This is a lot of fun! Definitely one aimed at younger readers, almost veering into middle grade territory, but I loved the fast pace, the murder mystery and paranormal aspects, and it’s genuinely very funny, with our main character giving off Wednesday Addams vibes. Friendship is such a strong theme in this book which I love, and despite having a pretty predictable plotline and ending, I still feel like I will pick up the next book!

Thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC.

An entertaining book for long autumn evenings. Set in Victorian London, we follow a mystery of death, mourning and ghosts. I enjoyed the plot, but the characters were a bit one-dimensional, and I wish the conclusion was a bit more drawn out - now it felt quite sudden and low key.

A GRAVE INHERITANCE follows young heiress Delores in the wake of her father and sisters deaths. Delores has a melancholy sort of nature and so, when she’s convinced her sister’s ghost is haunting her in order to reveal the truth of her death, her doctor and priest quickly dismiss her. Luckily, she’s got a spirit-obsessed bestie to help her, as well as a (possibility untrustworthy) apothecary and a (slightly sketchy) medium.
To me, A GRAVE INHERITANCE, reads on the younger range of YA – older than Middle Grade but not as mature as YA novels have been trending in recent years. And I think that’s a really good thing. There’s been a real lack in books aimed at this demographic as YA has crept closer and closer to NA and adult, and I think this book fill a real missing niche.
There’s some fun scenes, as Delores confronts the spirit causing chaos in her house, and then takes part in some séances and supernatural adventures. There’s a nice blend of the spooky moments, the historical setting, gothic vibes, friendship, and a nice little love triangle as Delores dodges authority figures, investigates her sisters secrets and explores both murder and spiritualism.
The only thing that let this down a little for me was the finale. The solution to the mystery is well formed – when our killer is revelled, it’s clear how hints were sprinkled in earlier – but the reveal just feels a little hectic, a little exposition heavy, and it felt as though justice was served just a little too easily.
Overall though, this was a fun read, perfect for those slightly younger readers, and ideal for approaching spooky season.
I’m not actually sure if this is the start of a series or a standalone, and the marketing is a little unclear. The story wraps up well but certainly leaves the door open for a sequel. The title on Goodreads and Netgalley is THE SOCIETY OF FREE SPIRITS: A GRAVE INHERITANCE, but the cover makes it look like A Grave Inheritance may be this instalment and The Society of Free Spirits an intended series.

This was a wonderfully delightful gothic inspired murder mystery for young readers. I have recommended it for our Library in school as I am sure our students will love it and will eagerly await the next in series - they love a series! I found it engaging with characters who were believable, charming, and independent. It’s great to read a book with female main characters who support each other. Some lovely contextual narrative that adds to the Victorian setting and the lightest touches of romance. I’ll look forward to the next instalment of ghostly murder mystery!

I really wanted to like this book, so much! The blurb had me hooked: three girls forming a crime-solving/medium club and taking on Dolores’ ghost sister haunting her and finding out if/how she was murdered? Amazing!

Well, my first clue that this wasn’t for me was the cat that died offscreen before the beginning of the book. I half-kid, but honestly maybe a cat weaving around some people’s legs and causing mischief, maybe being mistaken for a ghost one time, would have added something to this story.

The mystery itself is set up with some promise: secret notes, hints her sister might not have died exactly as described, her worries leading up to her death? Great!

And the spooky parts: creepy spirits in Dolores’ vision, seances, ghostly goings on around the house? Also great!

But everything just gets resolved with such little fanfare it frustrated me. It made the stakes feel too low to really hook me, and I think I read it so fast simply because I could nearly skim read this book and know exactly what was going to happen.

It’s a shame because the characters were quite sweet, I found Theo quite charming and Septimus was a breath of fresh air in the Apothecary store, honestly he was probably the most developed character in the whole book. I smiled when he was on the page and I think he earned this review one whole star carried solely on his back. I’d read another book about his family history and trials as a shopkeeper and friend to mediums instead of Dolores again. (And, I’m sorry, but Ada was fairly one dimensional as a damsel in distress type of character, I didn’t really believe her want to be taken seriously and she seemed to just pop up to gasp at things and lock pick around plot devices…)

Sometimes the plot twists caught me a little, but not enough for me to truly recommend this book as a triumph for others. All I can say was that it was fun and quick and a fairly alright way to pass some time, but not my favourite book this year.