Death in the Spires

CW : References to prior sexual assault and abortion. One character experiences virulent racism. K.J. Charles is no longer self-publishing's best kept secret. Sourcebooks published her 2023 M/M historical duology, [b:The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen 57102663 The Secret Lives of Country Gentlemen (The Doomsday Books, #1) K.J. Charles https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1663091244l/57102663.SX50.jpg 89360006], and [b:A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel 75505273 A Nobleman's Guide to Seducing a Scoundrel (The Doomsday Books, #2) K.J. Charles https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1677601132l/75505273.SY75.jpg 100794063]. Orion recently released the previously self-pub'd [b:The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting 192786618 The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting K.J. Charles https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1699055167l/192786618.SY75.jpg 87603321], with a follow up scheduled for July. And she recently announced an additional three-book deal with Sourcebooks. So it's a perfect opportunity for her to spread her literary wings and experiment with a new genre - historical mystery. Of course, she nails it.England, 1905. Downtrodden hero Jeremy “Jem” Kite loses his menial clerk job when his boss receives an anonymous letter linking Jem to the unsolved murder of his Oxford classmate ten years ago. With no college degree and few employment prospects, Jem decides that his life will never improve unless he identifies the note writer - and the killer. He has a finite list of suspects: the five other surviving members of the once close-knit “Seven Wonders.” Flashback to 1895. As a first year scholarship student at Oxford, Jem is astonished to find himself, club foot and all, recruited into an ebullient, exclusive circle of upper class men and women. He initially suspects that his acceptance by these shining stars is part of a cruel joke. But by the end of first term, he is secure in his place and envisioning a bright future with his new BFFs. That lasts until third year, when Toby Feynsham, the group's ringleader, is murdered. Due to the circumstances of his death, the friends are acutely aware that the killer has to be one of them. Jem has a mental breakdown and never finishes school. The other Wonders scatter and lose touch with each other, until Jem stirs the pot by asking questions. There's nothing worse than a mystery in which the characters take a backseat to the clues and theories of the crime. Fortunately KJC brings her brilliant character building skills to this new genre. It's easy to identify from page one with Jem, a disabled scholarship student without social graces or connections who is briefly one of the Best and the Brightest, before his bubble is cruelly popped and his illusions are shattered. Jem may be “a drab man with a drab job,” but through his investigation he discovers strength and cunning that help him uncover long-held secrets. The other characters, especially the victim's best friend Nick, are also richly drawn, to the point where I found myself wishing that the “Random Crazy Lunatic” theory of the murder espoused by Oxford's administration would somehow be proven accurate. The book is set at the turn of the 20th century, but the issues uncovered by Jem's dogged pursuit of the truth are alarmingly relevant today. Timeless themes of justice, redemption, and morality are also explored, with the book's denouement demonstrating that these concepts are rarely black and white. The Seven Wonders perform Shakespeare's [b:Cymbeline 305510 Cymbeline William Shakespeare https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1418615076l/305510.SY75.jpg 745601] just prior to Toby's murder, and many of the play's themes are echoed in the novel (also, it's Mr. KJC's favorite). Charles has been very upfront that Death in the Spires is not a historical romance, but that it has “romantic elements.” The physical relationship between Jem and another member of the group is essential to understanding the past, but their future together is murky. If you squint really hard, you can just barely imagine an HFN ending, but that could be my stubborn romance novel mind grasping at straws. KJC's foray into historical mystery shows that her incredible talents are easily transferable to other genres. I'd follow her anywhere. ARC received from Net Galley in exchange for objective review. I am a member of KJC's Facebook fan group.