I just couldn't get into this even though I tried several times. 1950s heroine lives with Grannie whose one idea is to find her a husband as that's what nice girls do. Marion has other ideas and, although apparently working for a bookshop, is really an apprentice for a detective agency. So far so good. However, said detective agency is underground with a life of its own and with notes for new cases being posted down drainpipes and the like from above. "Above" could have been almost any time and there's little context for it. The characters were rather shallow and the underground setting and gadgets felt as if it was aping Harry Potter on a bad day I'm afraid. I'm wondering if it was aimed at younger readers who could be drawn into the grim fantasy world; this much older reader certainly wasn't. Thanks to NetGalley and Orion Publishing Group for an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so clever and well written. I was engrossed from the first chapter. I love a good Agatha Christie-esque read! Thank you for the ARC!

Delightful Romp....
A secret detective agency, underground tunnels, escape rooms and fantastical gadgets. It is here that Marion Lane is undergoing her first apprenticeship but is she prepared for the murderous adventures that follow? A delightful romp which will appeal to a wide variety of readers. Great fun.

A mystery story set in 1950s London. Marion Lane, an orphan who lives with her grandmother, is an apprentice at Miss Brickett's bookshop, which is really an undercover and underground (literally) detective agency. When an employee of the agency is murdered, Marion finds herself caught up in the investigation.
The idea of secret detective agency residing in underground caverns and tunnels is interesting. This story takes place almost entirely underground so there was hardly any interaction with above ground London. As such there was no sense of time or place so London never came across as real and the historical setting of the 1950s certainly was lacking. In some respects, Marion felt more like a Victorian heroine and the cover of the book certainly implies this.
The characters are all adults but this book had the feel.of a young adult book to me and at times it felt a bit like a poor Harry Potter style book.
The characters lacked depth and I felt it difficult to build a bond with them. Marion's female friends were particularly difficult to distinguish.
At first I found the storyline confusing but once it resolved itself, it became fairly obvious where the plot was going. There weren't any surprises or twists to the plot.
Overall, I found this a quick, fairly light and entertaining read. As the first in a series it has the potential to improve as the idea of the underground detective agency gives plenty of scope for the imagination.

What incredibly good fun this book is.
To be honest it has the feel of a plucky victorian heroine,battling against evil relatives... but it's set in the 50's

Full of interesting characters,a book shop that is a disguise for a detective agency,and some rather sinister goings on.

I very much hope its the first in a series ,because I feel I could become good friends with Marion and Bill.

Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder takes us to London but not as we know it. Underneath London is a secret network of tunnels that have mysterious origins but have now been commandeered for use of private detectives. Marion Lane is recruited to the agency by her late mothers friend Frank and she begins her new life underground.
The world Willberg builds is an interesting one. I liked that there was a tension between the world above and the world below and the detectives both old and new struggled to find a balance between the two. The plot itself was also engaging but it was very insular, it immersed us completely in the world underground and I would have preferred to see more of how the agency functioned in the world above while keeping itself secret. I understand why the writer did this as it gives a thorough insight into the world of the Agency and how it operates. Post London however is ripe for spy stories especially with the American connection being brought in.
Marion and her friends are all very well portrayed I their own right they each have their own well rounded personalise and foibles and there’s a good few unlikable ones too.
On the whole I liked this story I just felt it could have been fleshed out a bit more but if it’s a series then it’s got space to do so later and I would be interested to see where Willberg takes it.

It’s 1958 and Marion Lane lives with her grandmother, who is feverishly trying to get her married off as soon as possible, and it doesn’t really matter who to. Marion has a job in an old bookshop, a bookshop that hides an amazing world of fantastic libraries, laboratories and a whole new life for her. But something dark is going on. A woman has been murdered, rumours run riot and it seems the murderer has left no clues, other than it looks as though it has to be an inside job. Although Marion is just a first year apprentice, she is determined to help solve this murder, as she gets drawn into the enquiry when it seems as though someone close to her is going to be accused of it.

This story fairly gallops along, throwing in amazing gadgets, storylines bouncing off the walls of the underground tunnels and the obvious baddies - or are they? The main character, Marion, is stronger than she realises, is likeable and believable. This is a really enjoyable read for all types and ages of readers. It’s atmospheric of a post war London, with enough back story to please even the most jaded reader. I look forward to the next instalment as the setting really lends itself to further tales.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Well, that was good! How to describe "Marion Lane and the Midnight Murder"? The blurb compares this to an Agatha Christie, a Stuart Turton and any number of locked-room mysteries. I'd say, rather, Genevieve Cogman with a touch of Alison Goodman and Rachel Caine. Maybe even Ben Aaronvitch.

It's London in 1958, and a filing clerk is murdered after receiving a letter, delivered through a wonderful series of underground pneumatic tubes. Switch to Marion Lane, a quiet young woman living with a grandmother who desperately wants to see her married, and who works in an old bookshop.

Only she doesn't. Courtesy of a nice summary, we learn she is an apprentice "enquirer", a member of an underground (literally) detective agency. When her colleague is framed for the murder, she takes it upon herself to clear his name.

What follows is a delightful tale of tunnels, gadgets, clues and red herrings. Nothing too deep, dark or complex, but a wonderful adventure. The main characters are well enough developed, but with plenty left to explore in future books.

There a touch of steampunk in here, with a whiff of Harry Potter and I'm sure it will appeal to a wide variety of readers. The story moves along at a nice pace, and satisfies in all the right places. Ms Willberg is South African, so probably hasn't spent much time in London, but it doesn't stop her from drawing a nice picture of a (possibly) alternate city.

Oh, and even for a Netgalley ARC, my copy included a map! Extra points.