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Secret Staircase Mystery #1
Under Lock & Skeleton Key
An impossible crime. A family legacy. The intrigue of hidden rooms and secret staircases.
After a disastrous accident derails Tempest Raj’s career, and life, she heads back to her childhood home in California to comfort herself with her grandfather’s Indian home-cooked meals. Though she resists, every day brings her closer to the inevitable: working for her father’s company. Secret Staircase Construction specializes in bringing the magic of childhood to all by transforming clients’ homes with sliding bookcases, intricate locks, backyard treehouses, and hidden reading nooks.
When Tempest visits her dad’s latest renovation project, her former stage double is discovered dead inside a wall that’s supposedly been sealed for more than a century. Fearing she was the intended victim, it’s up to Tempest to solve this seemingly impossible crime. But as she delves further into the mystery, Tempest can’t help but wonder if the Raj family curse that’s plagued her family for generations—something she used to swear didn’t exist—has finally come for her.
After a disastrous accident derails Tempest Raj’s career, and life, she heads back to her childhood home in California to comfort herself with her grandfather’s Indian home-cooked meals. Though she resists, every day brings her closer to the inevitable: working for her father’s company. Secret Staircase Construction specializes in bringing the magic of childhood to all by transforming clients’ homes with sliding bookcases, intricate locks, backyard treehouses, and hidden reading nooks.
When Tempest visits her dad’s latest renovation project, her former stage double is discovered dead inside a wall that’s supposedly been sealed for more than a century. Fearing she was the intended victim, it’s up to Tempest to solve this seemingly impossible crime. But as she delves further into the mystery, Tempest can’t help but wonder if the Raj family curse that’s plagued her family for generations—something she used to swear didn’t exist—has finally come for her.
341 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 15, 2022
522 people are currently reading
21164 people want to read
About the author
Gigi Pandian
49 books1,545 followersGigi Pandian is a USA Today bestselling and Agatha Award-winning mystery author, breast cancer survivor, and accidental almost-vegan. She's the child of professors from New Mexico and the southern tip of India, and spent her childhood traveling around the world on their research trips. She now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and a gargoyle who watches over the garden.
She writes the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mystery series, the Accidental Alchemist mysteries, and the Secret Staircase Mysteries.
Her debut novel was awarded a Malice Domestic Grant and named a Best of 2012 Debut by Suspense Magazine, her mysteries have been awarded the Agatha, Rose, Lefty, and Derringer awards, and been short-listed for the Edgar.
She writes the Jaya Jones Treasure Hunt mystery series, the Accidental Alchemist mysteries, and the Secret Staircase Mysteries.
Her debut novel was awarded a Malice Domestic Grant and named a Best of 2012 Debut by Suspense Magazine, her mysteries have been awarded the Agatha, Rose, Lefty, and Derringer awards, and been short-listed for the Edgar.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,031 reviews
March 15, 2022
***HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY***
OH WHAT FUN THIS BOOK WAS, A WONDERFUL SURPRISE!!!!
There was so much I loved about this book it’s hard to know where to start this review!
This was a multi-layered mystery with likable characters, yeah for CHARACTERS YOU CAN ROOT FOR!!!!!!
This also is a multicultural coming of age novel, with grandparents who helped raise and nurture Tempest, our main character. The book is filled with descriptions of mouth watering South Indian dishes that her grandfather Ash prepared, recipes included at the end!!! Her grandmother was from Scotland and had her own favorite dishes.
Tempest grew up in a home that her parents had designed “it was over 4,500 square feet of magical, hidden hideaways across separate structures”.
It is to this home that Tempest Raj has just returned after being fired from her show in Las Vegas. She had been accused of performing “tricks” that almost killed her! She was innocent of the charges but still lost her job.
She has returned to ponder where life will take her but she is soon involved in a mystery at the site of one of the “Secret Staircase Construction” sites. Tempest’s doppleganger and former stage double is found dead in a wall that has been sealed for a century. IMPOSSIBLE?? IS THERE MAGIC INVOLVED??
The plot quickly escalated and involved a multitude of very interesting characters, including a very mischievous bunny named “Abracadabra”. Tempest and her best friend, Ivy, are determined to solve the mystery and also keep Tempest safe.
It is quickly determined that Tempest’s life is in danger and it will take all of their talents to solve this puzzling mystery.
This is the 1st in what I’m sure will prove to be a great series. I can’t wait for the next addition to this magical series.
I can recommend this to any mystery lovers who would like to read something truly unique!
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley.
OH WHAT FUN THIS BOOK WAS, A WONDERFUL SURPRISE!!!!
There was so much I loved about this book it’s hard to know where to start this review!
This was a multi-layered mystery with likable characters, yeah for CHARACTERS YOU CAN ROOT FOR!!!!!!
This also is a multicultural coming of age novel, with grandparents who helped raise and nurture Tempest, our main character. The book is filled with descriptions of mouth watering South Indian dishes that her grandfather Ash prepared, recipes included at the end!!! Her grandmother was from Scotland and had her own favorite dishes.
Tempest grew up in a home that her parents had designed “it was over 4,500 square feet of magical, hidden hideaways across separate structures”.
It is to this home that Tempest Raj has just returned after being fired from her show in Las Vegas. She had been accused of performing “tricks” that almost killed her! She was innocent of the charges but still lost her job.
She has returned to ponder where life will take her but she is soon involved in a mystery at the site of one of the “Secret Staircase Construction” sites. Tempest’s doppleganger and former stage double is found dead in a wall that has been sealed for a century. IMPOSSIBLE?? IS THERE MAGIC INVOLVED??
The plot quickly escalated and involved a multitude of very interesting characters, including a very mischievous bunny named “Abracadabra”. Tempest and her best friend, Ivy, are determined to solve the mystery and also keep Tempest safe.
It is quickly determined that Tempest’s life is in danger and it will take all of their talents to solve this puzzling mystery.
This is the 1st in what I’m sure will prove to be a great series. I can’t wait for the next addition to this magical series.
I can recommend this to any mystery lovers who would like to read something truly unique!
I received an ARC of this novel from the publisher through NetGalley.
April 10, 2022
This gothic cozy mystery ticks every box for gripping, adventurous, exciting reading experience for me!
Nancy Drew meets with my favorite magician movies including Prestige and Now You See Me ( or Bollywood’s Dhoom 3)!
The characters were lovely especially the Magician family of our MC Tempest Raj!
The ideas of vanishing in secret rooms and hidden entrances, the family curse were temptingly intriguing!
The pacing was capturing. The action parts balanced with love triangle.
The story development was unique and the mystery picks your interest!
The conclusion was also satisfying enough for you to want to read more books of this brand new installment!
Let’s take a look at the plot and make introductions of characters and this impressively well constructed world building!
Tempest Raj returns back to family home located at Hidden Creek, California after having nearly death experience during stage performance which is the main reason why her career just sank. Now she has to rebuild her reputation and work for fresh start!
Her family’s construction business focused on building secret rooms with hidden entrances.
Instead of rebuilding her career, Poor Tempest finds herself in the middle of murder investigation. Her doppelgänger stage assistant is found death at the site of her father’s one of the construction projects. Did somebody target her and accidentally kill the poor assistant?
And she also hears about the curse that kills the eldest child in the family! Could the curse affect her? What about her deadly stage accident? Did her mother and aunt kill because of the curse?
