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4.21 AVERAGE
4.21 AVERAGE
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I loved this book so much! KJ Charles is a must read for me and I have been really enjoying the more mid-century historicals she's been writing recently. As an ADHD having person myself I felt extremely seen with the main character, Zeb. The feeling of inevitably disappointing your loved ones is a very familiar feeling to me so having Zeb, his brain, and his emotions be treated kindly in the end was very cathartic for me. Also I love the pulpy cover of this book so much I'm sure I will end up buying a physical copy just so I can display it on my shelves.
adventurous
dark
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I want to start by thanking the publisher and author for the ARC that I received in exchange for this honest review.
This review may contain mild spoilers for the book, so consider yourself warned.
This book could've been written especially for me. I am a big KJ Charles fan, having discovered her earlier this year and since then reading 21 of her books (this is 22). I am also a huge fan of the gothic genre, and a member of the LGBTQIA+ community. That being said, this book should be taken on its own merit, and it is in a word fantastic!!!
If you love Gothic literature you have come to the right place! This has it all; a grim manor house, a family curse, ghosts, stone circles, murder, and (shudder) spiders. All the tropes are present but it never feels derivative. The plot is well crafted and self aware, feeling like a love letter to the gothic genre with a few playful jibes thrown in for good measure. By the time you find out what is actually going on you’re invested in the characters and it goes at a breath taking pace.
This leads me on to my next point, characters. One of the things that KJ Charles does so well in all the books of hers I have read is creating believable characters that you can relate to and love. Not only her lead characters, even the smaller roles get developed and can leap off the page.
All of Us Murderers is no different, Zeb is a wonderful lead character. We see what it’s like for him living with ADHD in a time when it was not understood and how hard that is for him. We also see him being brutally treated by his family. Right from the start he shows a great strength of character, and as the book progresses he becomes even stronger and more sure of himself. He overcomes many fears, and stands up for what is right with grace and courage. This character leveled up the material for me. It became something healing, Zeb's journey touched something inside of me, and I hope it does the same for you.
It took me longer to warm to Gideon, which makes sense as this story is told entirely from Zeb’s perspective. We only get to see the deeper parts of Gideon as things progress between them. The initial impression of him is dark and moody, but there is so much more beneath the surface that comes out in time.
The romance elements are not as prominent here as in some KJ’s books, but it was the perfect amount for this book. The tone of this one is dark but the mix we get is a perfect balance to the tension and suspense. It gives you time to breathe, but not so much that it derails the thrills.
I loved that there was painful history between these two characters. This kind of trouble always lays the groundwork for rich drama. But what makes this relationship leap off the page is that they are able to navigate this past trauma with maturity. They show what a healthy relationship can look like by showing us it’s not how you get into the trouble, it’s how you get out of it! It takes them a while but they get there. Seeing this character growth makes the book all the more satisfying.
The supporting characters are also well drawn. The Wyckham family are a den of vipers and that would’ve been enough to fuel the story. Luckily KJ takes gives us more, taking the time to develop these characters to the point that I almost felt sympathy for some of them (special mention Elise). The book also get's you thinking, who are real villains here? It’s not so cut and dry once the true motives come out.
I would be remiss if I didn't mention the setting itself. Lackady house is a character in its own right. Located in the isolated Dartmoor; surrounded by treacherous mist, filled with secret passages, mysterious follies, and my dream library! I was totally engrossed in the location and it added so much to the atmosphere.
I highly recommend this book, It is one I intend to read again and again, and I hope you get as much joy out of it as I did.
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It's a great story, combining elements of locked room murder mystery, gothic horror and some romance.
The writing is immersive, the mystery and the twists are satisfying and the atmosphere chilling.
The relationships dynamics are really interesting, either between the awful family members or between the ex lovers finally reunited. The drama felt real and the second chance at love is truly earned.
I also loved the few spicy scenes, they served the story and were very well written.
Thank you Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC!
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
When Zebedee accepted the invitation of his cousin Wynn to spend a fortnight at the family's fake Gothic manor in Dartmoor, he did not expect to meet several despicable members of his family at Lackaday House, nor his former lover. Although he wants to turn back to London nearly on the spot, Zeb stays, for cousin Wynn's sake.
I absolutely loved Zeb and I enjoyed being in his head while the story unfolded. He's scatter-brained, speaks before thinking, fidgets, and has self-worth issues which are being exacerbated by the constant chiding of his family members. The only person who has been able to understand Zeb and actually help him is Mr Gideon Grey, Zeb's former lover, who is working as cousin Wynn's secretary now and seemingly doesn't want to interact with Zeb at all.
Zeb seems to be the only one who sees that Wynn has trapped all of them in the house and grounds and has planned for more than just getting to know his possible heirs. Escaping Lackaday House seems tantamount, but it might only be possible with Gideon's help.
An M/M second chance Gothic mystery romance with neurodivergent representation - it shouldn't work, but KJ Charles makes it work!
