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crothe77's review against another edition
dark
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Death in the Spires by K. J. Charles is a historical mystery set in Oxford in 1905. When Jem, a closeted gay man, is removed from his job because of a letter accusing him of murder, he returns to Oxford to find out who the real killer is. His former friends, the Seven Wonders, are all under suspicion as he uncovers more motives than he suspected.
What I liked was how the novel included conversations around women's rights, particularly on abortion, and how K. J. Charles includes the realities of Queerness, racism, and ableism for the time period. Aaron Oyede, a Black medical student, and Ella, the sister of Toby, the murdered man, had a chance at marriage and happiness before Toby’s murder tore them apart. Meanwhile, Prue, who was in love with Toby, left Oxford and lost her husband and child before seeing Jem again. Nicky, Jem’s former paramour, is back at Oxford as a tutor and Hugo, the last of the Seven, is in the government.
Jem is deeply invested in the mystery despite the decade that has passed since it happened. As he uncovers more, we learn more about the dynamics between the Seven Wonders and how Toby, despite being the one poised to have the most as an heir to the marquess, was actually the most mediocre of the bunch. Classism and sexism play a part in where each member went after the murder and how society looked at the group while at Oxford.
Content warning for period typical racism, homophobia, ableism, sexism, and mentions of deceased children
I would recommend this to readers looking for a mystery set at Oxford, fans of mysteries exploring social issues, and those looking for Queer disabled protagonists in their mysteries.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Sexism, Ableism, and Homophobia
Minor: Sexual assault
jce's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
Why yes, I do have my usual K.J. Charles book hangover. Thanks for asking. Switching to the mystery genre (and yes, there is still some romance) did nothing to lessen how enthralling I find this author's writing. I fell right into this book and quickly became attached to the characters, all of whom felt very real. It was no surprise to me that this was a cracking mystery, perfectly paced, because many of the romances I've read by this author have great mystery plot lines.
I was nervous for the first few chapters, because the tone was pretty bleak (giving me some Secret History flashbacks. Yes, I liked that book. Yes, I found it horribly depressing) and I worried it might continue on that way and amp up my anxiety and make me put off reading the book. But while there are some pretty depressing aspects of the story, the pace picks up, the focus is on the present rather than the bittersweet past, and I was soon so caught up in the characters that I just wanted to barrel along and read it all in one sitting.
I don't want to say much of anything about the story, other than that I found it hard to put the book down because it was so engaging, because it really is best to go into this one absolutely spoiler free, and even knowing a bit about the characters and their relationships or where the story heads might ruin that.
My advice is to skip reading the reviews and just dive into this book. I do think this is an important one to read content warnings as there are absolutely some heavy topics. But if you love a good mystery that's not overly cozy but also not mired in dread and gloom, this one is sure to hook you. I also found the bit of romance in the story extremely satisfying and emotionally wrought. All in all I had a fantastic time reading this and highly recommend it. Do beware the inevitable book hangover though!
*ARC provided by NetGalley
I was nervous for the first few chapters, because the tone was pretty bleak (giving me some Secret History flashbacks. Yes, I liked that book. Yes, I found it horribly depressing) and I worried it might continue on that way and amp up my anxiety and make me put off reading the book. But while there are some pretty depressing aspects of the story, the pace picks up, the focus is on the present rather than the bittersweet past, and I was soon so caught up in the characters that I just wanted to barrel along and read it all in one sitting.
I don't want to say much of anything about the story, other than that I found it hard to put the book down because it was so engaging, because it really is best to go into this one absolutely spoiler free, and even knowing a bit about the characters and their relationships or where the story heads might ruin that.
My advice is to skip reading the reviews and just dive into this book. I do think this is an important one to read content warnings as there are absolutely some heavy topics. But if you love a good mystery that's not overly cozy but also not mired in dread and gloom, this one is sure to hook you. I also found the bit of romance in the story extremely satisfying and emotionally wrought. All in all I had a fantastic time reading this and highly recommend it. Do beware the inevitable book hangover though!
*ARC provided by NetGalley
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child death, Grief, Suicidal thoughts, Racism, Homophobia, and Rape
madscientistcat's review
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
This book was fantastic! I absolutely love KJ's historical romances, including the ones with a healthy serving of action or mystery, so I felt pretty confident I would enjoy her foray into the non-romance genre as well. And enjoy it I did! While the main focus of Death in the Spires is on the mystery, there is still a delightful dash of queer romance and friendship. As always, KJ's historical research is impeccable and I enjoy the mix of historical accuracy with a touch of progressive tone.
(This was a review of a free advanced review copy. Thanks to Storm, KJ Charles, and NetGalley for that privilege!)
(This was a review of a free advanced review copy. Thanks to Storm, KJ Charles, and NetGalley for that privilege!)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Murder
Moderate: Homophobia
Minor: Child death, Rape, and Suicide
lizzietherebel's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
reflective
tense
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Thank you to Storm Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Death in the Spires swept me off my feet and broke my heart, then put it back together again.