She has to team up with magician friend Hindu Houdini and her best friend to dig out more to find out who’s the culprit by taking us an action packed adventure takes place hidden entrances of unique buildings!
Well this was so much fun! I loved the magician family and those mouth watering Indian and Scottish food recipes at the book.
I’m looking forward to read the next books of the series!
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Minotaur Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Nancy Drew meets with my favorite magician movies including Prestige and Now You See Me ( or Bollywood’s Dhoom 3)!
The characters were lovely especially the Magician family of our MC Tempest Raj!
The ideas of vanishing in secret rooms and hidden entrances, the family curse were temptingly intriguing!
The pacing was capturing. The action parts balanced with love triangle.
The story development was unique and the mystery picks your interest!
The conclusion was also satisfying enough for you to want to read more books of this brand new installment!
Let’s take a look at the plot and make introductions of characters and this impressively well constructed world building!
Tempest Raj returns back to family home located at Hidden Creek, California after having nearly death experience during stage performance which is the main reason why her career just sank. Now she has to rebuild her reputation and work for fresh start!
Her family’s construction business focused on building secret rooms with hidden entrances.
Instead of rebuilding her career, Poor Tempest finds herself in the middle of murder investigation. Her doppelgänger stage assistant is found death at the site of her father’s one of the construction projects. Did somebody target her and accidentally kill the poor assistant?
And she also hears about the curse that kills the eldest child in the family! Could the curse affect her? What about her deadly stage accident? Did her mother and aunt kill because of the curse?
She has to team up with magician friend Hindu Houdini and her best friend to dig out more to find out who’s the culprit by taking us an action packed adventure takes place hidden entrances of unique buildings!
Well this was so much fun! I loved the magician family and those mouth watering Indian and Scottish food recipes at the book.
I’m looking forward to read the next books of the series!
Special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press/ Minotaur Books for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
April 3, 2022
3.5 stars, rounded up
This was a fun read for me, it took a while to get into it because there are a large number of characters and it's a bit difficult to keep them straight. In the end though, it's a clever puzzle-type mystery.
I love the combination of Tempest's family's construction business--all about creating hidden rooms and spaces that require a bit of know-how to enter, along with Tempest's career as a stage illusionist. There is a great deal of theming about misdirection and how it can be used for both good and bad.
The mystery itself isn't particularly mind boggling, but when the different pieces are put together, it's mostly the "how" rather than the "why" that intrigued me the most. There's also the inclusion of some delicious sounding food (with recipes included in the back) combining Tempest's Scottish and Indian heritage.
This was a fun-enough book that I will enjoy reading others in the series. There's still the mystery of what exactly happened to Tempest's mom that needs to be solved, and I need to know the answer to that one!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
This was a fun read for me, it took a while to get into it because there are a large number of characters and it's a bit difficult to keep them straight. In the end though, it's a clever puzzle-type mystery.
I love the combination of Tempest's family's construction business--all about creating hidden rooms and spaces that require a bit of know-how to enter, along with Tempest's career as a stage illusionist. There is a great deal of theming about misdirection and how it can be used for both good and bad.
The mystery itself isn't particularly mind boggling, but when the different pieces are put together, it's mostly the "how" rather than the "why" that intrigued me the most. There's also the inclusion of some delicious sounding food (with recipes included in the back) combining Tempest's Scottish and Indian heritage.
This was a fun-enough book that I will enjoy reading others in the series. There's still the mystery of what exactly happened to Tempest's mom that needs to be solved, and I need to know the answer to that one!
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book, all opinions are my own.
March 8, 2022
Under Lock & Skeleton Key should have been a book that I loved, but unfortunately, it fell a bit flat. It has everything I would typically lap up: delicious descriptions of food, secret rooms and staircases, a curse, and classic murder mystery elements.
After a near-death experience at one of her popular magic shows, which ultimately ended her career, Tempest Raj finds herself living at home with her parents. She knows her father doesn’t need her help at his Secret Staircase Construction company, but her options are limited.
One day when Tempest is on-site with her father, the crew finds a dead body crammed behind a wall. They have no idea how the body came to be there, and they soon realize that the dead body is Tempest’s former body double.
Tempest believes the murderer was after her because of a family curse that dates back several generations. Although the police make a quick arrest, she refuses to believe they have the real culprit. And so, Tempest embarks on her own investigation.
I think I would have enjoyed this novel when I was younger. It’s not clear who is the target audience for this book. Tempest is in her mid-twenties, but the writing style reads on the younger side. I had to double-check how old Tempest was because it felt like I was reading from a much younger protagonist’s pov.
The writing was repetitive as well. It’s not necessary to drill the same points over and over again.
There were parts that I did enjoy. The sections that focused on Tempest’s family dynamics, the scrumptious food descriptions, and when she channelled her inner Hercule Poirot was well-done. There are some mouth-watering vegan-friendly recipes at the end of the book.
Although I didn’t love this novel, I’m sure others will have lots of fun with it. I recommend this to readers that enjoy YA and are looking for a light murder mystery.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for providing a review copy via Netgalley.
https://booksandwheels.com
After a near-death experience at one of her popular magic shows, which ultimately ended her career, Tempest Raj finds herself living at home with her parents. She knows her father doesn’t need her help at his Secret Staircase Construction company, but her options are limited.
One day when Tempest is on-site with her father, the crew finds a dead body crammed behind a wall. They have no idea how the body came to be there, and they soon realize that the dead body is Tempest’s former body double.
Tempest believes the murderer was after her because of a family curse that dates back several generations. Although the police make a quick arrest, she refuses to believe they have the real culprit. And so, Tempest embarks on her own investigation.
I think I would have enjoyed this novel when I was younger. It’s not clear who is the target audience for this book. Tempest is in her mid-twenties, but the writing style reads on the younger side. I had to double-check how old Tempest was because it felt like I was reading from a much younger protagonist’s pov.
The writing was repetitive as well. It’s not necessary to drill the same points over and over again.
There were parts that I did enjoy. The sections that focused on Tempest’s family dynamics, the scrumptious food descriptions, and when she channelled her inner Hercule Poirot was well-done. There are some mouth-watering vegan-friendly recipes at the end of the book.
Although I didn’t love this novel, I’m sure others will have lots of fun with it. I recommend this to readers that enjoy YA and are looking for a light murder mystery.
Thank you to Minotaur Books for providing a review copy via Netgalley.
https://booksandwheels.com
March 10, 2022
It is hard to resist a locked room mystery with a heroine who lives in a house filled with secret rooms and staircases. I've always wanted to have a library where you pull out just the right book and the bookcase turns to reveal a secret room. Dun, dun dun. What I do have is an office with a bookcases on either side of our Murphy bed. Close enough, I guess. Anyway, Tempest Raj is a stage magician whose career went on the skids. She leaves Vegas to go back home (to the house with all the hidden rooms and staircases). Her dad resembles The Rock (hubba, hubba). She has a pet rabbit named Abracadabra and her grandparents live on the property in a treehouse. Her charm bracelet -- a gift from her late mother -- sounds fascinating. Would love to see a picture of it. I'll leave it at that so I don't give away any of the plot. Classic mystery fans will enjoy this one as will younger generations. This book definitely has multi-gen appeal. The cast is racially diverse and it is just the beginning of a series. There are also a few nods to Shakespeare -- specifically "The Tempest."