I enjoyed it so much, I re-read the ARC immediately after finishing the book for the first time.
I absolutely loved Zeb and I enjoyed being in his head while the story unfolded. He's scatter-brained, speaks before thinking, fidgets, and has self-worth issues which are being exacerbated by the constant chiding of his family members. The only person who has been able to understand Zeb and actually help him is Mr Gideon Grey, Zeb's former lover, who is working as cousin Wynn's secretary now and seemingly doesn't want to interact with Zeb at all.
Zeb seems to be the only one who sees that Wynn has trapped all of them in the house and grounds and has planned for more than just getting to know his possible heirs. Escaping Lackaday House seems tantamount, but it might only be possible with Gideon's help.
An M/M second chance Gothic mystery romance with neurodivergent representation - it shouldn't work, but KJ Charles makes it work!
I enjoyed it so much, I re-read the ARC immediately after finishing the book for the first time.
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
N/A
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I wanted gothic haunting, but what I got was family drama. Unfortunately, the vibes were just not it for me. I was quite bored through the first 50% of the book, where it didn't seem like anything but arguing between characters was happening.
In the second half, things at least did get more exciting and I felt more entertained. But I was still quite disappointed with...how mundane it all was. It's not quite what I thought I was signing up for. Plus, the plot seemed laid out in a way that there really was no big reveal. Because everything felt gradually known.
In the second half, things at least did get more exciting and I felt more entertained. But I was still quite disappointed with...how mundane it all was. It's not quite what I thought I was signing up for. Plus, the plot seemed laid out in a way that there really was no big reveal. Because everything felt gradually known.
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
*KJ Charles is one of those authors who is equally talented at writing well developed characters as she develops a tightly crafted mystery. In this novel, the main character , Zeb, is a recently laid off clerk who was invited by his estranged uncle, Wynn, to attend a house party for two weeks along with his closest family members who all dislike him because they think he is a lazy irresponsible, immature layout because they do not understand his ADHD symptoms, but mostly because they are all terrible people in their own specific way.
Once the family arrives, at his uncle’s estate, he explains that he will decide who will inherit the family wealth by the end of this family reunion.
He also informs them that the person who will inherit the family wealth will marry his niece so that the wealth stays within the family. As you can guess, all hell breaks loose as several of the family members scrambled to become the victor in this very twisted plan (trap) that Wynn has set up. The only family member who is not interested in participating in this game is Zeb. Although he is not excluded from the mental anguish that is exerted by Wen on all of the family members during this hellish reunion.
The storyline also features a second chance romance with Zeb’s ex (Gideon), who now works for His uncle,
as they both try to navigate Zeb’s toxic family while confronting some hard truth about their future. In this book, KJ has expertly crafted a Gothic mystery, family drama, and a beautiful romance between two characters that learn just how well they complement each other.
The storyline also features a second chance romance with Zeb’s ex (Gideon), who now works for His uncle,
as they both try to navigate Zeb’s toxic family while confronting some hard truth about their future. In this book, KJ has expertly crafted a Gothic mystery, family drama, and a beautiful romance between two characters that learn just how well they complement each other.
Also worth noting that the main character Zeb has ADHD. Of course, ADHD is never described in the book as such because this is in period of history (Early 1900s) before ADHD was recognized as a neurodivergence. That said, KJ does an excellent job of describing his symptoms and how it is perceived by other people as being irresponsible or immature, but also how his neurodivergence makes him someone that sees the world in a very unique way that ends up being a big advantage for him in solving the mystery at the center of this story.
Overall, it’s an excellent story that I highly recommend. The story was tightly paced and kept me engaged the entire time.
Overall, it’s an excellent story that I highly recommend. The story was tightly paced and kept me engaged the entire time.
*I received an ARC copy ahead of the official publication date, but I was not compensated in any way to review this novel.
emotional
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Thank you to Poison Pen Press for the eARC
4.25/5
With "All of us murderers", KJ Charles takes the core of gothic horror and uses them to weave a narrative of mystery and second-chance romance. Set in Edwardian England, following Zebedee, who's visiting his family at his cousin's manor. He seeks to know his cousin better and have some relaxing time. Unfortunately for him, his brother and another cousin are there too. And Gideon as well, his ex, with whom he parted with on not so nice terms. Oh and there is a ghost, or something that want to pass for a ghost. Nice time awaiting him, right?
I had a great time with Zeb. He has that awareness of the genre he has been written into, helping in making some great choices. He's also deeply kind, and a little chaotic (ADHD coded, in the best, well researched way). His relationship with his family is tense, to say the least, and despite his best efforts, it's hard to push through that. In contrast, his relationship with Gideon is more nuanced, with its hardship but mostly full of love and care. Seeing them talk about what happened between them and creating a new basis was delightful.
As for the mystery plot, it was very entertaining. Full of little clues and misleading infos, playing full on the gothic atmosphere. Some things were easy to guess or to grasp with a little time, other were a delightful surprises and nice plays.
Really glad to have read this!
