Book Review-Murder at Spindle Manor by Morgan Stang
Murder at Spindle Manor is a clever merging of steampunk fantasy with classic murder mysteries, taking on the creativity of the former and the plot structure of the latter to create a story that bridges the gap between genres. As a SPFBO 9 entrant, this book proves that the competition this year is fierce.
It was so easy for me to get pulled into the story thanks to the immediate and refreshing inclusion of fantasy elements, running the gambit from steam powered bodies to skin stealing monsters. You could be forgiven for initially avoiding Murder at Spindle Manor if you’re not a fan of murder mysteries, but I think you’d ultimately be doing yourself a disservice by not looking past that. This is well and truly a fantasy experience, and you can easily get lost in the world before you even realize there is a killer to catch.
Everything about this story is fun, clever and humorous. While those might all be vague descriptors, it only takes a few pages for the book to prove itself to you. From quippy dialogue to the complex layering of narrative twists, Stang’s writing demonstrates a great degree of forethought matched with precise pacing. The author knows how to manage your expectations while staying true to a creative vision that is easy to be charmed by.
And I just adore how this book plays with the formatting. From one page chapters with a punchline to skipped chapters entirely, Morgan Stang doesn’t just settle for telling you a standard story, but instead relishes in involving the reader in well placed fourth-wall breaking commentary. It is meta in a way that doesn’t diminish the genre or cheapen the experience, which is inarguably the best usage of such a risky literary device.
My only word of caution is that if you are someone who loves being able to ‘figure things out’, then this book might let you down a little. While it’s possible to solve some of the mysteries ahead of time, I’d argue that much of the puzzle is obfuscated behind the slow rollout of fantasy world-building. Until you know what is even capable in this world, it’s difficult to start piecing things together, and perhaps unfortunately, certain twists did hinge on you not knowing that something was even possible. It’s for this reason that I would categorize this story as far more fantasy than murder mystery, which might come as a disappointment to some.
It all ultimately comes down to what you look for in a book, and I'd say there is plenty here for both plot focused and character focused readers. How well everything is plotted will likely appeal to those looking for the former, while the engaging character dialogue and quirky cast will enrapture the latter. The fact that it does not strongly favour one side or the other might be a weakness, but if so, I could hardly tell.
I really enjoyed my time with Murder at Spindle Manor overall, and if I end up seeing this title among the eventual finalists of SPFBO 9, I would think it well deserved. For authors, consider Morgan Stang worthy competition. For readers, consider this book a treat.
