Scotland, 1930: Agatha Christie is getting married. She invites fellow members of the Detection Club to the windswept Isle of Skye for a quiet break while the banns are read. But tranquility proves elusive when the formidable Lord Blackwood, leader of a hunting party sharing their lodge, vanishes from the moors.
Sharp-eyed assistant to the Detection Club secretary, Eliza Baker, suspects foul play as the strange occurrences pile up: a mysterious grave in the churchyard, a missing rifle, and late-night excursions across the rugged island. There may be no body—yet—but someone at Dunmara Lodge is hiding a deadly secret.
As a storm cuts them off from the mainland, Eliza and her friend Theo must navigate lies, half-truths, and a treacherous landscape... but can they uncover the killer in the stalking grounds… or will the moors keep their secrets forever?
I have read all of the novels in this series, and this felt off for some reason. There were moments that Eliza and Theo appeared to be “together”, and then there were moments of Theo still pining for Eliza. It was a tad bit confusing. There was also the missing history that the author usually writes in. Oh, Agatha Christie and Max did go to Skye, but the reading of the banns felt like an extra action. “Oh, this is why they are here, and now we move on” kind of deal. Plus, there is Agatha’s daughter Rosalind as a new addition, but again they felt like filler pieces and not active participants like in previous novels.
During the mystery, the descriptions were on point. I felt the cold, rain, and wind. But I also felt the fear. The setting and writing made the reader feel as if they were in more of a horror novel than a mystery novel. “It was a dark and stormy night” or day or week should have been how this novel started. It felt like the author was aiming for the stereotypical dark mansion, dark night, and secrets galore. I found myself actually becoming angry with both Eliza and Theo because there were so many OBVIOUS clues, and yet no action was taken, no thoughts connecting dots. Which is not typical for Eliza.
Overall, I rate this novel 3 out of 5 stars.
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