Thank you to Minotaur and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to Minotaur and Edelweiss+ for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.
March 16, 2022
HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY!
Abracadabra!
Tempest Raj is taking a break from her Vegas magic act after a terrible accident happened on stage. Returning to her childhood home, she enjoys eating her Indian grandfather’s delicious meals. However, she feels that she is slowly being pulled into the family business, Secret Staircase Construction. When she visits one of her father’s job sites, she discovers her former stage double dead inside a wall. How did she get inside the wall? Was she murdered? Was Tempest the intended victim? Has the family curse finally come for her?
What I loved: Abracadabra, Tempest’s adorable and sneaky bunny sidekick 🐰. It’s a fabulous name for a magician’s pet! The lengthy food descriptions made my mouth water. Yum!
What didn’t work for me: The audiobook is read very slowly and does not improve when sped up. Instead, it just sounds robotic. It would have been better if there was an option for a custom speed on the NetGalley app between 1 and 1.25. I listened on 1 because it was easier on the ears, but it took longer than I would have preferred to finish it. The plot is reminiscent of a Scooby Doo episode, which lends itself to a YA vibe. This is also highlighted by the fact that it reads like a coming of age novel, even though Tempest is in her twenties. It is also a very slow burn mystery as the real action only started at around 60%.
While the plot wrapped up nicely, this is the first book in the series, so there will be more cozy mysteries to come!
3/5 stars
Expected publication date 3/15/22
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of Under Lock and Skeleton Key in exchange for an honest review.
Abracadabra!
Tempest Raj is taking a break from her Vegas magic act after a terrible accident happened on stage. Returning to her childhood home, she enjoys eating her Indian grandfather’s delicious meals. However, she feels that she is slowly being pulled into the family business, Secret Staircase Construction. When she visits one of her father’s job sites, she discovers her former stage double dead inside a wall. How did she get inside the wall? Was she murdered? Was Tempest the intended victim? Has the family curse finally come for her?
What I loved: Abracadabra, Tempest’s adorable and sneaky bunny sidekick 🐰. It’s a fabulous name for a magician’s pet! The lengthy food descriptions made my mouth water. Yum!
What didn’t work for me: The audiobook is read very slowly and does not improve when sped up. Instead, it just sounds robotic. It would have been better if there was an option for a custom speed on the NetGalley app between 1 and 1.25. I listened on 1 because it was easier on the ears, but it took longer than I would have preferred to finish it. The plot is reminiscent of a Scooby Doo episode, which lends itself to a YA vibe. This is also highlighted by the fact that it reads like a coming of age novel, even though Tempest is in her twenties. It is also a very slow burn mystery as the real action only started at around 60%.
While the plot wrapped up nicely, this is the first book in the series, so there will be more cozy mysteries to come!
3/5 stars
Expected publication date 3/15/22
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ARC of Under Lock and Skeleton Key in exchange for an honest review.
January 4, 2025
This book showed up as a suggestion when I did my local library search under “locked room mysteries.”
Apparently… It is the first in the Secret Staircase Mystery series, so it might be interesting to follow in the future.
Because…It had all the right elements…
Magician secrets and Secret rooms, a core group of supportive friends and family, and a Nancy Drew-like page-turning short chapter suspense feeling.
Now…It may take a moment or two to figure out if we like our main protagonist, Tempest Raj, but give her some time…
She grows on readers. (At least this one.) She has been battered and bruised and beaten in ways that took her dreams of being the famous Magician she thought she was meant to be.
And now… She is back being asked to help with the struggling family business, only to be involved in the discovery of a dead body, that is oh too familiar!
What is a girl to do?
Readers…If you are looking for an interesting modern-day cozy, look no further than this one.
Apparently… It is the first in the Secret Staircase Mystery series, so it might be interesting to follow in the future.
Because…It had all the right elements…
Magician secrets and Secret rooms, a core group of supportive friends and family, and a Nancy Drew-like page-turning short chapter suspense feeling.
Now…It may take a moment or two to figure out if we like our main protagonist, Tempest Raj, but give her some time…
She grows on readers. (At least this one.) She has been battered and bruised and beaten in ways that took her dreams of being the famous Magician she thought she was meant to be.
And now… She is back being asked to help with the struggling family business, only to be involved in the discovery of a dead body, that is oh too familiar!
What is a girl to do?
Readers…If you are looking for an interesting modern-day cozy, look no further than this one.
January 5, 2023
Tempest Raj is a twenty-six (26) year-old magician who found herself in a near-death stunt that landed her living at her childhood home with members of her family who cook, coddle & coo around her & tend to her every need. Tempest is on the brink of what she fears might be rock bottom; having lost whatever good graces her magician’s act had given her. In this first instalment of what one might presume to become a series, Tempest finds herself in the middle of a murder mystery; how can a recently deceased body be found behind an aged wall?
Well, most unfortunately for me I did not enjoy this story at all & I will preface this long-winded review by stating simply that this was not meant for people in my age group. I am a couple of years older than Tempest & found her behaviour ranging from absurd to ludicrous. I began to wonder if this character was written as someone who might reflect what younger audiences might think someone in their mid-twenties to be. My reason for questioning the authenticity of Tempest’s character was truly brought about because the writing style employed in this book is very juvenile. The transitions between thoughts, scenes & events circle around a select few catchphrases which would behold the interest of a young audience. This is certainly not a negative thing if the book were targeting young people. Unfortunately, it is being put forth as an ‘adult’ read & for that reason, I found it fell very flat.
I would like to highlight that books are not necessarily restricted to us based on our ages. One can find themselves, for example, appreciating "Le Petit Prince" (1943) by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry at any age because the writing style is filled with artful transitions & beautiful prose. What differentiates this story from one which might be appreciated throughout the ages is the fact that nothing was very magical. By this, I mean that the writing was not bewildering; it was bland & led us around the same corner, over & over again. We see this in the first chapters when Tempest continuously repeats how important a meeting is for her. We understand that the meeting is important, this does not need to be told more than twice. For this reason, I felt that the storyline might appeal to younger audiences as they might be more willing to forgive redundancy than I.
As someone who can, more often than not, clock the twist in the opening chapters of a book, I found this story to not hold much depth in the plot to lead me to want to continue reading until everything was revealed. Being an avid reader of Agatha Christie’s I find myself always paying close attention to wording; even the most mundane phrase is often where the reveal is found. For this reason, I was, again, lead to reflect upon the target audience of this story.
The premise of the plot holds a great deal of potential; the book will be beloved by many a young reader, of that I am certain. However, as someone who has lived in the adult world for many years & has spent many a stormy night reading brooding mystery novels, I found this story to not be anything particularly pleasing for me. The actions that the characters took touched the surface of what they could be. Tempest herself has very shallow interactions with people who are described as being very close to her. I suppose this comes down to the writing style; things were told to the reader rather than them being shown. This is not to say that there were not detailed descriptions, there were, often ample.
Ultimately, this book was not for me. Should you read this review & wonder if you should read the book I would encourage you to give it a chance. Everything I stated was from a very subjective standpoint. If you’ve not delved into closed-door mysteries, this story might appeal to you. If you are fine with redundant descriptors, the length of this book will not bother you. I will say that I appreciated the touches of combined culture which presented themselves within the cooking practices of the characters. This trait did bring the characters together & forged what one might view as a genuine family experience which was authentic to the story we were reading.
