit of a spaghetti bowl to me. This may have been partially due to my listening to the audiobook, but even so, that should not be an issue.

As far as the narration, Emma Gregory does a fabulous job with the narration! The cover art is also well done.

My thanks to NetGalley and Canelo for the ALC of this book.

I could not handle this narrative style/narrator in an audio book. Perhaps it was a little too cozy for me. I do not know, but I was unable to finish it.

As an avid audiobook reader, I really could have used the words in front of my eyes to go with the narration especially to differentiate between the characters in her head and the dialogue that was actually spoken. The beginning of this book felt like vignettes that didn't go together, but it did come together in the end and I'm glad I read all the way through.

Thank you NetGalley and SAGA Egmont for the audiobook ARC! In this new mystery series from M.R.C. Kasasian, Lady Violet Thorn, a writer of thriller/crime novels, is recovering after a seeming break up (being dismissed in a letter). Violet is asked to look into an odd situation where a woman is said to be being held prisoner by her husband and when murders begin happening throughout towns, Violet believes they could all be tied into the imprisonment and the secrets of Haglin House. Violet is aided in the solving of the strange happenings by her fictional characters, in particular the main character of her crime series, Ruby Gibson. This makes for an interesting narration and adds humor to the book. Emma Gregory gives voice to this audiobook and fits well with the character of Lady Violet and the wild imaginings of her writer's mind.

🎧Audiobook Review🎧

A thriller writer lives in a small town with her book characters(imaginary) and 2 servants. Her peaceful life is disturbed by the recent murders in town and a stranger calling to help her friend, whom she feels is under house arrest. The coincidence of these 2 situations has got her pondering if they are somehow interrelated. To uncover the truth, she must investigate!

The plot of the book is surely interesting revolving around a Writer protagonist and her book characters (whom she often talks to). The voice of book characters got me a bit confused and I had to pay close attention to the names being spoken. Which made me feel that this book was better consumed in a written format where I could read through it than listen to it.
This book was supposed to be my salvation for Summerween. But one of the character's voices just got to me. Which made my overall experience with this book a bit sour.

Thanks @netgalley and @sagaegmont for the Audiobook ARC

I absolutely love the March Middleton novels so I was really excited to get my 👂🏻👂🏻on this. It did take me a little while to grasp that some of the characters were imaginary, even within the fictional universe (I know, how meta, right?!) but once I had that sorted I was fine.

The storyline is a little bit histrionic and more than a little bit unlikely but still enjoyable and full of trademark Kasasian humour. Credit to the narrator for suitably deadpan delivery of all of the dastardly plot.

With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, Saga Egmont Audio for an arc of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

It’s a Victorian crime novel with a female main character. A thriller writer main character. Murders are happening around where she lives and she goes sleuth to figure out where and why these murders are happening.

It was an okay read. Just not my cup of tea. The main character is very earnest and gets in her own way. The setting of the story was interesting. Pacing lagged in parts but overall it was a read once and won’t read again.

I really liked the narrator but this story is a mess. It makes little sense, foundational, and becomes muddled and convoluted beyond that.

I listened to the audiobook and with so many characters it was hard to tell and remember who was who. There were some funny scenes and it has potential. Overall, this needs a good editor to tighten it up.

I did somewhat struggle with this one! It seemed to wind and twist and turn and I couldn’t seem to twist and turn with it. I couldn’t hold onto the threads that felt manic and convoluted to me and was often confused as to what was going on. I didn’t quite know what was happening at times and from the start of the book, I struggled to get the jist of the book and what was happening. It was a little hard to get into.

I’m not sure if it was a fault with me but my brain couldn’t follow! And consequently struggled to get into it as it felt like brain training so I couldn’t connect to the story or the characters. The premise and plot is a cleverly thought up one though and the cover is absolutely stunning (which also somewhat influenced by decision to listen to this).

The audiobook can I just say, was absolutely astoundingly narrated, with perfectly executed voices, accents and characters that gave life to the book and helped to create the atmosphere the author had written.

I really struggled with this book. I had absolutely no idea what was happening. There were a LOT of characters and it just seemed to bounce around to each person

Thank you for the opportunity to read this but it just wasn't for me

3 stars given for the cover

After being left at the alter, Lady Violet Thorn takes refuge in the thrillers she writes and lives vicariously through her protagonist, Ruby Gibson. But Violet’s quiet life is shattered when death and destruction land on her doorstep and she will need Ruby’s help, along with a coterie of unusual and extraordinary servants to save the day. This book is SO entertaining, Mary Stewart by way of Mel Brooks, and Gregory has to be the best narrator I have ever heard. Her voice brings this delightfully ridiculous Victorian mystery to full and vivid life