I am a huge KJ Charles fan but I wasn't completely sure about this novel prior to reading as it's a departure from Charles' tried and true historical queer romances. Turns out, I needn't have worried for a second; Death in the Spires may be one of my favorite novels by Charles ever. Truth be told, this isn't all that different than anything else Charles has written in the past, except that the mystery is the primary focus rather than the romance (though there is still a healthy dose of what I would certainly call romance.) This romance, however, is much more nuanced than the arc of a typical genre romance, and therefore offers us very complex and deliciously aching relationships where the reader is just as much in the dark about what the truth is as the characters involved. One of Charles' greatest strengths has always been her characterization, and that certainly holds true for Death in the Spires. She is able to create such masterful connections between the characters as well as between the audience and the narrator that I think I would be moved by anything she wrote at all. That being said, to say I was "moved" would be an understatement for this novel. Death in the Spires basically destroyed me.
It perfectly captures the strange and unparalleled purgatory that is life as a college student: completely naive, full of so many hopes and fears, and the intense and intoxicating process of making friends and trying to find your people while on your own for the first time. I also especially applaud the way that this novel engages in really thoughtful and intentional critique of 20th century abortion laws/stigma and the resulting risks and .fatalities.
Everything about Charles' story-telling is always so organic that it should come as no surprise that I was immediately enthralled by the narrator and his quest to discover the answer to a decade-old murder mystery that implicated him and all of his dearest friends when they were 21, and that continues to haunt him as an adult. The mystery is so masterfully crafted that I did not lose interest for a moment, but instead found myself completely immersed in the flashbacks that follow the group of friends as they first become established and their subsequent rise to glory before their ultimate tragic demise. I knew every character in the friend group and was completely transported into their world and thus into Jem's search for justice. I desperately wanted him to find answers and a happy ending, and yet till the very end, I was on the edge of my seat with questions and completely unsure as to how Charles could wrap up everything up without breaking our hearts for good. But as readers, we are always in very good hands with KJ Charles. Death in the Spires did not disappoint; rather, it far exceeded my expectations and left me with a bit of a hangover that only comes from finishing the very best books, and extremely hopeful that Charles will continue to give us more mysteries in the future. She certainly has a talent for it.
Death in the Spires swept me off my feet and broke my heart, then put it back together again.
I am a huge KJ Charles fan but I wasn't completely sure about this novel prior to reading as it's a departure from Charles' tried and true historical queer romances. Turns out, I needn't have worried for a second; Death in the Spires may be one of my favorite novels by Charles ever. Truth be told, this isn't all that different than anything else Charles has written in the past, except that the mystery is the primary focus rather than the romance (though there is still a healthy dose of what I would certainly call romance.) This romance, however, is much more nuanced than the arc of a typical genre romance, and therefore offers us very complex and deliciously aching relationships where the reader is just as much in the dark about what the truth is as the characters involved. One of Charles' greatest strengths has always been her characterization, and that certainly holds true for Death in the Spires. She is able to create such masterful connections between the characters as well as between the audience and the narrator that I think I would be moved by anything she wrote at all. That being said, to say I was "moved" would be an understatement for this novel. Death in the Spires basically destroyed me.
It perfectly captures the strange and unparalleled purgatory that is life as a college student: completely naive, full of so many hopes and fears, and the intense and intoxicating process of making friends and trying to find your people while on your own for the first time. I also especially applaud the way that this novel engages in really thoughtful and intentional critique of 20th century abortion laws/stigma and the resulting risks and .fatalities.
Everything about Charles' story-telling is always so organic that it should come as no surprise that I was immediately enthralled by the narrator and his quest to discover the answer to a decade-old murder mystery that implicated him and all of his dearest friends when they were 21, and that continues to haunt him as an adult. The mystery is so masterfully crafted that I did not lose interest for a moment, but instead found myself completely immersed in the flashbacks that follow the group of friends as they first become established and their subsequent rise to glory before their ultimate tragic demise. I knew every character in the friend group and was completely transported into their world and thus into Jem's search for justice. I desperately wanted him to find answers and a happy ending, and yet till the very end, I was on the edge of my seat with questions and completely unsure as to how Charles could wrap up everything up without breaking our hearts for good. But as readers, we are always in very good hands with KJ Charles. Death in the Spires did not disappoint; rather, it far exceeded my expectations and left me with a bit of a hangover that only comes from finishing the very best books, and extremely hopeful that Charles will continue to give us more mysteries in the future. She certainly has a talent for it.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Racism, Toxic friendship, Ableism, Classism, Homophobia, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Suicidal thoughts, Abortion, and Rape
All of the heavy content in this book is extremely tastefully handled and in no way graphic or gratuitous at any point.
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