Sign in with Facebook
Nilufer Ozmekik's Reviews > Death at Morning House
Death at Morning House
by
by
I don’t know if this standalone may turn into a new series because I mostly connected with most of the characters, including the quirky, smart, and peculiar Marlowe Wexler. The sulking goth girl Riki and the flamboyant, easy-going Van surely resonated with my inner awkwardness, spidey senses, and quirkiness levels.
The two mysteries take place in the same haunted mansion theme, and the quirky young female lead’s attempt to solve the cases might show similarities with the main plot of the Truly Devious series. However, there are differences, starting with the heroines: Truly Devious’s Stevie Bell is more devoted, focused, and socially inadapted, obsessed with detective work while dealing with her own family problems. In contrast, Marlowe in "Death at Morning House" is a sweeter character with more engaging qualities. She’s self-deprecating, shy, queer, a little clumsy, and good-hearted, but her photographic memory and sharp gray cells help her connect the pieces to see the full puzzle.
If you’re a fan of the Truly Devious series, the semi-similar mystery-solving concept may lure you in with more likable characters (thankfully, there’s no character as annoying as Truly Devious’ David in this book)! The intertwined mysteries take us on a journey between tragedies that took place on July 27, 1932, and the present day, where Marlowe is hired to be a tour guide at Morning House. This is the very place where two deaths haunted the past, and another death occurs, resulting in Marlowe replacing one of the tour guides, increasing the tension.
Marlowe’s well-intentioned jest for Akilah, a girl she has a long-time crush on, ends up putting the house into flames, turning her into a pariah! (How could she imagine a $30 candle could explode and cause such a disaster? Poor Marlowe!) When Marlowe gets trapped in her own room, squirming in guilt, and losing her chance with Akilah, a job offer arises as a tour guide on Ralston Island. Here, Morning House has been renovated and opened to tourists after years, where the Ralston Family—a scientist, his ex-celebrity wife, his sister, and seven children—lived in a health-obsessed lifestyle from the 1920s to the 1930s. Tragedies have plagued the family, with little Max drowning at the age of four, and their eldest sister, Clara, jumping from the roof.
As Marlowe sets foot in the place, she senses the eeriness as if the ghosts of the family still haunt it. Most of her new friends seem friendly, except for Riki, who gives off suspicious vibes and is obsessed with finding out the Ralston history. Her new boss, Belinda Henson, tries to finish her book about the dark mystery of the place and acts as if she wants Marlowe to spy on the other guides from an outsider's perspective. Then, another tragic incident occurs, putting Marlowe’s life at risk as she keeps digging for the truth. Could she gather the pieces of the puzzle to find the bridge that unites past and present incidents? Could there be a dangerous killer around them who might do anything to keep their secret safe?
Overall, it’s an entertaining, fast-paced, smartly executed YA mystery that I highly recommend! I also loved to see Marlowe back for the later installments!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children Books/HarperTeen for sharing this unputdownable Maureen Johnson’s new standalone with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
instagram
facebook
twitter
The two mysteries take place in the same haunted mansion theme, and the quirky young female lead’s attempt to solve the cases might show similarities with the main plot of the Truly Devious series. However, there are differences, starting with the heroines: Truly Devious’s Stevie Bell is more devoted, focused, and socially inadapted, obsessed with detective work while dealing with her own family problems. In contrast, Marlowe in "Death at Morning House" is a sweeter character with more engaging qualities. She’s self-deprecating, shy, queer, a little clumsy, and good-hearted, but her photographic memory and sharp gray cells help her connect the pieces to see the full puzzle.
If you’re a fan of the Truly Devious series, the semi-similar mystery-solving concept may lure you in with more likable characters (thankfully, there’s no character as annoying as Truly Devious’ David in this book)! The intertwined mysteries take us on a journey between tragedies that took place on July 27, 1932, and the present day, where Marlowe is hired to be a tour guide at Morning House. This is the very place where two deaths haunted the past, and another death occurs, resulting in Marlowe replacing one of the tour guides, increasing the tension.
Marlowe’s well-intentioned jest for Akilah, a girl she has a long-time crush on, ends up putting the house into flames, turning her into a pariah! (How could she imagine a $30 candle could explode and cause such a disaster? Poor Marlowe!) When Marlowe gets trapped in her own room, squirming in guilt, and losing her chance with Akilah, a job offer arises as a tour guide on Ralston Island. Here, Morning House has been renovated and opened to tourists after years, where the Ralston Family—a scientist, his ex-celebrity wife, his sister, and seven children—lived in a health-obsessed lifestyle from the 1920s to the 1930s. Tragedies have plagued the family, with little Max drowning at the age of four, and their eldest sister, Clara, jumping from the roof.
As Marlowe sets foot in the place, she senses the eeriness as if the ghosts of the family still haunt it. Most of her new friends seem friendly, except for Riki, who gives off suspicious vibes and is obsessed with finding out the Ralston history. Her new boss, Belinda Henson, tries to finish her book about the dark mystery of the place and acts as if she wants Marlowe to spy on the other guides from an outsider's perspective. Then, another tragic incident occurs, putting Marlowe’s life at risk as she keeps digging for the truth. Could she gather the pieces of the puzzle to find the bridge that unites past and present incidents? Could there be a dangerous killer around them who might do anything to keep their secret safe?
Overall, it’s an entertaining, fast-paced, smartly executed YA mystery that I highly recommend! I also loved to see Marlowe back for the later installments!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins Children Books/HarperTeen for sharing this unputdownable Maureen Johnson’s new standalone with me in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Follow me on medium.com to read my articles about books, movies, streaming series, astrology:
medium blog
Sign into Goodreads to see if any of your friends have read
Death at Morning House.
Sign In »
Reading Progress
March 21, 2024
–
Started Reading
March 21, 2024
– Shelved
March 24, 2024
–
Finished Reading