I’m sure we will see this story find its way to the ideal target audience as time moves forward & I am glad for every person who reads this story & adores it.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press & Gigi Pandian for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Well, most unfortunately for me I did not enjoy this story at all & I will preface this long-winded review by stating simply that this was not meant for people in my age group. I am a couple of years older than Tempest & found her behaviour ranging from absurd to ludicrous. I began to wonder if this character was written as someone who might reflect what younger audiences might think someone in their mid-twenties to be. My reason for questioning the authenticity of Tempest’s character was truly brought about because the writing style employed in this book is very juvenile. The transitions between thoughts, scenes & events circle around a select few catchphrases which would behold the interest of a young audience. This is certainly not a negative thing if the book were targeting young people. Unfortunately, it is being put forth as an ‘adult’ read & for that reason, I found it fell very flat.
I would like to highlight that books are not necessarily restricted to us based on our ages. One can find themselves, for example, appreciating "Le Petit Prince" (1943) by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry at any age because the writing style is filled with artful transitions & beautiful prose. What differentiates this story from one which might be appreciated throughout the ages is the fact that nothing was very magical. By this, I mean that the writing was not bewildering; it was bland & led us around the same corner, over & over again. We see this in the first chapters when Tempest continuously repeats how important a meeting is for her. We understand that the meeting is important, this does not need to be told more than twice. For this reason, I felt that the storyline might appeal to younger audiences as they might be more willing to forgive redundancy than I.
As someone who can, more often than not, clock the twist in the opening chapters of a book, I found this story to not hold much depth in the plot to lead me to want to continue reading until everything was revealed. Being an avid reader of Agatha Christie’s I find myself always paying close attention to wording; even the most mundane phrase is often where the reveal is found. For this reason, I was, again, lead to reflect upon the target audience of this story.
The premise of the plot holds a great deal of potential; the book will be beloved by many a young reader, of that I am certain. However, as someone who has lived in the adult world for many years & has spent many a stormy night reading brooding mystery novels, I found this story to not be anything particularly pleasing for me. The actions that the characters took touched the surface of what they could be. Tempest herself has very shallow interactions with people who are described as being very close to her. I suppose this comes down to the writing style; things were told to the reader rather than them being shown. This is not to say that there were not detailed descriptions, there were, often ample.
Ultimately, this book was not for me. Should you read this review & wonder if you should read the book I would encourage you to give it a chance. Everything I stated was from a very subjective standpoint. If you’ve not delved into closed-door mysteries, this story might appeal to you. If you are fine with redundant descriptors, the length of this book will not bother you. I will say that I appreciated the touches of combined culture which presented themselves within the cooking practices of the characters. This trait did bring the characters together & forged what one might view as a genuine family experience which was authentic to the story we were reading.
I’m sure we will see this story find its way to the ideal target audience as time moves forward & I am glad for every person who reads this story & adores it.
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press & Gigi Pandian for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
March 10, 2022
Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian is the first book of the locked room Secret Staircase Mystery series. While this is the first book of the Secret Staircase Mystery series the mystery within the book is solved so it could be read as a standalone if choosing to do so.
Tempest Raj has been working as a magician in Las Vegas but lost her job when wrongly accused so she has headed back to her childhood home in California. The home Tempest grew up in is unique to say the least with her family owning Secret Staircase Construction which specializes in hidden and intricate home designs which of course compose their own home.
As Tempest is just settling in back in California she goes for a visit to her father’s latest project. Things become complicated for Tempest though when a body is found inside of the project, a body that looks suspiciously like her former stage double. With an obvious murder occuring that looks like it may have been directed at Tempest herself she decides they need to find the killer fast.
Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian is sort of a cozy mystery but it doesn’t fit all the way into the cozy mold being just slightly different which wasn’t a bad thing. The characters are diverse and the theming was certainly unique with the out of the ordinary constructions. There’s also some some food talk too of Indian and Scottish origins with recipes included at the end. This first book was a lot of character building which for me moves a little slower getting used to the new series so I rated this one three and a half stars and would definitely be interested in returning.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
Tempest Raj has been working as a magician in Las Vegas but lost her job when wrongly accused so she has headed back to her childhood home in California. The home Tempest grew up in is unique to say the least with her family owning Secret Staircase Construction which specializes in hidden and intricate home designs which of course compose their own home.
As Tempest is just settling in back in California she goes for a visit to her father’s latest project. Things become complicated for Tempest though when a body is found inside of the project, a body that looks suspiciously like her former stage double. With an obvious murder occuring that looks like it may have been directed at Tempest herself she decides they need to find the killer fast.
Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian is sort of a cozy mystery but it doesn’t fit all the way into the cozy mold being just slightly different which wasn’t a bad thing. The characters are diverse and the theming was certainly unique with the out of the ordinary constructions. There’s also some some food talk too of Indian and Scottish origins with recipes included at the end. This first book was a lot of character building which for me moves a little slower getting used to the new series so I rated this one three and a half stars and would definitely be interested in returning.
I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.
For more reviews please visit https://carriesbookreviews.com/
April 8, 2022
Under Lock and Skeleton is a cozy mystery surrounding the fascinating Raj family and a tree house with a hidden staircase. The premise is wonderful, but I felt it dragged on a bit, and the mystery was not as nuanced as it could be. I would definitely give the second book a try.
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary.
I received a free copy of this book from the publishers via Netgalley. My review is voluntary.
January 30, 2022
I'm having a hard time naming what my critique of this book is, because I quite liked the characters and the "set pieces" of the solution. I also appreciated that this was a cozy that didn't feel overly twee. I guess my main issue is that the connective tissue between key moments in the book felt sort of rushed or phoned in? Like the book was just in a hurry to get to the next cool moment. Those moments were definitely cool, so I still enjoyed this, but it would been better for me if it had had a few less cool moments and more room to breathe
February 27, 2022
Tempest is a magician. She had a famous act in Vegas until something went terribly wrong and she was blamed. She decides to leave, and returns home to her small northern California hometown to help her dad with his business, Secret Staircase Construction, which is known for building secret rooms. When a body is found in one of the houses, everyone is shocked, especially Tempest, because it's someone she knows from Vegas, the very person responsible for her current situation. Her knowledge of magic proves helpful as she and her friend Ivy set out to find the murderer. Thanks to Edelweiss and the publisher for the ARC.
May 1, 2024
this was cute multilayered mystery. I listened to this on audio and I had trouble keeping the characters straight. I think it might be more me than the book I’m going to get the next one in the series debating whether I should read it or do audio.
February 13, 2022
Such a fun mystery full of masterful illusions, innovative architecture, and food! Tempest comes from a family of magicians/illusionists and has always heard there is a curse on her family that the eledest child dies from magic - and this has been true for five generations. Tempest doesn't know if she believes in the curse or not. Tempest was a headline performer in Vegas until an onstage incident that she was blamed for, caused her to se everything and go home to Hidden Creek to stay with her family. Trouble follwowed her - a body of a co-performer was found in a wall in an old house Tempest's father's company was remodeling. Other things were happening around Tempest that were very odd. She and her friends start inveslotigating to find out what is happending and who is behind it.
There are great characters in this book and I really enjoyed them. I also liked the plot and found the architecture of the hidden rooms and puzzling locks fascinating. Tempest's grandfather's cooking and love of food is peppered through the book. The mystery had enough complexity to keep my attention.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on March 15, 2022.
