ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Morgan Stang lives in the humid part of Texas. He graduated from the University of Houston with a BBA. By day he works in accounting and by night he sleeps, and sometime in between he writes in a wide variety of fantasy genres, ranging from dark fantasy (The Bartram's Maw series) to gaslamp murder mystery (The Lamplight Murder Mysteries) to cozy fantasy (The Bookshop and the Barbarian). He is a fan of all things nerdy, and lives with an immortal ball python.
Publisher: Morgan Stang Length: 398 pages Formats: ebook, paperback
Stang’s The Lamplight Murder Mysteries series is awesome. It remains fun, creative, and full of twists and nods to literary tradition. The story starts with Isabeau and Ivie witnessing the magician act gone wrong. Guillotines are dangerous, you see. And then another dead body appears, this one with slit throat and a note promising it won’t be the last victim during the week of Hunter’s Eve.
So, if you hoped Izzie and Evie would get a break and a chance to rest, forget about it. No rest for the wicked, as they say, and if you remember the ominous prophecy from the pages of Murder on the Lamplight Express, then you know what to expect.
The investigation reveals two cases have ties to the same mysterious social club filled with powerful and rich, including the police chief, criminal kingpin and the wealthy industrialist. And to make things even more interesting, there’s a werewolf on the streets, jumping from building to building, tearing people to pieces.
Contrary to the previous two books set in closed spaces (a manor, and a train respectively), this one is set in the city, and we finally get a larger look at the world of Lamplight. And it’s interesting, with a Victorian vibe, constant bad weather, and technology slowly transforming the society and police work.
The characters are quirky and while Stang isn’t afraid to go hardcore with horror moments, dark humor and heartfelt interactions between protagonists balance it out. Stang writes charming, skillful, and intriguing characters who are easy to like.
The blend of classic mystery and horror tropes with playful tone works well for me. I also enjoyed piecing the puzzles, but failed miserably. Again. Anyway, the pace is brisk but with more slow moments than in two previous books. It made me let my guard down and then, BOOM, the first big twist made me sit up straight. And the things that happen afterwards? Pure awesomeness.
I love this series, and it’s only getting better. With that said, readers who prefer their mysteries unapologetically dark and gritty might find the occasionally light-hearted approach a bit jarring. And while quirky characters add to the story’s charm for me, I recognize other readers may find them over-the-top.
Murder on Hunter’s Eve is a delightful book with humor and a playful tone that sets it apart from more traditional mysteries and horror/murder mystery hybrids. The big reveals set the stage for more exciting (and self-contained) adventures I can’t wait to read! Well done, Mr Stang. Excellent work.
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