4.25/5
With "All of us murderers", KJ Charles takes the core of gothic horror and uses them to weave a narrative of mystery and second-chance romance. Set in Edwardian England, following Zebedee, who's visiting his family at his cousin's manor. He seeks to know his cousin better and have some relaxing time. Unfortunately for him, his brother and another cousin are there too. And Gideon as well, his ex, with whom he parted with on not so nice terms. Oh and there is a ghost, or something that want to pass for a ghost. Nice time awaiting him, right?
I had a great time with Zeb. He has that awareness of the genre he has been written into, helping in making some great choices. He's also deeply kind, and a little chaotic (ADHD coded, in the best, well researched way). His relationship with his family is tense, to say the least, and despite his best efforts, it's hard to push through that. In contrast, his relationship with Gideon is more nuanced, with its hardship but mostly full of love and care. Seeing them talk about what happened between them and creating a new basis was delightful.
As for the mystery plot, it was very entertaining. Full of little clues and misleading infos, playing full on the gothic atmosphere. Some things were easy to guess or to grasp with a little time, other were a delightful surprises and nice plays.
Really glad to have read this!
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
got this arc from netgalley!
you might be thinking to yourself: just how gothic can this book be? and the answer is, all the gothic. it is equally as batshit as it is gothic, although i am sure there is a lot of overlap going on there. if you are ever thinking to yourself, "i want a book about rich people behaving badly and then bad things happen to them," well you have come to the right place.
kj charles is a long time favourite of mine, and this book is going to be one that i come back to over and over again (there are so many things i am sure i missed, and i can't wait to find out what they are). zeb is an extremely compelling character and also someone i would love to have as a friend. also, as far as adhd rep goes, i think he does a pretty good job. i have definitely, absolutely, 100% read worse, and i can't off the top of my head say that i have read better. gideon is cool too! but we don't live in his head so i can't tell you as much about him. i would probably like to be his friend, also, because he seems like a nice guy.
i would love to know more about jessamine, but who knows what is happening there! if we ever find out, that is amazing, and if not i promise to suffer in silence because i understand that we don't always get the answer to every little thing no matter how much i may want to etc.
anyways, i have nothing to complain about, and only things i loved, and if i just keep going about them i will end up spoiling the whole novel so i am going to stop writing now while i still can. but read this book!!! it is excellently written and plotted and you won't be able to put it down!!! unless you have bad taste, but then i can't help you.
you might be thinking to yourself: just how gothic can this book be? and the answer is, all the gothic. it is equally as batshit as it is gothic, although i am sure there is a lot of overlap going on there. if you are ever thinking to yourself, "i want a book about rich people behaving badly and then bad things happen to them," well you have come to the right place.
kj charles is a long time favourite of mine, and this book is going to be one that i come back to over and over again (there are so many things i am sure i missed, and i can't wait to find out what they are). zeb is an extremely compelling character and also someone i would love to have as a friend. also, as far as adhd rep goes, i think he does a pretty good job. i have definitely, absolutely, 100% read worse, and i can't off the top of my head say that i have read better. gideon is cool too! but we don't live in his head so i can't tell you as much about him. i would probably like to be his friend, also, because he seems like a nice guy.
i would love to know more about jessamine, but who knows what is happening there! if we ever find out, that is amazing, and if not i promise to suffer in silence because i understand that we don't always get the answer to every little thing no matter how much i may want to etc.
anyways, i have nothing to complain about, and only things i loved, and if i just keep going about them i will end up spoiling the whole novel so i am going to stop writing now while i still can. but read this book!!! it is excellently written and plotted and you won't be able to put it down!!! unless you have bad taste, but then i can't help you.
i am a huge fan of kj charles’s work, so i was ecstatic to get the chance to review this book early! a gothic mystery set in edwardian times sounds exactly like something she would knock out of the park — and i’m very pleased to say she did just that.
zeb, our poor unfortunate ingenue (narrator), is lured to his family’s dark, mysterious countryside manor under false pretenses. what he finds there? a list of increasingly terrible relatives, an unfriendly skeleton crew of staff, and worst of all — his ex, currently working as his cousin’s secretary. it’s not a great start for our dear zeb, but damn if he doesn’t try and try again throughout this book! he tries to make amends with his ex, he tries to get along with his family, he tries to atone and apologize for the wounds his own family inflicts on others (which certainly isn’t easy). i really liked his determination to believe in the good in other people, especially after seeing how awful his family is. his interactions with gideon equally touched me — i loved seeing them actually communicate and talk things out, while still maintaining a nice level of angst. it was perfect.
speaking of perfect: i loved the mystery!! i expect nothing less than a perfectly plotted, perfectly paced intrigue from kj charles, and she delivered once again. there are no slow spots, and certain events genuinely gave me chills. i also appreciate that she didn’t shy away from how privilege lends itself to some truly terrible acts of cruelty and violence. overall, it was another hit from kj charles! i can’t wait for more.
thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.