Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder is a very imaginative and genre-defying novel, with elements of both historical fiction and fantasy, it’s a detective story like no other. The opening chapter definitely dug it’s hooks into me and from then on I could not put the book down, I was enthralled by this mesmerising new world below the streets of London and the mystery that was unfolding on the page. I loved that the agency was hidden underground with the front of a bookshop, and deeply imbedded in the historical setting of post war London.
The main character Marion is likeable from her very first mention, she’s inexperienced but strong and ambitious. She also has a wonderful affinity for mechanics which allows readers to become from familiar with the abundance of gadgets and inventions within the story. The novel focuses on Marion and her friends as they attempt to unravel the mystery of a murdered colleague. Through this adventure we discover more about the underground detective agency, the fantastical inventions and gadgets available to the inquirers and the rare creatures hiding in the tunnels of the agency.
T. A. Willberg has created a stunning debut novel that will immerse readers in a brilliant new world, it is definitely a novel to be proud of. The writing style is beautifully fluid and engaging with plenty of twists to keep readers guessing. I look forward to discovering what adventure the author writes next for Marion Lane.

I really enjoyed reading this book, it was easy going and fun. The underground labyrinth setting was inspired and the characters engaging. The mystery surrounding the agency and the staff that work there was just as enticing as the murder that propelled the story. I look forward to revisiting the tunnels soon and following Miss Lane through her apprenticeship.

A fun alternate-history-slash-mystery-slash-fantasy set in 1950's London. Marion Lane is the plucky heroine who courts the wrath of the secret detective society she is in training to join by investigating a mystery she is not meant to investigate. Secret formulae, clockwork birds, and handsome Americans all get a look-in as she trails through underground tunnels, determined to find the truth. If the mystery is solved a little too abruptly, and the 1950's setting isn't quite convincing, then there is still plenty of intrigue left to keep the plot moving along.

An ARC was generously provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

A fantastic fantasy mystery full of interesting characters and magical gadgets. Slow to start it ramped up nicely as Marion got to work trying to solve the mysterious death of Ms White. Using the Agatha Christie approach of the locked room mystery, this was fun and imaginative.

This book is set in London, 1958 following Marion Lane, a young detective at Miss Brickett's Secret Detective Agency. When Marion's friend and mentor Frank is arrested for murdering one of Miss Brickett's employee's, Marion is tasked with clearing his name, resulting in her entering the forbidden areas of the agency.

I found this to be a nice, quick read. The plot was easy to follow with a good pace throughout however, I did feel that the plot read a little like a young adult book and I would have liked a little more depth at times. I also struggled to keep track of all the characters but this did mean that I couldn't predict the outcome of the book.

I liked how Willberg included many fantasy type weapons and I found the setting very original and engaging. I felt that I was immediately able to picture the setting and was transported to the 1950s. I really liked Marion and found her so likeable and I was willing for her to solve the murder throughout. Willberg did a great job at including an independent and determined female protagonist.

I recommend this book for anyone interested in reading a historical thriller, it is both unpredictable and easy to follow, as well as original to other thrillers!

A huge thank you to Netgalley and Orion Publishing Group for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unedited feedback.

This book tells the tale of Marion Lane who to the outside world works in a bookshop in London as she enters the shop every day. But the bookshop is not what it seems and once in the shop you go through a trap door and lifts and go underground and there are tunnels and rooms and investigators and all sorts of secrets and gadgets.

One day one of the investigators is found dead and with the secrecy of the building only someone who works there could have killed her and Marion and her friends try to investigate the crime but find out all sorts of secrets along the way.

I would describe this book as a mixture between Jonathan Creek meeting Q from James Bond with a bit of Miss Marple thrown in for good measure.
.
There are a lot of characters introduced early on and it did take a while to establish who was who but once achieved you become immersed and want to find out what's happening.
.
There are twists and turns a-plenty and it's definitely got some quirky ideas and gadgets.I really enjoyed that the female protagonist is mechanically minded and that it's a locked room mystery that needs to be solved.
.
This book is inventive, intriguing and imaginative and the first in a new series.
If you're after something a little different then Marion Lane is definitely one for you. Marion Lane is out now
.
.
Thank you @trapeze_books for this copy to read and review
.

Let's be frank here, this book is mighty peculiar BUT does that mean its a no-no - well no. I have to say the juxtaposition of historical Britain with an added dose of fantastical elements was odd to begin with. Once you get beyond that and just enjoy the ride, it is good. The characters are believable and grow through the novel which adds to the interest. The only downside is how long it takes to get into it. The other crucial consideration is, would I read another and peculiarly the answer is yes..

I enjoyed this book. I’ll admit it took me a bit to get into it, but that’s only because I was learning about the setting of the book and getting to grips with the characters. If there is another book in the series I’m sure I will like it from the get go. The book is well written with a great plot and would make a good film or tv show. I recommend this book and will be looking out for more by this author. Thank you #netgalley

I must have misread the synopsis, as I wasn't expecting it to involve magic. I think for the right reader, this would be a fabulous book but unfortunately it wasn't for me, which is a shame as I was so looking forward to it.

Thanks to NetGalley and The Publisher for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was really interested in the premise of the book, 'a band of mysterious private detectives who lived beneath the streets of London' who 'solve the mysteries that confound London's police force.', thinking it would either be gruesome or complicated. It was neither of these but I enjoyed reading this book none the less. A nice little mystery to solve, espionage, a little bit of magic, a little bit of fantasy, touches of humour, lots of escapism. Very in keeping the the cover art. An easy read that introduces the characters and the world they live in nicely to set up the start of a series. It will be interesting to see what direction the author take the characters and the story in to next, but I won't be rushing to get my hand on it.