There are great characters in this book and I really enjoyed them. I also liked the plot and found the architecture of the hidden rooms and puzzling locks fascinating. Tempest's grandfather's cooking and love of food is peppered through the book. The mystery had enough complexity to keep my attention.
Thanks to St. Martin's Press through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on March 15, 2022.
April 20, 2022
Is it a crime or an ingenious illusion?
“Under Lock & Skeleton Key” is the first in the new “Secret Staircase Mystery” series. Tempest Raj is a magician, a female working in a profession dominated by men. Her parents, long retired from their own careers, run a company that specializes in building “hidden rooms,” for example, one that is revealed when someone removes a designated book on a bookshelf. Characters arrive with complex backstories that are gradually revealed as the narrative unfolds. The group is almost like the “Scooby Doo” gang but with a fifteen-pound, lop-eared rabbit.
A spectacular stage accident or “Tempest’s negligence,” as the lawyers called it, put her career on hold. She returned to her family home, but plans to return to her profession. As a stage magician, Tempest knows the story comes first, and only then does the creation of the illusion for performance begin. To that end, she is Nancy Drew all grown up; she watches classic mystery movies, gets lost in tricky books, and finds riddles and mysteries everywhere. Now back at home, she finds secrets everywhere, in the most unusual and surprising places. She uncovers riddles some new, and other that have been hidden for years.
There are endless variations on how a supposedly impossible crime can be made possible, but Tempest finds a crime, a trick, without a story and must unravel the deception. “Under Lock & Skeleton Key” is quick to read with plenty of mystery and laughs on each page. I received a review copy of “Under Lock & Skeleton Key” from Gigi Pandian, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books. Under Lock & Skeleton Key” by Gigi Pandian is now available from independent bookstores, retail outlets, online booksellers, and public libraries.
“Under Lock & Skeleton Key” is the first in the new “Secret Staircase Mystery” series. Tempest Raj is a magician, a female working in a profession dominated by men. Her parents, long retired from their own careers, run a company that specializes in building “hidden rooms,” for example, one that is revealed when someone removes a designated book on a bookshelf. Characters arrive with complex backstories that are gradually revealed as the narrative unfolds. The group is almost like the “Scooby Doo” gang but with a fifteen-pound, lop-eared rabbit.
A spectacular stage accident or “Tempest’s negligence,” as the lawyers called it, put her career on hold. She returned to her family home, but plans to return to her profession. As a stage magician, Tempest knows the story comes first, and only then does the creation of the illusion for performance begin. To that end, she is Nancy Drew all grown up; she watches classic mystery movies, gets lost in tricky books, and finds riddles and mysteries everywhere. Now back at home, she finds secrets everywhere, in the most unusual and surprising places. She uncovers riddles some new, and other that have been hidden for years.
There are endless variations on how a supposedly impossible crime can be made possible, but Tempest finds a crime, a trick, without a story and must unravel the deception. “Under Lock & Skeleton Key” is quick to read with plenty of mystery and laughs on each page. I received a review copy of “Under Lock & Skeleton Key” from Gigi Pandian, St. Martin's Press, and Minotaur Books. Under Lock & Skeleton Key” by Gigi Pandian is now available from independent bookstores, retail outlets, online booksellers, and public libraries.
March 11, 2022
UNDER LOCK & SKELETON KEY
by Gigi Pandian
St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books.
Pub Date Mar 15.
Absolutely loved this totally unique mystery, my first by author Gigi Pandian, and the first in what will be a winning series, if UNDER LOCK & SKELETON KEY is any indication.
What a clever storyline! Las Vegas magician Tempest Raj is nearly killed in an accident that sends her ashamed and stunned to her family's home in Cali. All she wants is to binge on her grandfather's delicious Indian feasts. But she knows, as the days go by, that her family will pressure her to work in her father's business, Secret Staircase Construction, which makes hidden stairs and rooms, secret reading nooks, treehouses, sliding bookcases, and more for clients who want to recapture their childhoods. Don't you just love that? I sure did!
Of course, I was reminded of my fav Nancy Drew book, The Hidden Staircase, which brought such magic to my childhood as Pandian is now doing for my adulthood. Murder, scrumptious food, a possible family curse that's existed for ages, and a heroine you'll cheer for make UNDER LOCK & SKELETON KEY a complete delight. Yippee, I've found a new fav mystery series!
Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
#underlockandskeletonkey #gigipandian #stmartinspressmimotaurbooks #newfavmysteryseries
by Gigi Pandian
St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books.
Pub Date Mar 15.
Absolutely loved this totally unique mystery, my first by author Gigi Pandian, and the first in what will be a winning series, if UNDER LOCK & SKELETON KEY is any indication.
What a clever storyline! Las Vegas magician Tempest Raj is nearly killed in an accident that sends her ashamed and stunned to her family's home in Cali. All she wants is to binge on her grandfather's delicious Indian feasts. But she knows, as the days go by, that her family will pressure her to work in her father's business, Secret Staircase Construction, which makes hidden stairs and rooms, secret reading nooks, treehouses, sliding bookcases, and more for clients who want to recapture their childhoods. Don't you just love that? I sure did!
Of course, I was reminded of my fav Nancy Drew book, The Hidden Staircase, which brought such magic to my childhood as Pandian is now doing for my adulthood. Murder, scrumptious food, a possible family curse that's existed for ages, and a heroine you'll cheer for make UNDER LOCK & SKELETON KEY a complete delight. Yippee, I've found a new fav mystery series!
Thanks to the author, St. Martin's Press, Minotaur Books, and NetGalley for the ARC. Opinions are mine.
#underlockandskeletonkey #gigipandian #stmartinspressmimotaurbooks #newfavmysteryseries
August 17, 2021
Adding my review here too.
This "gothic cozy" (as I've heard the author describe it) was soo freaking good. It's great because it takes the cozy tropes we all love (woman returning home to her small town in disgrace, mouth watering food with recipes, etc) and turns it on its head (the MC is a magician, the dead body is found hidden in a decades old wall). Gigi Pandian has made quite the name for herself as a master of locked room mysteries (which are impossible crimes as she tells us in the book). And this one doesn't disappoint. It also has something for both long-time fans (you'll recognize a few people and names) while also definitely making sure she'll have NEW fans. Can't wait for more folks to read this one!
This "gothic cozy" (as I've heard the author describe it) was soo freaking good. It's great because it takes the cozy tropes we all love (woman returning home to her small town in disgrace, mouth watering food with recipes, etc) and turns it on its head (the MC is a magician, the dead body is found hidden in a decades old wall). Gigi Pandian has made quite the name for herself as a master of locked room mysteries (which are impossible crimes as she tells us in the book). And this one doesn't disappoint. It also has something for both long-time fans (you'll recognize a few people and names) while also definitely making sure she'll have NEW fans. Can't wait for more folks to read this one!
March 17, 2022
Idk this was... alright. I will elaborate a little further after I think on it a bit! RTC
September 28, 2022
After her career as a magician in Las Vegas ended in a near fatal accident, Tempest Raj has returned home to her family. That includes time with her father’s construction business, which creates hidden rooms, secret staircases, etc., for his clients. Tempest is on hand at his newest job site when they discover a room that appears to have been sealed for decades. However, when they open it, a body falls out, and Tempest recognizes the victim. So, how did the victim get there? And who killed her?
