Author : Guy Morpuss
Title : Black Lake Manor
Pages : 400
Publisher : Viper Books
Publication date : September 8, 2022
| ABOUT THE BOOK |
A locked room. A brutal murder.
And a killer who can turn back time…
In the former mining town of Black Lake on the west coast of Canada, there is a story about a shipwreck. All those aboard died, except an unnamed man who staggered ashore. His descendants have a unique ability: once in their lives – and only once – they can unwind the events of the previous six hours.
More than two hundred years later, Ella Manning, marine biologist and part-time police constable, is attending a party at Black Lake Manor, the cliff-top mansion of the town’s divisive local billionaire. With a raging storm coming in from the Pacific, she and several other guests find themselves trapped. And when their host is discovered brutally murdered in a locked room, they turn to her to solve the crime.
Against the odds, Ella is sure she has identified the killer… but then time is unwound. With no memory of what she discovered before, her investigation begins again, with very different results. Someone is willing to use their gift to protect a killer, and everyone is a suspect.
| MY THOUGHTS |
If you’ve read this author’s debut ‘Five Minds‘, then you know he has the most refreshing and unique way of telling a crime story. Granted, that debut blew my mind so hard that I was a little hesitant about ‘Black Lake Manor‘. Anticipations were high, no matter how hard I tried to curtail them. I shouldn’t have worried. They were met and exceeded!
I’m going to keep this short and sweet because it’s just impossible to write a decent review about ‘Black Lake Manor‘, especially without giving anything away. Also, the less you know, the better. Really, all you need to know is this : it’s a locked room mystery and someone is able to turn back time. Le gasp! Obviously someone is going to die and also obviously someone (Ella) needs to investigate this death but when Ella gets too close to the truth … poof, she’s right back where she started with no recollection of what came before.
If you’re worried that things will become awfully repetitive, don’t. Some discoveries change, or don’t happen at all. Results vary and as the reader you end up way more confused than Ella herself, as you desperately try to figure out if there are any pointers that will help you reach the ultimate conclusion! I wasn’t at all able to even think of a character to point a finger at. They were acting immensely suspiciously. There’s a lot of history to wade through as some have been friends since childhood, some petty behaviour, some grudges. Not everyone is as as they seem. Or even real. Le gasp #two 😉.
Just like with ‘Five Minds‘ it’s best to just go with the flow, let Morpuss lead you wherever it is he’s leading you. Most of the time, I didn’t have a clue what was going on but I was loving every minute of this story! Really, just dive in and discover it all for yourself. It will mess with your head and make it hurt until smoke comes out of your ears. Apologies if this review is too vague for you but I really don’t want to ruin anything. I just hope you’ll enjoy this immensely well-plotted, ingenious, wildly entertaining, crazy mindfuck as much as I did. I’ve no idea where Guy Morpuss keeps getting this stuff but I can’t wait for more. Highly recommended!
Black Lake Manor is out today! Huge thanks to Viper for the advanced review copy, which I received via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Novel Deelights 
Fab review! I LOVED Five Minds and I love a locked room mystery, so of course this goes straight to the top of my wishlist. 😉
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It is an interesting premise that has been used a couple of times though perhaps more originally here.
I must admit that if I could turn back time once, it wouldn’t be to protect a murderer. I’d squander the gift on the Euromillions, and no doubt come to wish I hadn’t.
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