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A review by cellular_cosmogony
Death in the Spires by KJ Charles
5.0
CW: past rape, depictions of ableism, homophobia, racism and misogyny, abusive interpersonal relationships
This is the first book KJ Charles has published that doesn't fall in the romance genre. It is a mystery, first and foremost, and while there is a amorous relationship in here, it is a subplot, rather than the main plot. Not writing the book as romance also allows the book to be freer with how it develops this relationship, without the constraint of a mandatory HEA.
Synopsis: Jem is a working class man who's trying to live his life but is chased by the ghost of his past - a whole decade before one of his friends at Oxford was murdered and the case remained unsolved. Jem and Toby's other friends were questioned about the murder but nobody found why. When an anonymous letter arrives at his workplace accusing him of killing Toby, Jem is forced to resign from his job, which sends him off on a journey to find the truth.
My thoughtsI wouldn't say I was surprised that the book was good - I've loved the author's romantic mysteries before, so I knew she could pull one off. I was constantly changing who I thought the killer was and the reveal was so satisfying.
I also love how as we start to learn more and more of Toby, we begin to question whether he didn't have it coming (he did). Him surrounding himself with the less desirable members of his cohort - two women, a black man, an obviously queer man and a disabled working class boy - might seem generous at first but there is something off about it. Slowly it becomes obvious that he never valued them as people but as his possessions that would make him look better.
This book is perfect for people who read Babel and wanted more of the characters and their interpresonal drama and less of the etymology. I wouldn't necessarily call it dark academia because the story is about the mystery and academia is merely the setting, rather than the focus, but it's still a great book for fans of the genre.
This is the first book KJ Charles has published that doesn't fall in the romance genre. It is a mystery, first and foremost, and while there is a amorous relationship in here, it is a subplot, rather than the main plot. Not writing the book as romance also allows the book to be freer with how it develops this relationship, without the constraint of a mandatory HEA.
Synopsis: Jem is a working class man who's trying to live his life but is chased by the ghost of his past - a whole decade before one of his friends at Oxford was murdered and the case remained unsolved. Jem and Toby's other friends were questioned about the murder but nobody found why. When an anonymous letter arrives at his workplace accusing him of killing Toby, Jem is forced to resign from his job, which sends him off on a journey to find the truth.
My thoughtsI wouldn't say I was surprised that the book was good - I've loved the author's romantic mysteries before, so I knew she could pull one off. I was constantly changing who I thought the killer was and the reveal was so satisfying.
Spoiler
I kept thinking it couldn't possibly be Nick because it's never the love interest, unless they have femme fatale vibe, and then he confessed.I also love how as we start to learn more and more of Toby, we begin to question whether he didn't have it coming (he did). Him surrounding himself with the less desirable members of his cohort - two women, a black man, an obviously queer man and a disabled working class boy - might seem generous at first but there is something off about it. Slowly it becomes obvious that he never valued them as people but as his possessions that would make him look better.
This book is perfect for people who read Babel and wanted more of the characters and their interpresonal drama and less of the etymology. I wouldn't necessarily call it dark academia because the story is about the mystery and academia is merely the setting, rather than the focus, but it's still a great book for fans of the genre.