This series is going to focus on locked-room mysteries, and it starts out with a good one. I enjoyed the dual puzzles of who did it and how the body got into the locked room. The beginning of the book was a little rough. While we don’t get a complete data dump with back story, there is a lot of material here, and the constant teasing of it was almost as bad. Still, as the book progressed, it got better, and the parts that aren’t completely resolved here will make great fodder for future books. Tempest is a great main character, and I quickly grew to love her family and friends, including a character imported from another of this author’s series. The magic and hidden room aspect gave this book a bit of a middle grade mystery vibe, which I completely loved. I will definitely be back to find out what happens to Tempest next.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
This series is going to focus on locked-room mysteries, and it starts out with a good one. I enjoyed the dual puzzles of who did it and how the body got into the locked room. The beginning of the book was a little rough. While we don’t get a complete data dump with back story, there is a lot of material here, and the constant teasing of it was almost as bad. Still, as the book progressed, it got better, and the parts that aren’t completely resolved here will make great fodder for future books. Tempest is a great main character, and I quickly grew to love her family and friends, including a character imported from another of this author’s series. The magic and hidden room aspect gave this book a bit of a middle grade mystery vibe, which I completely loved. I will definitely be back to find out what happens to Tempest next.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
April 20, 2022
This was one of my most anticipated books of the year. I fell victim to all the hype and the cute cover, only to discover it was all style and no substance.
I HATED the character work in this book. I never connected with the MC and didn't really like her at all. She constantly talks about how hard she worked and how she's some master storyteller and amazing at magic. But those things are never shown. We get no descriptions of her (supposedly) amazing Vegas act. None at all. She does one magic trick during the entire story with a half-assed explanation on the last page. It seems her only abilities really lie in performing pirouettes and back bends. Something she does a ridiculous number of times. Honestly, she read very juvenile. If I didn't know she was supposed to be in her mid-twenties I would've guessed her and her sidekicks were about 15.
I didn't like the dialogue either. It felt very stilted and awkward. Characters would be raging mad one moment and giggling the next. Statements were made that had nothing to do with the conversation taking place. It wasn't a pleasant experience.
And the focus on the curse was a bit absurd. For chapters and chapters the MC frets over whether the curse is out to get her and just mistakenly killed the wrong person. As if a magical curse is some bumbling criminal that couldn't tell the difference between her and another woman. This was stupid.
I HATED the character work in this book. I never connected with the MC and didn't really like her at all. She constantly talks about how hard she worked and how she's some master storyteller and amazing at magic. But those things are never shown. We get no descriptions of her (supposedly) amazing Vegas act. None at all. She does one magic trick during the entire story with a half-assed explanation on the last page. It seems her only abilities really lie in performing pirouettes and back bends. Something she does a ridiculous number of times. Honestly, she read very juvenile. If I didn't know she was supposed to be in her mid-twenties I would've guessed her and her sidekicks were about 15.
I didn't like the dialogue either. It felt very stilted and awkward. Characters would be raging mad one moment and giggling the next. Statements were made that had nothing to do with the conversation taking place. It wasn't a pleasant experience.
And the focus on the curse was a bit absurd. For chapters and chapters the MC frets over whether the curse is out to get her and just mistakenly killed the wrong person. As if a magical curse is some bumbling criminal that couldn't tell the difference between her and another woman. This was stupid.
May 3, 2022
.
I have trouble resetting myself. Not so much in life, but as a reader, absolutely. If I come at the story wrong, or it’s not what I expect, or I’m personally out of sorts; that’s where resetting becomes a necessity. Experience has taught me to put the book away for a while and come back to it later, fully knowing what to expect. That was not as option here. Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian arrived with the following obligation:
My first reset was minor. It did not take long to realize that the protagonist in this novel lacked the charm of Zoe Faust, The Accidental Alchemist, the lead in the only other Gigi Pandian book I’ve read. An easy reconciliation. We meet Tempest Raj at perhaps the lowest point in her life. Once a headlining magician in Las Vegas, Tempest’s show was sabotaged in such a way by her stand-in, Cassidy Sparrow, that Tempest was promptly labeled irresponsible. Disgraced publicly and abandoned by her colleagues, she retreats her small hometown. There we learn of the elements that helped form her life’s work: the Secret Staircase Construction company, through which her father specializes in building hidden rooms, secret entrances and intricate locks; and a family curse that reputedly takes the life of the first born, going back generations; and a best friend whose loves locked room mystery novels, particularly those of John Dickson Carr. In fact, aspects of Carr’s legacy can be found throughout the book.
The problem, then? From the back cover: “[W]hen Tempest visits her dad’s latest project, her former stage double is discovered dead inside a wall that’s supposedly been sealed for more than a century. . . .” Major reset. Anybody whose read, say, five Carr books, not to mention fans of the sub-genre in general, almost immediately know exactly how this “impossible” crime occurred.
What saved the book for me was that I had gotten to know Tempest and her family and friends, and I wanted to learn more. And there were other questions that also needed answers, most of them wisely raised by the author herself over the course of the novel. Was Tempest the intended victim and Cassidy killed by mistake? What is the secret behind the family curse? Was it real, however unlikely, or was someone using it against Tempest for some unknown reason? And, of course, knowing how the trick was done doesn’t necessarily lead you to the killer. There remained a lot more to discover. Thankfully, as the story unfolds, Pandian expertly explains everything, even the strategically-placed minor mysteries that exist only to confuse and distract the characters (and sometimes the audience).
My initial disappointment was probably an overreaction. In response to someone claiming that no one wrote locked room mysteries anymore, someone else (almost certainly Kellye Garrett) answer by naming Gigi Pandian. With the recent loss of Edward D Hoch--and, yes, I know more than a decade hardly qualifies as recent, but that’s how it feels to me--I did not want to see the art form die. I have to hope this is not Pandian’s best effort, at least in respect to howdunits. But otherwise there were many, many positives. In sum, I found characters and a world I want to revisit.
I have trouble resetting myself. Not so much in life, but as a reader, absolutely. If I come at the story wrong, or it’s not what I expect, or I’m personally out of sorts; that’s where resetting becomes a necessity. Experience has taught me to put the book away for a while and come back to it later, fully knowing what to expect. That was not as option here. Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian arrived with the following obligation:
This novel was a part of a GoodReads giveaway, awarded in hopes of a fair and honest review. As usual, there was no other expectation or requirement on my part.No expectation or requirement, but that implied obligation. An obligation that in the past I had failed to deliver on in a timely fashion--and sometimes not at all. Never again. It’s the reason I allowed myself to enter a giveaway again. Never again. And so I found myself in a position where I had to reset.
My first reset was minor. It did not take long to realize that the protagonist in this novel lacked the charm of Zoe Faust, The Accidental Alchemist, the lead in the only other Gigi Pandian book I’ve read. An easy reconciliation. We meet Tempest Raj at perhaps the lowest point in her life. Once a headlining magician in Las Vegas, Tempest’s show was sabotaged in such a way by her stand-in, Cassidy Sparrow, that Tempest was promptly labeled irresponsible. Disgraced publicly and abandoned by her colleagues, she retreats her small hometown. There we learn of the elements that helped form her life’s work: the Secret Staircase Construction company, through which her father specializes in building hidden rooms, secret entrances and intricate locks; and a family curse that reputedly takes the life of the first born, going back generations; and a best friend whose loves locked room mystery novels, particularly those of John Dickson Carr. In fact, aspects of Carr’s legacy can be found throughout the book.
