This moody mystery takes you deep into the secrets of St. Augustine, where Lucia can’t accept the official story about her brother’s death. When a strange card of La Santa Muerte is found on his body, she starts digging—and soon uncovers a web of conspiracies among the city’s elite. The story is full of twists and dreamy suspense, as Lucia chases the truth and questions what’s real in a place where nothing is as it seems. Perfect for anyone who loves dark, atmospheric mysteries.

4⭐
Eerie, suspenseful, and twisty.

In the wake of her brother's mysterious death, Lucia begins to trace and unravel the enigma that is St. Augustine, Florida, leading her not only to question the circumstances of her late sibling, but herself as well.

When first reading this, I got a hint of "A Good Girl's Guide to Murder" which is one of my favorite amateur-sleuth books. You have a young, gutsy protagonist who is unshakable in her resolve to find answers, and you root for her as you, yourself, long to untangle the web of the story. The plot had plenty of twists and left-turns that kept you guessing and itching for resolution. The pacing was solid and you were given just enough nuggets of information that you had to adjust your thinking as much as Lucia does in the story.

One qualm I do have about this book is I found it difficult to place which demographic of reader this was for. As I said, in the beginning, I was reminded of YA mystery - spookiness that borders on camp, an upstart amateur-detective, cute drawings interspersed throughout the novel. Yet, towards the end, there was a shift toward more adult themes that seemed a bit removed from the beginning of the story. This is by no means a negative, because it shows a "coming-of-age" transition for Lucia as she peels layers of the mystery, perhaps mirroring her beginning to better comprehend the world she lives in.

For a debut, this is a very promising start for Stuart and a great addition to the mystery genre. I'm intrigued to see more from this author if he chooses to write another work.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Encour Press for an ARC of this work!

Pub Date: April 1, 2025