I'm not quite sure why I picked this book as it's not the sort of thing I'd normally read, but here we are. Fun, engaging, and all that. Apparently there's going to be another one, but honestly I probably won't get it. This is no fault of the book, which was good if a little slow - it's just not my style of book.

Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder by T A Willberg
Reading the synopsis of this book made it sound as if it has many elements which would appeal to me. It is set in London in 1958, it’s about a secret crime detection agency which operates underground. They get clues from ordinary people through special drop boxes on the streets.
Miss Brickett’s agency has been compared to a sort of Hogwarts for adults, with seemingly magical elements. The main protagonist, Marion Lane, is a trainee who lives with her abrasive grandmother. When a member of Miss Brickett’s staff is murdered it appears an inside job. Marion decides to investigate when her best friend is implicated in the murder.
One of the problems I had with the book was that I found it confusing trying to remember who was who as the characters did not come fully to life. The plot was a little confusing in places and tended to meander rather than follow a clear path.
I understand that this is the first in a series and I would read another to see how the author handles the investigation of mysteries set in the outside world. An unusual idea for a novel.
Many thanks to the author, the publishers and Net Galley for the opportunity to read this novel in return for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this mystery based in an underground (literally) private detective agency in 1950's London. The agency itself was very reminiscent of the Ministry of Magic in HP with tunnels that disappear and rooms full of gadgets but also completely hidden from the aboveground world.

The plot itself was quite basic and enjoyable so but did take awhile to get going - it took three days to get through the first half but then I finished the rest in one afternoon once things started to happen. The main characters were likeable but I felt some of the background characters were very generic without much substance.

A fun, quirky mystery if you are looking for a fast read.

It’s 1958 and Marion Lane is a trainee detective in a secret underground London agency called Miss Brickett's. The agency is a bit like the A Team - if the police can’t help, perhaps the secret detectives can. The, one night, one of the agency staff is murdered in mysterious circumstances and only Marion can uncover the true culprit.

I liked the premise, the underground setting and the weird clockwork contraptions which populated the book, which gave it a fantasyesque air. I was unconvinced by the historical setting - it didn’t really feel like 1958 to me - and the other detectives seemed a rather dull and incurious bunch.

However, a promising start to the series and I will most probably read the next book in the series when it’s released.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for providing a review copy in exchange for honest feedback.

I received Marion Lane & The Midnight Murder by T.A. Willberg for free by Orion Books on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much for this advanced copy! This review is also available on my blog - Book, Blog & Candle!

I was immediately intrigued by Marion Lane & The Midnight Murder when I saw the cover on NetGalley and I knew I had to read it when I saw the awesome blurb! A classic whodunnit murder mystery with secret underground detectives - I can’t think of anything better!

Our main character is Marion Lane and she is an apprentice at Miss Brickett’s - an underground private detective agency. She is smart, determined and a genius with tools. When her mentor and friend is accused of a murder within the agency, Marion must find the killer or risk losing her job trying.

I loved the mystery throughout the book and it is definitely one that will keep you guessing! The concept is absolutely brilliant and so much fun I didn’t want to put it down for a second! The writing flowed so nicely and it was full of action and puzzles! I really hope this is going to be a series because I can’t wait to read more of Marion Lane!

Perfect for fans of The Invisible Library and of the TV show Miss Scarlett & The Duke!

This is a fantasy mystery story set in a hidden underground detective agency in London. The world building is excellent and reminiscent of the world of Harry Potter. Marion is an intern and when her mentor is wrongly convicted of murder she sets out to clear them. It's a fun read but I did struggle with the sheer number of characters introduced within the first 20% of this book. The story had a very YA vibe to it that I wasn't expecting but overall it was an entertaining read.

A fantasy mystery set within a secret detective agency hidden under the depths of London, 1958. With a chilling murder the culprit is within their ranks. There was something magical about the agency, a completely different world. Filled with inventive gadgets, mazes of passageways and many secrets. I did find it hard going, it was difficult to keep up with all the characters, and it was a slow burn story. There were however many elements of the story which were enjoyable. It will be interesting to see how the series develops.

Thank you to Netgalley and Orion Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3 STARS

Marion is an intern learning about the secret world of detectives in underground London. It felt like if Harry Potter merged with Sherlock Holmes and got this! Really cool and unique concept.

This story, however, didn't really stand out to me. I sometimes had to backtrack to follow along, which made for a confusing read. The mystery portion of the book was meh, and the whole time I was wondering what everyone was doing. Why were the professional detectives unable to solve a murder, but a first-year trainee could? Just curious. I think this book was pretty good overall - the story weaved together nicely, but I have to admit it didn't stand out.

Thank you to NetGalley and HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing (U.S. & Canada) for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This is the story of Marion Lane; an intern at a top-ranking, underground investigation agency masquerading as a dilapidated bookshop in London. Someone decides to murder one of their underground pals which leads to a wrongful conviction and a band of apprentices armed with fantastical gadgets are quickly mobilised to figure out what the hell happened.

Whilst normally this kind of style would be right up my street, this book just wasn't for me but I can absolutely see why others will love it.

At the start, I was hooked. A secret underground task force in an alternate London sounds AMAZING, but that's where my love for this fell to the wayside. Marion is adorable but there are a lot of characters that I couldn't keep up with or, in some cases, tell apart.

As much as I tried, this was a tough read (and a bit of a slog) and one I just couldn't gel with.