The problem, then? From the back cover: “[W]hen Tempest visits her dad’s latest project, her former stage double is discovered dead inside a wall that’s supposedly been sealed for more than a century. . . .” Major reset. Anybody whose read, say, five Carr books, not to mention fans of the sub-genre in general, almost immediately know exactly how this “impossible” crime occurred.
What saved the book for me was that I had gotten to know Tempest and her family and friends, and I wanted to learn more. And there were other questions that also needed answers, most of them wisely raised by the author herself over the course of the novel. Was Tempest the intended victim and Cassidy killed by mistake? What is the secret behind the family curse? Was it real, however unlikely, or was someone using it against Tempest for some unknown reason? And, of course, knowing how the trick was done doesn’t necessarily lead you to the killer. There remained a lot more to discover. Thankfully, as the story unfolds, Pandian expertly explains everything, even the strategically-placed minor mysteries that exist only to confuse and distract the characters (and sometimes the audience).
My initial disappointment was probably an overreaction. In response to someone claiming that no one wrote locked room mysteries anymore, someone else (almost certainly Kellye Garrett) answer by naming Gigi Pandian. With the recent loss of Edward D Hoch--and, yes, I know more than a decade hardly qualifies as recent, but that’s how it feels to me--I did not want to see the art form die. I have to hope this is not Pandian’s best effort, at least in respect to howdunits. But otherwise there were many, many positives. In sum, I found characters and a world I want to revisit.
March 25, 2022
This is my first Gigi Pandian book but it won’t be my last. In this book she introduces Tempest Raj, a young woman from a family of magicians. Tempest is famous for creating complex magic performances that tell stories.
Magic runs in her family. In fact, her grandfather, a former doctor and now a chef, comes from a line of magicians in India, and her mother and deceased aunt carried on the family tradition. The other family tradition is a curse, where the eldest child in the family dies under unusual or terrible circumstances.
At the open, Tempest is back in the family‘s home after a terrible accident that almost killed her, and destroyed her finances and reputation. She is now looking to rebuild her life, but doesn’t want to join her father’s construction business: his company creates unique and unusual puzzle structures in homes.
After discovering the dead body of Tempest’s performance body double at a recent construction site, Tempest decides to dig for clues.
She reconnects with her former best friend Ivy, ropes in Sanjay, a magician friend, and Gideon, one of her father’s employees and a stonemason, to help her in her sleuthing.
The tone is light, breezy, and fun. And, there is so much fantastic food in this book! I was perpetually hungry while reading.
This was an enjoyable mystery. I was able to figure out who committed various crimes in the book, but I still liked the story and characters.
And, though I’ve never read the author’s other series, I liked that Jaya Jones got a nod, so I know this and her Jaya Jones series happen in the same world and similar time frames, so I am going to hunt down Jaya’s series, and I am looking forward to Tempest’s next outing.
Thank you to Netgalley and to St. martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.
story I also liked that though I’ve never read the series that Jaya Jones in her gets annoyed at here so we know that the these stories happen in the same world and time frame so I am definitely gonna be picking up that series of Sandpoint in the meantime I’m really looking forward to the next garage mystery and adventure so to speak and I can’t wait
Magic runs in her family. In fact, her grandfather, a former doctor and now a chef, comes from a line of magicians in India, and her mother and deceased aunt carried on the family tradition. The other family tradition is a curse, where the eldest child in the family dies under unusual or terrible circumstances.
At the open, Tempest is back in the family‘s home after a terrible accident that almost killed her, and destroyed her finances and reputation. She is now looking to rebuild her life, but doesn’t want to join her father’s construction business: his company creates unique and unusual puzzle structures in homes.
After discovering the dead body of Tempest’s performance body double at a recent construction site, Tempest decides to dig for clues.
She reconnects with her former best friend Ivy, ropes in Sanjay, a magician friend, and Gideon, one of her father’s employees and a stonemason, to help her in her sleuthing.
The tone is light, breezy, and fun. And, there is so much fantastic food in this book! I was perpetually hungry while reading.
This was an enjoyable mystery. I was able to figure out who committed various crimes in the book, but I still liked the story and characters.
And, though I’ve never read the author’s other series, I liked that Jaya Jones got a nod, so I know this and her Jaya Jones series happen in the same world and similar time frames, so I am going to hunt down Jaya’s series, and I am looking forward to Tempest’s next outing.
Thank you to Netgalley and to St. martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for my review.
story I also liked that though I’ve never read the series that Jaya Jones in her gets annoyed at here so we know that the these stories happen in the same world and time frame so I am definitely gonna be picking up that series of Sandpoint in the meantime I’m really looking forward to the next garage mystery and adventure so to speak and I can’t wait
November 13, 2022
As much as I wanted to, I just could not get into this one. I liked the element of magic and the mystery of the house and hidden spaces. I didn't like the main character or her friends that gathered around. I was bored from the get-go. Wish I'd liked it more.
April 12, 2022
An interesting story where the protagonist is a stage magician. For readers who like illusions and figuring out puzzles, this is the book for you.
December 3, 2022
A nice start to a series! This was a little slow in that a large cast of characters had to be introduced and a lot of time was spent pondering the main character’s past. Still, it was an interesting premise and I’ll be looking for the next installment.
April 19, 2022
Under Lock and Skeleton Key had everything that i look for in a mystery and should have worked for me in theory. Unfortunately, i couldn't really connect to the protagonist Tempest Raj or the story of the book.
Tempest Raj comes from a family of magicians and has created a name for herself in the world of magic when an onstage trick gone wrong puts her career in jeopardy and she has to return home to her father and her maternal grandparents. In the absence of anything else, she decided to join her father's company which makes hidden doors, cabinets etc for people who can afford them. In het first job for her father, they discover a deadbody hidden in a place where it couldn't have been hidden. Tempest knows this is some kind of a trick and she wcen knows the deadbody. Plus, there is a curse on the family's eldest child dying and Tempest is afraid that the curse might be real. Especially after her maternal aunt died, followed by her mother five years ago.
The entire book tries to solve these mysteries as we see Tempest and her friends looking for answers. I felt the book was a little too long and i began losing interest after 50% of the book. I didn't particularly enjoy the multiple magic references and to make the reading experience worse, there were lines that were repeated time and again in the book. Plus, the characters didn't appeal to me and i couldn't really care less by the time it ended.
Tempest Raj comes from a family of magicians and has created a name for herself in the world of magic when an onstage trick gone wrong puts her career in jeopardy and she has to return home to her father and her maternal grandparents. In the absence of anything else, she decided to join her father's company which makes hidden doors, cabinets etc for people who can afford them. In het first job for her father, they discover a deadbody hidden in a place where it couldn't have been hidden. Tempest knows this is some kind of a trick and she wcen knows the deadbody. Plus, there is a curse on the family's eldest child dying and Tempest is afraid that the curse might be real. Especially after her maternal aunt died, followed by her mother five years ago.
The entire book tries to solve these mysteries as we see Tempest and her friends looking for answers. I felt the book was a little too long and i began losing interest after 50% of the book. I didn't particularly enjoy the multiple magic references and to make the reading experience worse, there were lines that were repeated time and again in the book. Plus, the characters didn't appeal to me and i couldn't really care less by the time it ended.
