Author: Gigi Pandian
Series: Secret Staircase Mysteries (Book 4)
Publication: Minotaur Books (March 18, 2025)
Description: In The Library Game, Tempest Raj and Secret Staircase Construction are renovating a classic detective fiction library that just got its first real-life mystery.
Tempest Raj couldn’t be happier that the family business, Secret Staircase Construction, is finally getting the recognition it deserves. Known for enchanting architectural features like sliding bookshelves and secret passageways, the company is now taking on a dream project: transforming a home into a public library that celebrates history's greatest fictional detectives.
Though the work is far from done, Gray House Library’s new owner is eager to host a murder mystery dinner and literary themed escape room. But when a rehearsal ends with an actor murdered and the body vanishes, Tempest is witness to a seemingly impossible crime. Fueled by her grandfather’s Scottish and Indian meals, Tempest and the rest of the crew must figure out who is making beloved classic mystery plots come to life in a deadly game.
Multiple award winning author Gigi Pandian masterfully weaves wit and warmth in the Secret Staircase Mysteries. Readers will delight in the surprises Secret Staircase Construction uncovers behind the next locked door.
My Thoughts: The fourth Secret Staircase mystery concerns the death of an actor who was set to play in a murder mystery at a house that is soon to be Gray House Library. The library is filled with Golden Age mysteries collected by the recently deceased owner. The owner left the funds to turn the house into the newest town library to be run by his nephew who would live in the attic carefully remodeled by Secret Staircase Construction.
The actor's body disappears like something in magic trick but then reappears the next evening. Tempest and Sanjay are both stage magicians. They should be able to figure out what happened to the body. However, this is also a locked room mystery since nosy across-the-street neighbor Mrs. Hudson is sure that no one entered or left the premises when the death occurred.
Tempest calls the gang together to solve the mystery of the actor's death and save the library from being closed before it can even open. Tempest and Sanjay's knowledge of magic, Ivy's vast knowledge of mystery novels, and Gideon's practical nature should be enough to solve the crime. Especially if Tempest's grandfather can use his expansive rolodex to find people to answer all the questions they have about the whole mystery.
This was an engaging story with interesting characters. I like the mix of characters. I also like the whimsical constructions done by Tempest's father's company. With Gideon's departure for a France and a stonemason internship, changes are in the air and Ivy's search for a new home, changes are in the air.
Fans of the series will enjoy getting back together with some unique detectives for a fun adventure.
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.
I received this one in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley. You can buy your copy here.
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