February 7, 2022
While I loved the idea of The Secret Staircase Construction Company, overall this book was not for me which I know puts me in the minority of readers. The writing felt clunky, the characters one-dimensional and I felt things jumped all over the place so I was never able to fully engage in the story.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of the ebook in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Thank you to Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for a copy of the ebook in exchange for a fair and honest review.
November 11, 2021
Thanks NetGalley!
This was a very cute cozy mystery, which is usually right up my alley. But this felt like the target audience might be more young adult or younger. I could totally see this being a Disney movie someday. I think it is great if that's what you're looking for, it just wasn't really for me.
This was a very cute cozy mystery, which is usually right up my alley. But this felt like the target audience might be more young adult or younger. I could totally see this being a Disney movie someday. I think it is great if that's what you're looking for, it just wasn't really for me.
January 16, 2022
Can a stage magician solve a real puzzle?
I confess I have never read a book whose protagonist is a woman with an Indian father and a Scottish mother. Add to that her profession as a stage magician, and how could I resist?
The cleverness in the setup of this series is carried out in many details. There are descriptions of projects that Secret Staircase Construction has built, like wood slats in the floor in the shape of a skeleton key and the fake copy of Invisible Man that opens a bookcase to reveal a hidden room when you tug on it.
Tempest is an enjoyable protagonist, a credible character despite her unusual background, and the mixed ethnicities give rise to some very interesting culinary combinations, some of whose recipes are provided in the book. The full cast of quirky characters, including three generations of Tempest’s family and Tempest’s former BFF Ivy, who is a welder working for Secret Staircase Construction, all have rather eccentric backgrounds. Tempest even has a pet rabbit named Abracadabra.
All of this makes Under Lock and Skeleton Key a good candidate if you are in the mood for a whimsical read for the beach or a cold winter’s day.
Another aspect mentioned in the book description is the tribute to classic locked room mysteries, and this is where some readers may find themselves disappointed. Fans of such mysteries often tend to favor rather cerebral plots and puzzles they can work out themselves, and this is certainly not that kind of mystery. There is some good mention of classic mysteries like the Dr. Fell series that will probably motivate many readers to go look for some old favorites. Ivy presents a nice comparison of locked room mysteries compared to closed circle mysteries, and her analysis of puzzle plots versus psychological mysteries is right on target. However, readers who are looking for a puzzle mystery may be disappointed. In addition, there were too many implausible features to the plot to satisfy this type of reader.
The unconventional background and characters ARE fun, but Pandian overdoes them a bit. There are, for example, too many mentions of Tempest’s red shoes and Ivy’s puffy pink vest. And the many hidden nooks and egresses designed by Secret Staircase Construction are admirable, but it is impossible to imagine one house with so many of them!
Some of the writing is a bit rough, like use of the word, “illicit” rather than “elicit” , but the published version may have corrected many of these problems.
If you are definitely in the mood for some escape fiction and can suspend your critical thinking in a big way, Under Lock and Skeleton Key may be just your cup of cardamom tea. Just don’t expect Hercule Poirot.
I received an advance review copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher.
I confess I have never read a book whose protagonist is a woman with an Indian father and a Scottish mother. Add to that her profession as a stage magician, and how could I resist?
The cleverness in the setup of this series is carried out in many details. There are descriptions of projects that Secret Staircase Construction has built, like wood slats in the floor in the shape of a skeleton key and the fake copy of Invisible Man that opens a bookcase to reveal a hidden room when you tug on it.
Tempest is an enjoyable protagonist, a credible character despite her unusual background, and the mixed ethnicities give rise to some very interesting culinary combinations, some of whose recipes are provided in the book. The full cast of quirky characters, including three generations of Tempest’s family and Tempest’s former BFF Ivy, who is a welder working for Secret Staircase Construction, all have rather eccentric backgrounds. Tempest even has a pet rabbit named Abracadabra.
All of this makes Under Lock and Skeleton Key a good candidate if you are in the mood for a whimsical read for the beach or a cold winter’s day.
Another aspect mentioned in the book description is the tribute to classic locked room mysteries, and this is where some readers may find themselves disappointed. Fans of such mysteries often tend to favor rather cerebral plots and puzzles they can work out themselves, and this is certainly not that kind of mystery. There is some good mention of classic mysteries like the Dr. Fell series that will probably motivate many readers to go look for some old favorites. Ivy presents a nice comparison of locked room mysteries compared to closed circle mysteries, and her analysis of puzzle plots versus psychological mysteries is right on target. However, readers who are looking for a puzzle mystery may be disappointed. In addition, there were too many implausible features to the plot to satisfy this type of reader.
The unconventional background and characters ARE fun, but Pandian overdoes them a bit. There are, for example, too many mentions of Tempest’s red shoes and Ivy’s puffy pink vest. And the many hidden nooks and egresses designed by Secret Staircase Construction are admirable, but it is impossible to imagine one house with so many of them!
Some of the writing is a bit rough, like use of the word, “illicit” rather than “elicit” , but the published version may have corrected many of these problems.
If you are definitely in the mood for some escape fiction and can suspend your critical thinking in a big way, Under Lock and Skeleton Key may be just your cup of cardamom tea. Just don’t expect Hercule Poirot.
I received an advance review copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher.
October 8, 2022
I had no idea what to expect when I started Under Lock & Skeleton Key by Gigi Pandian, and oh what a good time it was. Secret Staircase Construction might be the best company I have ever heard of (can it be real please?), and I loved that Tempest's dad's company is part of what drove this cozy mystery. This book is full of slights of hand, magic, and murder, and it would be great for anyone who is a fan of cozies like I am. There are some profound moments, plenty of mystery, and lots of things that made me laugh out loud along with the fun of the whodunit. Once I started, I couldn't put it down, and it helped that it isn't that long and has a quick pace. Tempest was a great character, and I loved her and so many of the secondary characters as well. And you definitely can't go wrong with a tubby bunny named Abra.
Under Lock & Skeleton Key is a real gem of a book, and thankfully so is its audiobook. Soneela Nankani has definitely made the list of my top 10 narrators at this point, and she aced the narration for both the story and Tempest along with the other characters. The whole book is told from Tempest's POV, and it is also broken up into parts which was a really fun way to do it. I didn't read until after I was done that Pandian drew on her own family history for this story, and frankly that makes me even more excited this is the first of a new series. Somehow, she has written 11 other books without me knowing about her, and I am officially anxious to check out her backlist. Her writing was lively and sharp, and the mystery was surprising as well! This was a winner in my book and was also a great choice for spooky season since there is just a touch of spookiness as well.
Under Lock & Skeleton Key is a real gem of a book, and thankfully so is its audiobook. Soneela Nankani has definitely made the list of my top 10 narrators at this point, and she aced the narration for both the story and Tempest along with the other characters. The whole book is told from Tempest's POV, and it is also broken up into parts which was a really fun way to do it. I didn't read until after I was done that Pandian drew on her own family history for this story, and frankly that makes me even more excited this is the first of a new series. Somehow, she has written 11 other books without me knowing about her, and I am officially anxious to check out her backlist. Her writing was lively and sharp, and the mystery was surprising as well! This was a winner in my book and was also a great choice for spooky season since there is just a touch of spookiness as well.
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